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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 31, 2011 - 09:47pm PT
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Holy Terror in the Needles. It is something like 5.7 and has one bolt in about 70 feet. You can sling a sort of undeveloped camel's hump on the ridge about 20 ft up with a 20ft sling that probably would not hold much of a fall. Cool Summit. I think it would get my attention even today.
You can just see the top of it in Riley W.'s TR in the photo after the needles eye just above the biker.http://www.supertopo.com/tr/The-Fire-Inside-a-year-in-the-life-of-a-life-of-climbing/t11022n.html
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Oct 31, 2011 - 09:48pm PT
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Louie Louie
1964 Fender Mustang
rick ramback's garage
you are important, keep on trying,
be generous of your spirit,
get involved in a cause you believe in,
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Social climber
Retired to Appalachia
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Oct 31, 2011 - 09:59pm PT
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Early 1970s
Huntington Ravine, Mount Washington
Who knows where I was?
A devious pitch to some hooking moves to a blind aid placement around a corner. The placement popped when I rotated onto it, and I fell backwards and upside down. The entire pitch zippered, except for the #3 wired that I had placed right before my first hook move. My belayer stopped me 5 feet above the ground.
Scratch 1 of my 9 lives. I was still a virgin.
But now I been gettin' laid longer than most of these young climber's have been alive.
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Gary
climber
From the City That Dreams
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Oct 31, 2011 - 10:54pm PT
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2nd pitch of Fingertip Traverse.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Oct 31, 2011 - 10:57pm PT
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The Stairs, 5.3, Mission Gorge, 1973, on my very first day climbing, after top-roping it once or twice. Basically soloed it. Good times.
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Hand Jammer
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Oct 31, 2011 - 10:58pm PT
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I was interested in learning to climb and started showing up to the Sierra Rock Climbing Section (RCS) top rope outings on Sundays at the local bay area rocks around the summer of 1976. You were not allowed to go on any "out town" overnight trips until you passed various tests. The summer dragged into late fall and I decided I'd better get busy on the tests before the season ended.
Having passed enough tests I signed up for my first out of town trip which was going to Yosemite just before Thanksgiving. A young Peter Mayfield (still in braces) was one of the trip leaders of the outing. In the valley one of the other leaders asked me if I was a "lead" climber. Too embarrassed to admit I had never lead a climb or that this was my first "out of town" trip I blurted out that yes I was indeed!
Thusly I was was paired up to climb with a another beginner. If I remember correctly her name was Barbara and she had a foreign accent. I nervously looked through the guide book for the easiest rated climb I could find. I selected Lower Arch Traverse at 5.3 near the Arches area. It was pretty cold that November day and we got a late start toward the climb. I had no idea of the scale in the guide book or what I was getting into. As we walked along the base of the wall I could not locate the actual climb.
I finally decided that where we were was good enough and made preparations to climb. I pulled out the my new unused meager rack of stoppers, slung hexes, 150 foot rope, and home made harness made of webbing. I took a last look through Robbin's Advanced Rockcraft book for suggestions of how to go about the assent. I started up and took considerable time in placing pro as I had never done so before. Not having many carabiners I girth hitched slings to the wired nuts and slung hexes. The route, if you could call it that, consisted of many large blocks stacked up at the base of the wall. I finally reached a decent ledge and set up a belay after deciding I had gone far enough. My partner made it up to me as it was getting late in the day. We bumbled around and finally got the rappel set up. It now occurred to me I would have to leave some of my new gear behind. We got down after dark and ran into the RSC search party that was coming out to look for us on the way back.
Off route and almost benighted on one pitch of 5.3 I later realized I was never meant for climbing greatness.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Oct 31, 2011 - 11:05pm PT
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while the memories of yore fog with the season of fade (howz that wege for poetic verbiage?)
I'm pretty sure my first lead was something on Short Wall at Indian Cove, JTNM.
There was probably more soloing going on than leading, because by then we had TR'd everything under the sun out there so there wasn't much I hadn't put a rope over the top of under 5.10. I never had an RCS to show me the leading. We picked up TR'ing from my buddy's pop, who learned from Chris Gonzalez. Desert rat learning. Get some gear, go have fun.
Fun we did have.
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justin01
Trad climber
sacramento
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Oct 31, 2011 - 11:15pm PT
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the bong, joshua tree. Lead my first sport climb a while later.
half my pieces fell out...5.4 so I guess it was alright.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Oct 31, 2011 - 11:38pm PT
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Mine was the Cussin' Crack on Castle Rock, Boulder Canyon. I think it's still a 5.7 these days? A real classic. I think it was 1960?
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nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
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Oct 31, 2011 - 11:41pm PT
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Galwas Crack @ Mission Gorge (San Diego). Dirty 5.9 crack with hexes! I hadn't even bought nuts yet (but I did own one cam, a #4 Camalot, that may have been used).
Kind of funny how I didn't much progress beyond that in the last 17 years. Maybe my technique is a little more solid and I seem less likely to die. But then there was that time earlier this year near Chockstone Chimney.... So my whole climbing career has been a kind of plateau.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Oct 31, 2011 - 11:59pm PT
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Angel's Fright, Tahquitz, 1968 or so. Basically climbed it class 4: placed one 1" angle halfway in, at the mild "overhang" near the top. Belayed from trees, and the 2nd untied so we could throw the rope down to the 3rd and he tied in. We had a ton of fun.
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Gary
climber
From the City That Dreams
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Off route and almost benighted on one pitch of 5.3 I later realized I was never meant for climbing greatness.
LOL, Hand Jammer. Someday I'll tell about my 5 pitch climb of Intersection Rock.
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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rat dung ramp, Smith Rocks, 1973 or '74, 5.6 / as I recall not great pro, and of course we were using hexes. Its just below karate crack for those who know / or sort of know the area. I can still taste the fear... ha ha
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seth kovar
climber
Reno, NV
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The Perfect Lie Back 5.8
Placed a bunch of crappy cams then bomber nuts to the top.
Then a sh#t eating grin.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Social climber
Retired to Appalachia
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First multi-pitch lead: Whitehorse Ledge, New Hampsire, circa 1975
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 1, 2011 - 12:20am PT
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Seth where is that? I would be proud to lead that today.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Longs folly 5.8+, Pinnacles NM.
Just had slings for bolts, no gear for the big chimney.
Pretty shaky at the top, which is standard on many Pinns routes...
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Horseman, at The Gunks. Fall 1972. First day of climbing.
The day began with my "experienced" partner leading me up Three Pines. Then, he explained, it was my turn to lead and he suggested Horseman so up I went.
That day completely altered the course of my life. And I'm not tellin' the best part 'cause I'm savin' it.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Best I can 'member... First pitch of After 6. Back when it had a full tree and wasn't slippery as snot in the rain.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Galwas Crack @ Mission Gorge (San Diego). Dirty 5.9 crack with hexes! I hadn't even bought nuts yet (but I did own one cam, a #4 Camalot, that may have been used).
Jesus Nutnob your first lead was Galwas Crack!? That's pretty proud n' burly!
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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The first leads I recall: 1st pitch of Portent in the Pinnacles; the 2nd pitch of Munginella together with the 1st and 3rd of of Selanginella, when my partner and I ran them together to approximate a Grade III. Swinging leads on Fairview Regular, I drew the 2nd pitch, a rattly 5.8 hands, or fist (don't remember which). Cams hadn't been invented yet, so the only piece of my parsed rack was this large hex, which fell out of the crack every time I moved up; I'd snag the thing and try and get it to stick above me. In this manner, I somehow managed to get to the small pine at the stance, spent in mind and body.
1st 5.10 lead was the well named Head Rush on Lembart. Once on top we had to throw down a TR to some Brits, whose leader had become gripped out on the top bolt of Werner's.
I'd say it took me about 10 years of apprenticeship to come into his own as the Leader. I trolled thru Camp 4 one Sunday, looking for a day partner, whom I eventually met as a nice young woman from North Carolina, and basically walked her up Grack Marginal on the east side of the Apron, realizing, apparently, that I seemed to climb with a lot more focus on Lead than on a TR. Things had suddenly clicked!
From that day of the epiphany forward, I literally became a Lead Hog, and was to end up leading every pitch of every climb I made.
My guess is that if you can put it together on lead, move effectively, and get your gear, but still feel a bit anxious, you're not quite there yet. If you can't wait to getu up there and place your first piece, and feel completely at home in your environment, you've arrived. It's just one of those things. No one has to tell you you're a Leader - you just know it.
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murcy
Gym climber
sanfrancisco
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Portent for bolts, and I can't remember my first gear lead. Knapsack Crack, Pop Bottle, Grack, and Munginella were early ones, though.
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F'ueco
Boulder climber
San Jose, CA
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My first "lead" was a two-bolt thing on Shady Rock (Castle Rock State Park) called Slot Nos back in 1996. It was 5.9 at the time and is now considered 5.8.
My first real lead was Coyote Ugly at Pinnacles (5.9, 150' with 4 bolts and a cam placement). Now that was spicy for a first full-pitch lead in 1997.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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do you still get a dozen donuts for your first lead like the ol days?
or is everybody strung out on luke warm PBR from somebody's crusty artesian sleeping bag?
what was the last thin you threw up from j box?
what did it look like coming out?
greenish brown, or mild yellow?
ever drop a deuce in somebody's bird bath?
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Mikemcee
Social climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Cathedral Peak. I had followed it the year before and knew the placements were good. Many sweaty palm moves later, I sat on the summit pedestal not sure whether to laugh or cry. No idea if any of the placements were good since we never tested them but it sure was an eye opener.
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seth kovar
climber
Reno, NV
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The Perfect Lie Back is @ Woodfords
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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My first complete lead (I had a couple of 1/2 leads where I wussed out on the way up) was "The Owl" at Mission Gorge - 1975.
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Gary
climber
From the City That Dreams
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Criminey, seth, that was your first lead?
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Honestly, it was my first real lead.
Late 70's. We poured out of the school vans onto the dirt parking lot. I was given a few ropes, a rack of stoppers and hexes, and 3 or 4 "students" from our class. I was told to go take these folks up East Wall at the Leap. Marty Garrison was in charge of the class and Lars Holbeck was the other "teacher." What a hoot.
Hey, I'd read both of Royal's books. I was solid (although I did get lost on the traverse).
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ExtraBlue
Ice climber
the ford VT
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First lead was that little mixed thing with three bolts in the amphitheater of hyalite.
I hooked all the bolts, and hung from my leashe, but made it out to the ice. When I went to place my first screw I dropped the only screw I was carrying and had to run it out to the anchor, (dead log).
It took forever, my belayer froze and I did it in super poor style but I finished it and I was a lead climber! then slowly I went down to leading ice that season, trad that spring and finally sport later the following summer.
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Branscomb
Trad climber
Lander, WY
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I think it was Great Northern on Lower Index Town Wall in WA in 1971. Pretty cool stuff. Really decided that climbing was IT when led the Canary Route on Castle Rock in Leavenworth the next year. Pretty stout sh#t for me in those days but I felt so good after wards I knew I was hooked.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Hey, I'd read both of Royal's books. I was solid
Right??
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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HA HA HA!!! Great stories here.
My first lead(s) all blend together. Myself (n00b 1) and n00bs 2,3 & 4 had a big ass expedition to Red Wall, Moscow Crack, 5.6 @ Smith Rocks in 76?
We hauled monstrous packs full of heavy old skool camping gear into the canyon and bivied under a monster Ponderosa that is still there.
We got up in the pre-dawn and struggled to the base. n00b 2, who was the "experienced" member and had a real pair of Shoenards, got about 8 feet up the first pitch and backed off.
n00bs 3 & 4 were not the least bit interested in taking over the sharp end duties. That was a LOT of pre-climb effort to be spanked away 8 feet off the ground!!
I ended up leading all 3 pitches with my funky old mountaineering boots, Swiss seat with too big leg loops sliding down and a couple not big enough hexes rattling out of the wide parts. Oh the sweet horror.....
It took us most of the day to get 4 n00bs up the thing, but I was pretty pleased with myself, and so were my semi-bold partners. I'm still impressed we survived it.
We had ARRIVED!!
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TwistedCrank
climber
Ideeho-dee-do-dah-day boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom
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Some crumbly thing in Wyoming.
I think a little poo came out.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Not sure but it might have been a big choss pile behind Desert Hot Springs.
I took my obsequious and gullible younger brothers up with Grandma's clothes
line. I would climb to a big ledge and stand there giving them a hip belay.
I'd bring one up, untie him, and toss the rope back down to the next believer.
I was 13 and they were 9. The blind leading the blinder.
I don't recall that we went to Mass the next day but we clearly should have.
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FinnMaCoul
Trad climber
Green Mountains, Vermont
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Absolute first time on lead and placing gear was some chossy chunk a nuthin' 5.whatever in the Blue Hills Reservation outside metropolitan Boston. My eyes were opened in more than one way that day.
My mentor and I are walking in through the woods on the approach to the chosspile and guys are scampering out of our way as they're pulling their pants up. Me whispering, "What the hell are all these guys doing out here???"
Gotta love learning to climb in the urban jungle.
First actual lead was some 5.6 or 5.7 at Den Rocks in Lawrence, Mass. Stolen car capital of Mass. The approach involved climbing over burned out hulks of abandoned cars. The guide book used the graffiti on the wall as reference points, "Follow the crack to the right of the f@#k".
But shortly thereafter I got my license and a job at REI and my escape to the mountains was realized.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 1, 2011 - 01:03pm PT
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Reilly, sounds like confession after Mass might have been a good thing as well.
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Byran
climber
Merced, CA
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My first lead was in the gym, at "Stonehenge" in Modesto. Not too memorable except right after that I started getting tendinitis in my elbow, probably from fumbling with the clips while totally gripped.
My first trad lead was a while later, the chimney pitch (p2?) of the Great White Book in Tuolumne. Most people stay at the edge of the chimney with their feet on the slab and shoulder against the flake and just walk up. I got in deep with my back to the slab and squeeze chimney'ed that thing in what was probably a 45-minute-long lead. Incidentally, the first piece of pro I ever placed was a #6 Camalot.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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The first attempt was Atlas Shrugs at the Pinnacles, I had no idea who Jim Beyer was, nor that perhaps one of his routes would be a poor choice for a noob. The old piton, bolt and cam I placed seemed great and I managed to get about 1/2 way up the first pitch. Then looking upwards I was greated with the where do I go now sensation, and no pro visible for the next 30 feet. The 100+ temps and lack of pro melted any sense of boldness. Technically the 5.9 should have been within my reach, but I was over my head for a first lead.
Then we skulked back to the monolith. My guide book was the old white one sans topos. I managed to get to get on POD and made it to the second bolt, but it seemed hard, and it was @ 5.10d. Pretty disconcerting to have bailed off two routes on my first attempt at leading, but I was not deterred, not yet. Piecing together a small rack was tough enough, and I was not about to leave a quick draw to bail off of. So somehow I managed the nerve to make it back to the second clip, then traverse right over to subterranean tango, and worked my way up to the top of the monolith. To those not familiar with the Pinnacles, Subteranian starts in a cave below the start of pod, so I'd gone from maybe 15' off the deck on the second clip, to somewhere around 40' off the deck for the third clip, with a pendulum and possible grounder if I blew it.
So I guess my first lead was the Post Orgasmic Tango.
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strangeday
Trad climber
Brea ca.
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Eschar. 5.4 on trashcan rock in jtree. A little tricky for the grade, and I used every piece on the rack, and had nothing left for the anchor. good times...
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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In tennis shoes with an odd assortment of a dozen or so nuts and no chalk bag on Harding Route III 5.7 on Glacier Point Apron, back in 1982. I had never placed gear or set up a belay anchor, only heard how to do it from a friend who took a group of us up Snake Dike III 5.7 (my first climb) a week earlier. I led more than half of the 15 or so pitches (many short) and took a 15' whipper high up on the route. I had rappelled only once before, maybe 40', so I was terrified by the prospect of rappelling 1000' in the dark. Luckily my partner had a headlamp, but I didn't, so after he went first on each of perhaps 15 rappels, I had to set up my figure-8 and clean gear off each bolted rap station in the dark. I swore I would never climb again, but only 5 days later I climbed Royal Arches III 5.6 A2 (as it was rated at the time) and bailed off North Dome--South Face III 5.7.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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A squeeze chimney at Little Table Mountain whose name I never knew. I placed no pro so I assumed it was Class-4. My first chimney lead in the Valley was Church Bowl Chimney, which seemed to me about the same difficulty as that chimeny at Little Table Mountain (except I placed on piece of pro in Church Bowl Chimney). If so, I guess my first lead was easy fifth class.
John
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Floyd, the Harding Route must have been quite an undertaking for a first lead. I, too, fell about 15 feet -- but low on the route when I misjudged where a handhold was. This was in 1970, and we only carried five or six nuts, but maybe 15 pitons. I learned that placing pitons in lieback position -- even if the liebacks aren't hard -- is a nontrivial matter.
Good job!
John
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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I was 20 years old. In retrospect I feel fortunate to have survived! My climbing partner was in his 40s and wore stiff-soled boots, but he had previously climbed a bunch of routes. The worst part was when we got to the top. Roper's guide briefly described a walk-off which we couldn't find in the dark. But fortunately somebody had installed a bunch of bolted rap stations, each with two bolts connected by a chain. We simply looped the rope around the chain, so had a bolt failed I wouldn't be writing this.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Floyd,
I've done the "walk-off." It's the old Glacier Point Terrace route, and even it involves a rap or two, in addition to a very easy -- but somewhat exposed -- traverse. When Robbins reviewed Roper's Red Guide, his only real criticism was Roper's description of the Glacier Point Terrace descent route. When we got to the top of the Harding Route, we also noticed rap stations going straight down (and anchors every 75 feet, which would have been right for a doubled rope in those days).
Knowing of Robbins' criticism, and never having climbed Glacier Point Terrace, we were tempted to follow those raps straight down, but we figured we had enough time to look around. It was a good choice. After one rappel, we found the traverse point rather easily -- although we saw raps leading straight down there, too.
When Roper's Green Guide came out, the first place I looked was for the Glacier Point Terrace description. It was essentially the same as in the Red Guide.
John
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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August of 1954. Soloed the east face of Longs Peak, wandering up chimneys and cracks on the Mills Glacier Buttress, then Little Notch. I was 17 and didn't really know what I was doing. Wore J. C. Higgins work boots and carried along a 50 foot manilla rope about 3/8" diameter. Had to loop it over a knob above me and pull on it to get up a blank section of a dihedral. A priceless experience virtually unobtainable today.
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Thin Air, Cathedral Ledge, NH.
Hook, line, sinker, and bit off half the fishing pole.
GO
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Mike,
Wish I could remember!
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HuecoRat
Trad climber
NJ
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1981 Uriah's Heap (5.7) at, well...Hueco. I had followed Cakewalk (5.6) two days earlier, and had followed Uriah's the day before, so it was my 3rd day climbing. I had 5 pieces of gear in my rack (and was quite proud of it!). My partner, Les and I arrived at the Front Side to see a guy (Donny) at the end of the 1st pitch of Indecent Exposure (5.10), and his second, Gary, falling over and over off the same move about 10 feet up. My partner suggests that I climb something with Gary, then ties in and finishes Indecent Exposure/Tree Route with Donny.
Gary is totally bummed, so I suggest Uriah's. I lead the first pitch and figure he will lead the crux second pitch. At the belay he says he doesn't feel up to it, so I think, "Hey, I'm roped up. What could happen? I'll be fine." So off I go. Two slung potholes later I set my beloved #9 hex and launch off up the diagonal roof crack. By the time I get to the belay stance that #9 is 30 feet below and 20 feet to one side (actual distances are probably shorter). As I set up the belay I hear Les calling from around the corner, asking what we are on. Gary answers. Then Les hollers to ask who's leading. Gary answers again. After a pause Les asks the same question. When he gets the same answer he asks what pitch, and Gary lells back that I have just finished #2. After Gary comes up I start up the last pitch only to find Les and Donny waiting and watching.
After that I was one of the clan.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 1, 2011 - 05:07pm PT
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Steve, I thought your first lead was this summer in the Winds. HaHa. How did your slide show go?
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Some 5.6 in Cosumnes river gorge, the easy thing on upriver end of Buck's Bar Dome. It's a route I could probably have soloed and been less gripped than I was leading the thing.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Love that photo of Thin Air. The first pitch of Thin Air was my second climb. Alas, not my first lead.
My first lead was Weissner Slab, 5.3, at Ragged Mountain. I charged up without placing a piece and promptly greased off the first high step, and plopped onto the slope. Now I was bleeding, as the Rock Gods demanded.
I remounted the horse that threw me. 2/3 up the slab, there is a short section where pro becomes a little more interesting to place. I was above my last piece and contemplating where should I stop to place the next of my shiney new stoppers. A tiny black snake slithered out of the crack at eye level and scared me to death. Somehow I did not react and stood motionless until the snake moved on. I moved up very quickly to gain the huge ledge above.
Getting off was the next catastrophe. I rigged the rappell and hoped that the rope would come back to me. I needed some help dealing with the friction from that large boulder.
You never forget your first.....
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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My first sport lead was on a 6a on some scrappy cliff above Kleinne Scheidegg when I was 12 or 13. My first hangdog was there too.
My first gear lead was a .9 at Grouse Slabs on Donner Summit. Can't remember the name, but it is face moves to a short hand crack. I had it dialed and didn't place much gear. My mentor followed and told me that my placements were 50/50 regarding good and junk.
Over half my life climbing, and that lead in CZ sticks with me. My dad and I had no idea what we were doing but went for it anyway. Halfway up, I hear sheep bleating, cowbells ringing, and glaciers calving. It resonated with me and I've been climbing ever since.
Good times, good thread.
Edit, the line at Grouse is Desire. Fitting name I guess.
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Friedo
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe
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First Trad lead was Surrealistic Pillar (5.7) to Corrugation Corner (5.7) at the Leap. I placed a ton of gear and over-gripped until my hands cramped up and I could barely do the third pitch of Corrugation.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Seamtress;
Yes, you really can forget your 1st lead. Honestly, I hope that I'm not getting senile. I scared myself back-then so often, I really can't pin it down to one specific climb.
Maybe I really am getting Alzheimer's, ( I had to do a spell check first).
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murcy
Gym climber
sanfrancisco
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the easy thing on upriver end of Buck's Bar Dome
Beginner Cracks
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barry ohm
Trad climber
escondido, ca
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A 40' crack climb at the local crag, Y crack. My mentor told me to buy a set of stoppers,some 1" tubular runner Carabiners and some Hexes, I set 1 Hexcentric about 8' up, slinged a chokstone, and set 1 stopper. Looking back it was a wise recommendation to learn to set passive pro before purchasing cams. Cheers
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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SteveA,
It's been a long time for me, too. You aren't senile - probably just too filled with memories. I think there is a related thread about your first memories...???>>??
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Something up at Williamson Rock around 1980. It was near the Epitaph formation and it was on trad gear, no bolts, a big wide crack that took #11 hexes.
The next lead was also at Williamson following an old route up the main face to the top, there were a few old homemade hangers and a pin or two protecting it. It was real adventure climbing back then. Loads of fun.
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gonamok
climber
dont make me come over there
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I led "The Stairs" at Mission Gorge, and was terrified the whole way. I took about 2 hours and placed at least 10 pieces on an 80 ft tall route.
Rating - 5.3
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gonamok
climber
dont make me come over there
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August of 1954. Soloed the east face of Longs Peak, wandering up chimneys and cracks on the Mills Glacier Buttress, then Little Notch. I was 17 and didn't really know what I was doing. Wore J. C. Higgins work boots and carried along a 50 foot manilla rope about 3/8" diameter. Had to loop it over a knob above me and pull on it to get up a blank section of a dihedral. A priceless experience virtually unobtainable today.
John, you are amazing. Even your very first climb was beyond the realm of regular human type climbers.
After 35 years of climbing you still inspire me
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cowpoke
climber
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Cowboy Boot Crack, Garden of the Gods.
Nothing too remarkable, except that I was pretty psyched to try out my rack: set of nuts and a #3 friend, freshly purchased and all shiny. And, I remember it made me nervous to have the tourists watching and asking questions. This was before they removed the road that went between north and south gateway, winding below the west face of north gateway.
Edit: I lied. I think cowboy boot crack might have been my second or third lead...I was on an easy multi-pitch climb in 11 mile when I led for the first time, I believe. hmm, wish I'd written it down or something.
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big ears
Trad climber
?
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First Normal Form, HCR Arkansas. I made the classic noob mistake of "I lead 5.11 in the gym, this 5.9 should be no problem. I wonder what this + sign after the grade means?". Thank god it was only a single pitch sport route, or I could have been in trouble. Took a nice 15 foot whipper. I hopped on it for nostalgiac purposes a few months ago, and it was as pumpy as I remembered. Definately not one I'd recommend to any first timer. First trad lead was Poison Ivy, sam's throne arkansas. 5.7. Still love that route.
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rectorsquid
climber
Lake Tahoe
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Spring Break (.8) on River Rock along the Truckee River near Verdi, CA. Sometime around the year 2001.
Some experienced guy talked me into leading it. It was easy climbing but leading for the first time made it quite a bit harder than it was on top rope.
Dave
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 6, 2011 - 01:46am PT
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would love to hear some more strories.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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This is a really good thread. My first lead was my first climb. Armed with the tomes of the time, I was prepared. Tied my swami; tied into the goldline with my friend Robin on hip belay. Nobody did helmets then. So I headed up, the crack sucked my hands in and there was no fear. Sixty feet up my friend was screaming for me to put something in. Number 4 hex went in and was locker. It was a trivial .6 climb. But it will always be with me.
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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Roaring Brook Falls, Keene Valley in the Adirondacks, 1984
Lowe hummingbird hammer in my left hand...
Lowe ice Snargs for gear
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buckie
Trad climber
Oregon
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Super Slab at Smith in 1986. Rope got stuck, stuffed in 2 cams and hung out in the middle of the second lay back pitch while my belayer found a volunteer coming up the first pitch to un-stick it. Did'nt see that coming. I learned quickly that you don't just let the rope dangle.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Mid 70's, Cathedral ledge N.H, 'Fun House' first pitch on hex's. I shud'a died !
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 6, 2011 - 11:38am PT
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My first ice lead was in a little canyon by Rapid City where I had found this little smear that goes through a sandstone band. I was so anxious to do it that I used what ever gear I could get my hands on. I had tele boots, flat crampons, two mismatched axes, and no screws. I was able to put some rock gear and got to the top finding that it was a huge egg shell that had moved about a half a foot from the wall. It turns out this rarely forms and only lasts for a week when it does. Kind of a neat little flow though and is about 80ft which isn't bad when you consider that you can count the ice flows in the Black Hills on your fingers.
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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In 1965, at age 14/15, I was camping in Yosemite with an older friend, my high school art teacher, who was in his early twenties. We wandered into the Le Conte lodge (the old stone building under Sentinel) which had displays of the exploits of the early Yosemite explorers. We read about John Muir's ascent to the base of Yosemite Falls--and set out to climb the Sunny Side Bench route.
We found a rope in the car—3/8 inch and 1/2 inch hemp, spliced in three sections. We tied into it with our Boy Scout's knowledge of knots, and climbed the route, snaking the rope through tree branches for protection. I am not sure that we had any concept of belaying, not that it would have done any good. At one point, I untied my single wrap bowline and threaded the rope through an old ring piton and then re-tied.
On the way down, a party of "real" climbers rappelled past us--Goldline ropes, carabiners, hammers, piton, and orange helmets.
I was hooked.
I found Indian Rock in Berkeley, and five years later, at age 19, I was living in the Valley full time.
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Modesto Mutant
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Church Bowl Chimney (5.7). Wore Galibier Mountain Guide boots. Freaked on the tyrolean style rappel, ended up down climbing the big tree next to the cliff. I was eager for more adventures after that ordeal.
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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My first lead on rock was at Pok-O-Moonshine in the Adirondacks in the Spring of '84.
Ironically, I led ice routes before I tied into the sharp end on the rock.
Didn't really have any epics as a new leader until I moved to Colorado later that summer. My first lead in Eldorado Canyon was on Bastille Crack. It was early AM, the climb was in the shade, and the temps were frigid. The sandstone felt really slippery that day!
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO
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First lead?
In 1972, my buddy Frank and I wanted to become "rock climbers." Acting on the impulse we went to an outdoor equipment store in Phoenix at 32nd Street and Camelback Road and asked, "Where is the rock climbing around here?" We were told "At Camelback Mountain" denoting the entire massif which is a Phoenix icon. The employees were reluctant to tell us anything too specific for fear we would get hurt. Knowing we were being snubbed yet full of impetuous desire and not to be denied, we proceeded to buy the bear essentials we thought we needed to become "rock climbers" and begin our adventures: 4 Eiger carabiners and a 150 foot "Goldline" rope. We thought any hiking boot with a vibram sole were perfectly suited to climb rock - and these we had. Frank's pocketbook exhausted (and mine having nothing to offer) we departed and drove about 1 mile to the base of an area now lost to climbing near the Bolus (long since closed off to access due to McMansion construction around 1980). We had no clue where any route may exist so chose a line on smoothish, basically unfeatured rock going upward into a bowl-like feature about 40 feet above the deck. I tied in and took the lead. Obviously, I placed no protection and somehow got back down. I don't even remember if my buddy followed me up on a top rope - or he lost heart seeing my fear and predicament upon reaching the bowl.
Pretty pathetic.
Other early leads: also pathetic. Developed uncontrollable sewing machine leg standing on small holds with mind roiling between the desire to live versus the desire to climb higher, so tied off the head of my Chouinard hammer to be lowered off a 5.4 short climb on "Carefree Wall," the main face at the Carefree Boulderpile - also now lost to climbers, enclosed within one of the ultra fancy golf courses surrounded by trophy homes. The wall is now someone's backyard scenery. Bet they don't appreciate it like us climbers did. Maybe they never even visit the home!
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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First time on ice was the waterfall by the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. I was alone and had SMC rigids, peutereys, and two forrest tools. Bouldered around the base for a while. Found myself about 20 feet up; with visions of Jeff Lowe in my head I just kept going up.
Wish I were as fearless today as I was in my youth.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 15, 2011 - 12:06am PT
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Gotta bump this up. Too many stories, but not enough have chimed in. Anyone take a whipper on their first lead? Would love to hear from Patrick Oliver, Golstone, Donini and other ST legends about their first lead. Or even better hear from others about someone else's first lead.
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Zander
climber
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Nov 15, 2011 - 11:26pm PT
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I think I posted this a few years ago on another thread.
So my buddy Paul and I met playing pickup soccer. We had both been bouldering at Indian Rock in Berkeley, me for six months and he for a few years. Did I mention we were soccer Dads. I was 39 years old. We decided to climb the East Arete of Mt. Humphreys. Noticing the neither one of us had ever roped up before we decided we better figure it out. He hooked up with some of the Indian Rock crew and climbed Bookmark at the Leap. I hooked up with Robert Munios, a guide, and did one day at Pinnacles. You know one hundred feet is way off the ground! So Paul chose our first lead to be The Saw at The Pie Shop in South Tahoe. It was 5.5 and we were cranking left Watercourse and the Borson Pinch at Indian Rock. How hard could it be? The thing is that Indian Rock doesn't really have any cracks so neither one of us knew how to jamb, at all. It was the second day of roped climbing for both of us. So we roped up at the base and he tied himself to a root and put me on belay. The crux was supposed to be about forty feet up. There was a crack running through a bulge at the base. I tried this, I tried that, I didn't know how to jamb! We both started laughing. Here we were going off to Mt. Humphreys and I couldn't get off the ground! Finally I found a little ruggosity, which I put my foot on and then liebacked the crack. If you can't climb it, lieback it. I never did figure out where the crux was it was so trivial. Must have been a boulder problem. I built a belay under the little roof two thirds the way up the pitch. Paul came up and lead the rest. He didn't put in any gear! He couldn't find any placements. So his first lead was fifty feet of unprotected slab! We came back years later and climbed it again. The crack at the base was casual. There was pro everywhere all the way to the top. Ha ha! Actually, we climbed and lead Crepes Corner after The Saw. Paul's lead of the wide crack low on the climb was pretty cool and gutsy.
Climb on!
Zander
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Gorgeous George
Trad climber
Los Angeles, California
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Nov 16, 2011 - 07:27am PT
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Bastille Crack, old school 5.6 with Lenny Coyne circa 1974. I was 19 and I think he might have been 17, but he had been showing me the ropes mostly in the Garden of the Gods. We drove up to Boulder and he handed me the rack, proclaiming me ready to lead. Did it on nuts and hexes, no falls, no crying, but I'll never forget the fear I felt on the first pitch. I remember reaching the belay like it was yesterday. Later, told my friends, Dave and Dave from Boulder, that I had led it first time They couldn't believe it. I felt chingon for weeks.
Oh ya, I forgot to mention the gold line hemp rope, wrapped around my waist three times and tied with a bowline. Did I mention the army surplus store knickers and knee socks? Oh, the memories.
Anybody know where Lenny is now? Last I heard he moved to New Zealand with a woman.
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Inner City
Trad climber
East Bay
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Dec 22, 2011 - 04:17pm PT
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It was 20 years ago on glacier point apron..a one pitch 5.7 R that went up and then straight left(what is the name???hmm) I agonized over some slab move forever and had to do it cause Helga was down there watching and I didn't want to look any geekier than I already did by backing off...I made it!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 22, 2011 - 05:57pm PT
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I wish I could remember style bump
not unlike other things...
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NigelSSI
Trad climber
B.C.
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Dec 22, 2011 - 06:14pm PT
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Pretty sure it was Dung Fu. I was too stupid to be scared back then.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Dec 22, 2011 - 06:22pm PT
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Looking at my old pics, this might have actually been my first lead, but I don't recall exactly when I accumulated enough gear to feel I could lead something. Obviously not noteworthy as I never would have remembered the climb if not for my dad's photos.
It was a chimney somewhere in Squaw Valley that it looks like I really should have just done as a boulder problem.
But I did place gear and was belayed.
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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Dec 22, 2011 - 08:26pm PT
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Reddish brown, in a left facing corner.
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Dec 22, 2011 - 08:42pm PT
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K-man, I remember that trip! I led a party of 7 up Corrugation. I was topping out while the last student was just starting. Lars, you and a bunch of coeds. I was like 21 or something leading a group up a bunch of climbs, driving Cal State Vans. The evenings around the fire are memories to cherish.
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hairyapeman
Trad climber
Fres-yes
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Dec 22, 2011 - 08:51pm PT
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Elephant Walk 5.7 slab at Tollhouse Rock in spring of 2004. It was so epic...or so we thought at the time. Me and my friend kept on taking videos of ourselves at every belay station saying things like "I love you all in case we die" and "Done with P2 now going to start P3, wish us luck!". So fun to watch those vids now!
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Dec 22, 2011 - 08:57pm PT
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Truth is this is hard for me to remember. The first lead I recall was the Hand at the Pinnacles. I was very fearless at the start of my climbing career. There may have been something in the Valley before this.
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kc
Trad climber
the cats
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Dec 22, 2011 - 10:27pm PT
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I'm sure it was the 5.5 on the Hogsback at Lover's. Nothing terribly remarkable about it except that it was a multi-pitch.
War--Deflowered, really? Your first? That is a total sandbag at 5.6. Plus it has chimney, off-width, crack, face, flare, a little bit of everything. Quite the start!
Cragman--with no experience, Double Cross was a coup! I love that climb, plus it takes some balls to do the start before you get to the crack. Can't imagine racking up for that for my first one!
And who said Dung Fu--on Hemmingway? A cave hike, chimneys, rope drag, awkward. Man, you guys make me look like a wimp!
Can anyone tell I'm excited to get back down to Josh next week?
:)
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
nevada city, California
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Dec 22, 2011 - 10:52pm PT
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knapsack crack, hogsback, lovers leap for trad and captain cheese dog, indian springs for sport. did knapsack crack a couple times right at start, great practice there me thinks.
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Stonedeaf
Social climber
misreading rock everywhere
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Dec 23, 2011 - 12:27am PT
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The Groove 5.8 lovers leap...No one told me to set nuts...1/3 self cleaned and fell down the rope...Partner didn't want to freak me out by yelling up instructions..I was climbing it well..probably the right decision..I wouldn't have decked...just been surprised by the big fall..
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Pennsylenvy
Gym climber
A dingy corner in your refrigerator
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Dec 23, 2011 - 12:49am PT
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Ooops, here come a train wreck. Gonna 'fess up and say, even though I loath it!, that my first lead was completly 'sporto'. Having toproped some 5.7 boulder problem at Upper Blacktail Butte near Moose, WY my cluesless friends and I found ourselves looking up at a line of bolts at the nearby Hoback Shield.
I fell on the second bolt, and then somehow got up it. 10b (sporto). To this day I remember this climb because we really had no idea what we were doing. Dumb kids having fun. Since then there have been many a 10b that I wish I could float up seeing I had 'climbed' that grade 20 years earlier for my first lead.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Dec 23, 2011 - 12:54am PT
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Right Angled Gully , Ben Arthur (The Cobbler), Scotland June 1975.........I think the climb was about 5.2...something like that......stoppers and hexes......awhile ago...
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Dec 23, 2011 - 01:17am PT
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First real leads I remember were Bishop's Terrace and then the First Pitch of Serenity in the same day. I just started up Serenity without even knowing what it was rated with a couple friends and tons of wired nuts that I used too many of. I don't know what I was thinking.
My calves were on fire when I got to the belay.
Back in the day, sandbagging was a way of life, but I had nobody to blame but myself cause I brought along a girl friend to belay me.
Peace
Karl
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MH2
climber
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Dec 23, 2011 - 01:34am PT
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As to the question of memory good or bad, and speaking from 10 years of working at a nursing home, it is notable that no poster to this thread has told the story of their first lead more than once, here. So far as I can tell.
Mike M asked his question politely and has repeated it. I like to help where I can.
I remember my first roped climb: Friction Face, 5.0, at Quincy Quarry in the autumn of 1967. A dry-mouthed fear claimed me as step by step I walked a dubious bridge over a great chasm, my life depending inescapably on my fingers and toes and airy nothing threatening to snatch me despite reassurances from the natives that their crude construction of vines and knots would save me. I remember following my first longer route: Rusty Trifle, 5.2, at the Gunks on 20 April, 1968.
When I saw the thread title I remembered that in the early days of climbing at the Gunks, I had written the routes I did on the backs of the daily permits we bought. When I remembered where those notes were kept, I had a look. My first lead was probably part of Northern Pillar, 5.2, on 19 May, 1968. I don't remember it as such, though. The way we viewed climbing was different, back then.
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ClimberDave
Trad climber
The LBC, CA
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Dec 23, 2011 - 10:04am PT
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1st lead was The Trough at Big Rock, 5.5 but its a waterchute and very slick, 1st trad lead, I think was Mikes Books 5.6? on Intersection Rock in JTree. Good times.
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GuapoVino
Trad climber
All Up In Here
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Dec 23, 2011 - 10:35am PT
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S-Wall 5.9 Quartz, Oklahoma 1988
Friction slab - one bolt halfway up the first pitch. One bolt part way up the second pitch. Didn't need much gear obviously. I think the joke is you just need a couple quick draws and some "nuts" or something like that.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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I remember seeing a guy, who I won't name, who fell off of S-Wall right before the belay.
Yep. Cheese gratered the side of one leg. I mean, he was bleeding big time.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Wow. S- wall? Shudder!&%$#@
Quartz is wild!
Bourbon street takes big gear....or nuts.
Man, oaklahoma slab, rattlers and concealed carry...good place to retire.
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Googlymoogly
climber
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Easy Rider at Mission Gorge. It is a short 5.7 sport climb. At the time it seamed pretty damn hard. After some procrastinating I finally got up it though and I think that was my one climb for the day
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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The Trough...Tahquitz....Robbins boots , hexes , and a Chouinard hammer...Loved the scent of the wooden handle and those Mt. Mahogany's that made great pro...RJ
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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1985 The Dolphin, 5.7+ at Joshua Tree, a Largo route. I recruited a belayer in the Split Rock parking lot, he had done a little climbing and had some Tri-Cams his dad gave him. I had taken a couple of climbing classes in the valley the prior summer, read some books and bought some gear. Did not know any other climbers, had never led, followed or top-roped. I got on it and damn near pitched off testing a Tri-Cam placement. No friends back then, all nuts and hexes. First climb, first lead, first crack, first off-width. Seems like insanity now, but I learned a lot very quickly, just about my most memorable climb.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/dolphin/105722164
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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The Dolphin is like big hands for that Largo guy, right?
My first lead? Aleister Crowley let me lead a pitch on Kanchenjunga.
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Grampa
climber
from SoCal
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Angels Fright at Tahquitz. All pitons although only place a few because of so many trees and bushes.
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Michelle
Trad climber
Toshi's Station, picking up power converters.
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some 5.6 at Potter's rock. my partner was more scared for me than I was. first multi pitch, Sea of Tranquility 5.7 on Herring Creek Dome. it started to snow, climbed by someone's bail anchor of 2 micronuts (that got sent to the Philipines!) and quickly made it to the top before it started to dump (it didn't) still love that climb!
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Bill Mc Kirgan
Trad climber
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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First trad lead was The Bone (5.5) at Devils Lake. It was highly recommended as a first by friends at the CMC and was fun until I got to the ledge with a roof about 4 feet above it. I crawled on my hands and knees a bit at that point until finding the chimney exit to the right.
Piece of cake on top rope, but as a first lead it gave me plenty to think about.
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jtlocal
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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Mike's books in a pair of Vans, on an old static line we found in someones garage. 1989
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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The Trough at Big Rock, although since it was all bolts that wasn't considered a "real" lead.
Angels Fright, Tahquitz with a 120 ft Gold Line tied in with a bowline on a coil, a half dozen or so pitons, a Bell Telephone lineman's hammer with the handle sawed down and a parachute cord keeper sling.
Yes!
Mt. Mahoganys are your friends!
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Al Fylak
Mountain climber
Rochester Hills, MI
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Wandering Tortoise .. Turtle Rock .. JTree .. 1980.
Not much pro (big hexes), but easy climbing.
I remember thinking, "This leading stuff is not so bad".
As I slowly worked up the grades to 5.9, I found out otherwise!
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Al Fylak
Mountain climber
Rochester Hills, MI
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I also remember soloing The Trough at Tahquitz around 1984.
Easy fun climb, until I got off route to the left onto some 5.6/7.
Fortunately, I trailed a rope and was able to set up some funky psycho self-belay. Not sure it would have really helped in case of a fall, but it gave me the courage to continue up.
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briham89
Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
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eKat that is rad!!! and funny haha.
My first gear lead was swan slab gully 5.6 3 pitches woohoo!!!
actually that was my first valley gear lead....
My first gear lead was at castle rock on that 5.6 corner to the right of the waterfall. All I had for pro was stoppers haha
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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Just found a slab in the New River VA and started leading up it, with goldline rope, and about 5 carabiners and 3-4 nuts clipped to the belt loops my my jeans. I also had a machete in a holster on a biner, not sure why but I expected to have to chop through plants at some point. The route actually had a small technical part with a roof, where I sunk one of my stoppers. As I made the move, I remember seeing the machete upside down and ready to slide out of the holster and down onto my belayer and his girlfriend. Luckily this didn't happen and the climb was a great success, probably went at about 5.4.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Funny how you sell yourself short until somebody MAKES you do something, eh?
:-)
Or until you have no choice. Hillarious story Kat; trial by fire, who says no to the Bird?
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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Whitney-Gilman ridge on Cannon cliff in NH '77
I had to convince my partner it was a 300' 5.4 .. it's a bit longer than thatand about 4 grades harder.
Titons, hexes and a couple of slings,, finished in the dark w/o headlamps of course
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Where the Hoback and the mighty Snake River meet
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Interesting how many first leads were at Mission Gorge.
I think mine was too, but it could have been in Eldorado Canyon.
Anyway, the first lead I remember was some chimney at Mission Gorge with no obvious pro. 5.6? I was getting tired looking for pro, and it was short, so I just gunned for the top. Soloed the rope up. Getting up there, I had a moment of panic because I had to set up a belay on a couple of not-so-great looking bolts. I didn't want to f*#k that up, so it took me a bit. Probably longer than the climb did. My SO and his brother were pretty quiet as they came up. Couldn't believe I did it with no pro. They had been making bets about me backng off of it. Showed them. They wouldn't lead it.
But I grew up on Rumson Dr. in Santee and used to play around on the boulders there all the time. All by myself in sneakers.
First *real* lead was Walk On The Wild Side in Josh. LOVED it!
This is a fun thread with some, no all, great stories.
EKat, love that one.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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June 1972, my first granite lead, East Slab 5.4/5 - The Dome - Boulder Canyon. Old blue Royal Robbins I bought from my mentor. Placed stoppers only, most of them probably weren't too good.
My first sedimentary lead was about a week earlier Calypso 5.6 - Wind Tower - Eldo. Seemed pretty easy, not nearly as slippery as it is nowadays.
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Gene
climber
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Fingertip Traverse. Tahquitz Rock. 1847.
g
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Eschar. 5.4 on trashcan rock in jtree. A little tricky for the grade
One of my early leads. I still like that climb. Karpkwitz was another early lead. Trash Can is an interesting place.
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Borut
Mountain climber
Ljubljana, Slovenia
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By 'lead', what is meant is real stuff I guess! Around the age of 10, my first high boulder was the Roche Hercule east side 'voie normale'. That's an 8 m tall boulder in the Fontainebleau forest (France) where I spent my childhood.
OK, this topic is about 'first leads', but here is a descripton of my first lead fall (ca. 1970, aged 15), copied from a post I once sent on an other site: "My first lead fall was at the Saussois cliffs (France). After a full day of climbing I was quite pumped, but we started up l'Echelle (the ladder, ca 5c), one of the rare multipiches at Saussois. I was leading the second pitch, and had made too much rope drag along the traverse as I started up the final corner. Nothing difficult, but I hadn't been hydrating properly, and cramps started setting into my hands. We used just single (steel) biners, and I remember my fingers not being able to let go of the biner door (ha,ha). I was tugging at the rope so as to place it in the biner, holding the rope with my teeth in order to reach at it once more (everyone does that now and then). While pulling, it must have been a foot that slipped, and I flew. Unfortunately I didn't curse or shout, and the first yank came on my front teeth, which broke. Next I pendled and finally hung below an overhang. The adrenaline must have done its job and I soon got back on the line, now relaxed, and not too shaky. Wasn't much of a fall (ca 30 feet) but I do recall it. BTW, the routes were protected with in place pitons, and we had no harnesses (just a broad, belt type thing, which made you realize about your ribs)."
My first 'real' multipitch lead took place on the limestone face of 'La Pelle' (Diois > Saoû synclinal > Trois Becs), somewhere between Lyon and Marseille, in the French Prealps.
It must have been 1971. The climb (maybe the 'voie de la Tour' ?) was ca. 150 m tall at grade V, and the rope length must have been 40 m, though it might even still have been 30 m, I do not recall. Climbed with my mentor's girl friend and led all pitches though I first thought we would be exchanging leads, ha. She said I was doing well and should just go on.
Borut
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darkmagus
Mountain climber
San Diego, CA
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Mine was "Turkey Chute" at Mission Gorge, using all cams. I did some other sport leads that day as well.
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KirbyC
climber
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I did my first lead in terrible headpointing style (on a 5.9 no less :P) at Seneca Rocks in WV. It was the first, super short pitch of Marshall's Madness. Maybe 40 feet at the most? When I mock-led it the trip before, I fell on top rope before I had my first piece of mock gear in, meaning if I was on lead I'd have been crumpled on the ground in a broken pile.
I always seem to climb so much better on lead that on TR.. And by better I mean with more precision, focus, economy of movement. Even though I can definitely climb harder stuff on top-rope.
Love this climbing thing.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Riley, did you do The Owl? The committing move to the chicken heads, the short handcrack, the little roof with the head jam at the top, that was my first 5.7 lead, lots of interesting moves on that one.
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Skeptimistic
Mountain climber
La Mancha
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The Flue at JTree. I think it goes at 5.6 and is a right leaning crack/traverse. I had just gone big on a shiny new rack and was anxious to show my friends how cool I was, having been climbing for a whole 5 months or so.
I launched off and placed a bunch of nuts about every 3 to 4 feet. About 20 feet from the top I realized that I was pretty much out of gear and would have to balls it out to the top. Shith just got serious...
My belayer, who was fond of giving "penalty slack" and letting you free fall for about 5 feet when lowering, just happened to flick the rope right then and I watched all my placements zipper out to the one just below me. Of course all the pieces zipped down the rope and hit her, causing her to drop the rope.
Freaking out, I ended up finishing the route, but I then spent the rest of the weekend learning how to properly place gear...
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Kenygl
Trad climber
Salt Lake City
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African Flake Big Rock. I think I sh#t myself. Early 80's. First multipitch-Uneventful, Tahquitz.
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Andy Fielding
Trad climber
UK
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Diamond Crack, Froggatt Edge, Peak District, UK. It was 1976, I was 15. The route is only 25' long and HS 4b (5.6). I think that was my entire rack right there on my Whillans harness.
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TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO
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May 17, 2013 - 10:39am PT
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Bump.
You only get to lose your virginity once so it's gonna be memorable!
Lot's of great stories posted so far.
Soooo, how did you lost your cherry?
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Sparky
Trad climber
vagabond movin on
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May 17, 2013 - 12:10pm PT
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E.O. Lieback 5.5 @ Vedauwoo. Perfect 1st trad experience back in '94.
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protour
Trad climber
Concord, CA
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May 17, 2013 - 12:31pm PT
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All five pitches of the nutcracker, I was terrified
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G Zeus
Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
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May 17, 2013 - 01:29pm PT
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Table Mountain, near Sonora, Ca. Something on Welcome Wall. Maybe Keebler's Revenge?
A guy at work said he knew how to climb and I wanted to, so I bought some gear and off we went. I didn't know that he really didn't know what he thought he knew.
There was already a bail biner a couple bolts up. He got that far, bailed, and pulled the rope. Then it was my turn. I tied in, placed a draw or two and clipped them, then headed up toward the hard stuff.
That's when actual climbers walked past and said something like, "Hey, do you know you're climbing on a static rope?" I was, but I didn't know static rope from a hole in the ground (which is where I'd probably be right now if I had fallen). They just kept walking. I know I can't rely on anybody to make the world safe for me but, they. just. kept. walking. Too busy to save a life, I guess.
I bailed without falling and we moved on to The Grotto where other actual climbers filled me in on dynamic vs. static rope. I never climbed with that guy again. I did, however, devour Basic Rockcraft, How to Rock Climb, Climbing Anchors, and Freedom of the Hills.
I met Before-Christ Go-B that day and we became climbing partners.
Sidesaddle at The Grotto is what I consider my first lead; the aforementioned was a close brush with death.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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May 17, 2013 - 01:48pm PT
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Some 5.7 or 5.8 fingercrack at Sunset, TN. My rack was a set of stoppers and hexes. Got 15' up, placed a nut, got 40' up, started shaking, sewing machine, pumping out, looking at ground fall. First two nut selections didn't fit...soooo pumped, gottat get the piece in or I deck, finally get a nut placed and clipped, immediately slumped onto it insanely pumped.
Somehow finished the lead, placing about 4 pieces in 80'.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 11, 2013 - 12:17am PT
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Jack got his first lead this year and put up a new route the next day. Possibly the easiest route in Spearfish Canyon.... We are hoping. He also did his first trad lead this year the first pitch of Mr. Clean at Devils Tower. I am guessing he will also get on his first ice lead this winter. He was primed to do it last year as the conditions were perfect with fat ice and warm temps but I had to pull the plug as the day was getting late. The opportunity never came up again last year, but he now is a lot stronger and has a lot more experience.
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Modesto Mutant
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 01:49pm PT
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1975 Church Bowl Chimney 5.7 in Galibier boots. First lead in EB's Grack Marginal 5.9. I was gripped!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 11, 2013 - 01:54pm PT
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Um, well it was at Devils lake... And I used Pins... But the details are hazy....
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 01:59pm PT
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I can't remember if it was Devil's Lake or Mt Erie, WA.
Either one would not be worth slaughtering any more bytes over.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Dec 11, 2013 - 02:12pm PT
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Hey Mike,
I wonder 50 years from now, if your son will remember his 1st lead?
I sure as hell can't, but I do remember the few times I scared myself.
Steve
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Dec 11, 2013 - 02:30pm PT
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P1 Pop Bottle at the leap.
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michaellane
climber
Bonita, California
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Dec 11, 2013 - 02:32pm PT
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Happy to see so many Mission Gorgers on this ... mine was Crack of Dust 5.8. Protected it with three hexes. Number sixes, if I recall. Felt like a million bucks.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 11, 2013 - 02:41pm PT
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Dingus, did mr peabody's coal mine take
It away?
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 02:51pm PT
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Well, I mostly 'free-soloed' with a friend as a 15 year old in the extreme west end of the San Fernando Valley - out toward the Thousand Oaks end - not the Stoney area. Then my mother helped me find out about the RCS of the Sierra Club. My RCS card is dated 3/31/68. Before I had a chance to hook up with the RCS though, she dropped me off at Stoney Point one afternoon ( my first time there ) and left me to have fun (maybe her too!). There was nobody around, except I noticed somebody climbing up the left crack and gulley of the main face of Stoney. I immmediately went up there and climbed that unroped. The climber was gone by the time I got up there. I did not get to meet whoever it was. All of the climbing I had done up to that point consisted of climbing faces and cliffs and hooking a rope at the top over horns and edges of rock and rappelling down. I even used to hook a rope on the edge of rock on top of Rock 1 at Stoney for rappelling!
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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Dec 11, 2013 - 03:08pm PT
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My first day of climbing after taking some lessons.
I was with a small group which included Stunewberry.
We climbed Gibraltar Rock (Santa Barbara) and were messing around on a top
rope, trying to climb a crack to the right of the bolt ladder next to the road.
Just as we were getting ready to leave, Gunk came driving up wanting to
climb, so I borrowed a hammer and stayed. Gunk led up this corner to the
right of the bolts and the crack. When I got up to him he told me to go to
the top, so I did.
I don't have any idea how hard any of the climb was, his lead or mine.
I assume it had been climbed previously, but no guarantee.
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Bababata
Mountain climber
Utopia
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Dec 11, 2013 - 03:14pm PT
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Mine was the last pitch of the north face of Aiguilles du Midi (Frendo Spur). Did not place any ice screws (didn't really know how to, plus the ice was crappy) and belayed off of my two ice-tools at the top... Gulp.
I was a complete noob at the time (had only followed a few pitches of rock and ice). My buddy was an experienced rock climber but a noob ice climber as well. He led all the rock pitches and we simulclimbed on the ice except for the last 3-4 pitches where my buddy found some good rock pro again... by then his calves were completely shot (he was climbing in leather boots). I was faring better in my plastics, so I got the line honors.
I was certain we were gonna die that day. I'm still amazed that we didn't!
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fresh pow
Gym climber
Plastic Paradise
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Dec 11, 2013 - 03:27pm PT
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Mt Woodson, Bozo no no, East face of Uncertainty Principle boulder. Couldn't do the 10.d move past the fist bolt. Some guy with long frizzy hair, jeans and no shirt was sitting down by the painted boulder, watching us with binoculars. After a while he came up and told us that we should just clip the first bolt and yard up on it. Then it would 5.4 to the top. My first lead was also my first ethics lesson!
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Dec 11, 2013 - 04:11pm PT
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Arrow in the Gunks.
I hitchhiked up from NYC and since this was my second time out climbing I was hoping to meet up with someone with more experience and climb with them which was SOP for those suckers looking for partners on the weekend.
The day started off slow with no partners available, save for the usual TR's set up around the Uberfall, eventually disillusioned in prospects I ended up bouldering around until eventually meeting up with an able body that was greener than me.
We decided on Arrow because it was on the cover of the Swain Guide and I knew where to find it. Once there, gear upped, harness on, rope flaked out, we both forgot how to tie in. Seriously, we're standing there for 15 minutes trying to remember how to tie a fvcking figure eight with no luck.
After a half dozen of attempts with "that doesn't look right" and "I don't think that will hold" I yell over to a couple greybeards 20 feet away who just arrived. "Hey, you guys know how to tie a figure eight?"
Their eyes get real wide and ask if we are joking, I say "well not really" so the older one says "yeah sure..." then proceeds to give us a quick lesson on how to tie a figure eight in a sing song voice.
Once done he looks up and asked if we got it. I said "sure, thanks for the help" then up I went like an Arrow.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Dec 11, 2013 - 05:33pm PT
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I am pretty sure it was 2nd pitch of knapsack at Lovers Leap. I was pretty nervous.
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Truthdweller
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 05:55pm PT
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Couldn't do the 10.d move past the fist bolt.
Hope I don't burst your bubble, but that move is 10b...fun lead either way!
Edit: Munginella, Yosemite, 1982 @ 19 y.o., with Roger Barnes (45 y.o. then) of Poway...got to lead every pitch!
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labrat
Trad climber
Auburn, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 07:14pm PT
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Knapsack at Lovers Leap for me as well. I totally went past the 2nd belay and ran out of rope.....
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whitemeat
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 08:35pm PT
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5.8 50 sport foot climb!!!!!
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 11:35pm PT
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Sunnyside Bench about 1970. On a day trip to the valley with my dad and my neighbor buddy, we set up and I lead upward, off route. Called "tension" and took a small swinging fall. Probably helps explain why I usually don't lead. On another foolhardy ascent of Sunnyside Bench earlier, same buddy and I rappelled to a ledge with no protection that was festooned with dried moss on decomposing and flaking granite. He had to lunge for an oak tree where we could tie off and continue our decent. Stupid kids.
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Rudder
Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
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Dec 12, 2013 - 12:06am PT
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It was either Hanging Teeth, or Switchbacks, or Falling Star... I really have no idea... who remembers that stuff? lol
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Dec 12, 2013 - 12:15am PT
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Portent 5.5 Pinnacles National Monument (in those days). Fired it.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Dec 12, 2013 - 03:22am PT
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Sh#t, I can't remember! How embarrassing. Pop Bottle at the Leap? Surrealistic Pillar? After 6? Hmm, I must be getting old.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Dec 12, 2013 - 11:49am PT
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It's hard for me to say, but not because I started climbing in 1957 and can't remember. The problem is that I progressed at a very leisurely pace through mostly roped but barely protected third and fourth-class mountain scrambling before really doing much in the way of fifth-class leading, almost the polar opposite of the way people get into climbing today. I had already been at this scrambling for four years when I went to college and started climbing at Devil's Lake, Wisconsin---no scrambling there!
During those first four years I probably did do a fifth-class lead or two. I recall a dihedral on the East Ridge of Teewinot which, in retrospect, was probably 5.3 or so. My first few climbs in the Tetons were guided, so I had followed up to 5.7 (SW Ridge of Symmetry Spire) on occasion. Then, in 1961 I think, I climbed Three Pines in the Gunks on a totally deserted weekday at the end of the summer. This was a fantastic experience at the time, no guidebook or any idea where to go or how hard the climbing was going to be and no one else at the Trapps. We just walked along the cliffs and started up in a promising place. (An experience I repeated a few years later on a much harder Gunks route with Al Rubin.) Our total lack of local knowledge and the fact that no other climbers where at the cliff gave the undertaking the air of a back-country adventure for us.
Anyway, my first self-consciously fifth-class lead was at Devil's Lake and was what we were calling 5.4 at the time (which probably means it was 5.6 or so). I had already top-roped it so knew what to expect, and the protection was via severely overdriven pitons. It would be five or six years before nuts would appear, and more than ten years until the first cams showed up.
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Dec 19, 2013 - 11:30pm PT
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How cool that so many first leads were at Mission Gorge.
And Nutjob: With Galwas Crack your first lead, your avatar name is appropriate. I am impressed. That crack's slipperiness makes it a major 5.9 sandbag.
I don't remember my first lead or even where it was, but I spent many a day at the Gorge and met some good partners there. I used to get to lunch rock before sunrise with my dog and a buddy, lead The Ramp's crack, top rope it out on the face, then downclimb it with lots of rope slack... up and down until the crowds came. Was usually out of there before 9:00AM.
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Lis
Sport climber
Twain Harte, CA
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Dec 20, 2013 - 12:58am PT
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Sidesaddle 5.9 on the Ort wall in the Grotto at Table mountain. Short and sweet!
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thebravecowboy
Social climber
Colorado Plateau
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Dec 20, 2013 - 01:03am PT
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In echo of the OP, it was something like 5.7 and has one bolt in about 70 feet
Elephant Head in Lower Monument Canyon. It was wickedly hot and I picked a south facing slab. Definitely some groundfall potential 'tween the two rusty hanger'd mystery bolts 'fore the juniper up top.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Dec 20, 2013 - 01:42am PT
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Somewhere around 74' or so with a 2" piece of webbing from a construction site as the lead rope. On the back side of C-hill in Carson City.There are still some interesting problems to encounter back there,Adventure was what it was all about, knot the grading #.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Dec 20, 2013 - 01:52am PT
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Probably Empress at Chapel Pond Slabs in 1972 pounding iron and nuts with the hammer. There's still a small steel bong that fell behind the big ledge near the top...
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2014 - 05:57pm PT
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Been putting up some new routes in the needles and I have put a couple up with a partner that has not climbed too long. I was with him when he did his first trad lead which was also part of a first ascent. About half his pieces were falling out, but he lived through it and has learned a lot. We put up another route yesterday and a all of his placements were good. Now that I think about it he has two trad leads and was in on two FA's. Not a bad ratio.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Oct 14, 2014 - 06:42pm PT
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We dive at dawn. 5.7? Josh.
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Oct 15, 2014 - 10:12am PT
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This is a cool thread, glad to see it reappear.
My first lead was on Mass Production Wall in Red Rocks, a 5.8 with the crux move just under the second bolt. I had been climbing in the gym for a few months and decided it was time to go outside. Took along my gf and a buddy who knew less then either of us, so of course I HAD to man up.
Looking back, I was in no way ready to lead the thing, but made it up with sewing machine leg the whole way. Repeating the climb a couple weeks later, I took a ground fall coming off a move below the crux move, and that scared me off of leading for a long time.
First trad lead was on one of the baby lines on the left side of Trashcan. We had been climbing in Josh with friends all weekend, I had purchased a rack a year before and just wasn't getting anywhere. I pulled into the parking lot, strapped on the whole damned kitchen sink, said F it and went to work. Those leads broke what was left of my reluctance and have been happily leading away since.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Oct 15, 2014 - 10:17am PT
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I'm not sure which of the two was first, but The Y Crack at Dixon Lake and Poison Oak Crack at Woodson were the first routes I led on (borrowed) gear.
Yes, my first two leads were offwidths.
Are you proud Jay?
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
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Oct 15, 2014 - 10:21am PT
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5.7ish sport climb on Yuba Peak up by the sierra buttes.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Oct 15, 2014 - 11:07am PT
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I wish I could remember. Probably something easy on Stone Mountain, Georgia in 1953.
;>\
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Oct 15, 2014 - 11:16am PT
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It was that far left corner up on the main wall. I pounded pitons into that soft sandstone not realizing they would never hold!!! Making it I suppose my first free solo, sometime in the late 60's.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 15, 2014 - 01:54pm PT
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Likely a non descript climb at Ralph Stover State Park in Pennsylvania the spring of 1966. I was just out of the army and started climbing with my army buddy Ross Johnson. Ross, being considerably more intteigent than me, was naturally concerned about exposure. My first climb was a lead as well as everything else that I climbed for the first two years...in ignorance there is bliss.
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yeahman
Mountain climber
Montana
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Oct 15, 2014 - 06:05pm PT
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Thing Inbetween in Kootenai Canyon, Montana. 5.7+ with a tricky roof about 15 feet off the ground. I slotted a nut, fell, then climbed back up with the rope running behind my back so I pulled the nut out as I climbed past...then promptly took another fall and landed on my ass on the rocks. Great wake-up call to the realities of lead climbing. Never stepped off the ground again without that awareness. I think it was the best thing that ever happened to me, climbing-wise.
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fresh pow
Gym climber
Plastic Paradise
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Oct 15, 2014 - 08:16pm PT
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I do not exactly remember what my first lead climb was. It may have been at Mt Woodson or Big Rock. However, I do remember my first lead at Joshua Tree. It was Lickety Splits in the Hall of Horrors area. The initial crack went o.k. until I got to the face climbing section. I spent what seemed like half an hour to fidget in a #6 HB offset or maybe a #7 Stopper before I embarked up the unprotected face above. All I know is that I must have felt pretty good about the face because I paused and waved for a photo while leading. This was less than a year after I started climbing and it was my first J-tree trip. I was a teenager at the time, in the Eighties. It trips me out that some of the face climbs in Josh, like the upper section of Lickety Splits, are now considered runout. To me and my friends at the time, it was considered "normal" and we had to learn how to deal with it.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Oct 15, 2014 - 08:28pm PT
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The Tree route , on the tree, age three.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Oct 15, 2014 - 09:43pm PT
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I think the first fifth-class lead would have been the East Ridge of Teewinot (all of it) in 1961 with an even more inexperienced fellow I met in the climber's campground. I had at that point been doing third and fourth class routes in Colorado and Wyoming for about four years, so exposure, route-finding, snow, and the mountain environment generally were not something new. I had also at that point done some routes with the Exum guides; The Exum route on the Grand, the East Ridge of Mount Owen, and the Southwest Ridge of Symmetry Spire, so I had at least managed to follow up to about 5.7 or so (once).
I'm guessing maybe we ran into some 5.4 on Teewinot, with the crux as I recall run-out about twenty feet above a rusty fixed pin. A Swiss couple behind us turned back at that pitch (they had made a serious error in thinking they should follow us), which gave us the idea that perhaps we weren't half bad, a dangerous idea because at the time half bad was exactly what we really were.
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Oct 16, 2014 - 09:19am PT
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It's an obscure little gem called Change-up (5.8/.9) on Donner Summit. If my memory serves, I was too freaked out to 'change-up' cracks and I just grovelled up the .9 direct. I was running a full rack of hexes and stoppers and two cams. #2 Friend and #2 metolius. Fall of 1989, I think.
Then we went up Cannibal Gully. I revisited them both this season. Still worthy climbs.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Oct 16, 2014 - 11:52am PT
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A dirt-filled 5.9 crack at Mission Gorge (San Diego area), with a single set of new hexes and maybe a #4 camalot. Probably 1994? It might have been Galwas crack. The details elude me, but it felt awesome. I was out there on lead for that specific climb and on lead in general figuring out what to do. Had nobody show me anything other than how to set up a natural top-rope anchor some time in the year before that. I doubt my belayer had any practice catching falls. It's a good thing I didn't fall!
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Oct 16, 2014 - 12:00pm PT
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My mother still loves to tell stories of me jumping off rocks at 5 or 6 years old.
She says she and my dad encouraged it 'Jump, go ahead Jump, we'll catch you'
So soloing big boulders Hammond Pond Cambridge /Lexington Mass
Fast forward to Watchung Nj the chimney on climbers left had an old bolt ten feet from the top. Above that, the crack along the side of the capstone took a 1-inch wide pin.
I was tied directly into Gold line wrapped three times high above my waist, fixed with a bowline, or the double fisherman’s knot. (Tied to the side so it would 'center' if you fell)
Then I started leading "real" Routes, 1st In just a chest harness. Gray Face, Petie's Spare Rib, Lake View etc. at Sky Top Lake Mohonk NY.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Oct 16, 2014 - 12:00pm PT
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A pinnacles 5.8+ horror show.
Good thing I didn't know how bad the consequences could have been.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 16, 2014 - 12:06pm PT
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I can think of more than one such climb, Josh. Do you remember its name?
John
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 5, 2014 - 07:01pm PT
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First lead of the day will be tomorrow.
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Ed H
Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
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Jun 22, 2015 - 12:42pm PT
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Cool thread...
Sport = Face climb at the Bubble, Mt St Helena 5.9. I did it on top rope a few times first, but man that was the day I learned what the sharp end was all about - the additive drug, and night and day difference from TR. Falling while clipping the crux bolt is not an option on this route.
Trad = Kindergarten Crack 5.5 at Donner - I sure loved placing those used ABC cams I bought on ebay!
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Jun 22, 2015 - 01:13pm PT
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Double Cross at JT when I was 13, around '71. I was wearing pivetta cortinas and was standing on a flake reaching up to clip a broken bong that was stuck in the crack when the flake blew and I decked. My mom was belaying. I got up and did it the second time with no falls. Good to be young and fleixble if you are going crater ;-)
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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Jun 22, 2015 - 01:21pm PT
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Munginella and about half of my hexes pulled out, luckily after slinging a tree, after I pulled aggressively on the rope for slack. Rob my belayer started laughing and heckling me. That was just his style. Damn we were having fun that day.
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dave729
Trad climber
Western America
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Jun 22, 2015 - 01:34pm PT
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S'mores are not a great snack idea when changing leads and
have to admit sage brush fired marshmellows are horrible.
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Ed H
Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
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Jun 22, 2015 - 01:50pm PT
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going crater
Don't go crater on me bro!
Love it!
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jonnyrig
climber
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Jun 22, 2015 - 01:51pm PT
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Grizzly Crack at Indian Springs just west of Donner Summit, 5.7. My wife (girlfriend at that time) didn't think she could do the 2nd pitch; but I told her it would be ok. It's next to the freeway and the river. The second pitch arcs back toward the mountain. She could not see or hear me at the end of the second pitch, so I just yarded up the rope. She followed. When I could finally hear her, it was my name mixed with four letter words.
All I said was "good job babe!" She didn't speak to me for half an hour.
Then, as we were hiking down, she said "that was pretty cool".
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cbburton
climber
Burbank, CA
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Jun 22, 2015 - 05:43pm PT
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My first lead was an un-named 5.9 at the Sex Wall in Pennsylvania in the early/mid-nineties. I distinctly remember fumbling the clip/dropping the rope three times. Thought I was gonna die.
My first time out climbing was at High Rocks in Ralph Stover State Park in 1992. A 5.7 called Gorilla. Changed the course of my life.
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hellroaring
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Jun 22, 2015 - 10:59pm PT
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Portent @ Pinnacles...was so stoked! Wow my first real lead!! I put my partner on belay...Me: "Dave you are on belay" (I'm giving myself a nice mental pat on the back)...Dave: Dude you need to pull up the rest of the rope!" Guess I got a little too excited.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jun 22, 2015 - 11:15pm PT
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Bishop's Terrace, Church Bowl, Yosemite Valley, November 1970 but it could have been Baxter's Pinnacle the summer before in the Tetons. The memory is becoming blurred. But Bishop's Terrace was my first "satisfying" 5.8 crack lead.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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Jun 23, 2015 - 01:06am PT
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High E. All three pitches.
My partner had done it a week before and recommended it to me.
When I got to the top I thought I was hot stuff and when I leaned over to look at my partner while I was bringing him up there was a guy cruising up Doubleissima.
Had to recalibrate.
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