I took my two boys, ages 4 and 1, down to Muir a couple weeks ago. My oldest has now been officially bit by the climbing bug. My youngest tried, but was really still too small. (He says "climb" about anything he thinks is climbable and then proceeds to try it out. He can climb his slab wall on the playset, and the slab wall in my garage already). My oldest has been bouldering on my homewall since he was two, and on little boulders outside. Since going to Muir, he has spent hours looking at all my guide books, training manuals, and magazines. Hours is not a joke either, he constantly has then off the shelf and looking through them. I pick them up everyday. (His climbing skills are better than his cleaning up skills). He constantly wants to go climbing in the garage or on the playset.
So, what are the best easy routes for really short people? Trad chimneys probably won't work, but any thing else might. I know Muir's couple walls, but I would like to take them somewhere else too. Trad, slab, sport, vert, all are open as long as someone that is 4 foot tall or shorter can reach the holds.
Best Routes for Really Really Really Short Climbers
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whatahutch
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:39 pm
Best Routes for Really Really Really Short Climbers
"Come to send, not condescend" - Eddie Vedder
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lena_chita
- Posts: 347
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:48 pm
Re: Best Routes for Really Really Really Short Climbers
You've got to pick and choose, and I am assuming TR, so just pull them through the reachy sections.
Face up to That Crack at Left Flank is little-kid friendly after the start (belayed ~5yolds up that without anyproblem, after the start)
The 5.9 at the trail to Darkside.
The 5.8s at Muir Practice wall were a hit with my friend's little kids.
Tradsucker at the Lode.
Face up to That Crack at Left Flank is little-kid friendly after the start (belayed ~5yolds up that without anyproblem, after the start)
The 5.9 at the trail to Darkside.
The 5.8s at Muir Practice wall were a hit with my friend's little kids.
Tradsucker at the Lode.
Re: Best Routes for Really Really Really Short Climbers
Sorry, Muir:
I'm sure your 1 year old could climb the 5.4 at Practice Wall, and the 5.5 next to it might be a cool challenge for him. Also your 1 year old would probably love the beginning of La Escalada at The Great Wall. The beginning is just a big easy 45 degree slab, and your 4 year old would surely have fun trying to do the whole thing.
Animal Crackers (slab wall) at Muir has tons and tons of holds, so your 4 year old would have a blast there. The starts are tricky/reachy, but you can always aid him past the start. The 5.8 on the far left doesn't have a reachy start from what I remember.
They put some low anchors on Machete at Sunny Side for kids to climb.
As far as trad, I don't know much, but I do know that your 4 year old would probably love Dragons Tail (5.3) at Practice Wall. You climb over lots of small boulders. I would go explore as many 5.1 - 5.3 trad lines as you can, there are probably tons of stuff that he can do in that range.
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Pendergrass:
Lowered Expectations (5.5) might even be able to be climbed by your 1 year old it's so easy. Swap Meet (5.6) near by does have some reachy moves near the top, but most likely you can find a way through the crux without having to reach far, but I bet it would involve crimps. 27 Years of Climbing is extremely easy for the first half, but it has a loose anchor bolt, so I would keep the last bolt clipped in as an added backup.
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The 5.7 at Pistol Ridge has non stop good holds. There is an 8 next to it, but it has a trickier start, but it gets easy after that until you get to the very top, right before the anchors where the crux is. You might have some luck at Phantasia, Lord of the Flies (5.8+/5.9) is all honeycomb holds at the start. If you aid them past the roof/crux on Creature Feature, they would have a blast for the remaining 50 feet of the route, it's all jugs on slab up there.
I'm sure your 1 year old could climb the 5.4 at Practice Wall, and the 5.5 next to it might be a cool challenge for him. Also your 1 year old would probably love the beginning of La Escalada at The Great Wall. The beginning is just a big easy 45 degree slab, and your 4 year old would surely have fun trying to do the whole thing.
Animal Crackers (slab wall) at Muir has tons and tons of holds, so your 4 year old would have a blast there. The starts are tricky/reachy, but you can always aid him past the start. The 5.8 on the far left doesn't have a reachy start from what I remember.
They put some low anchors on Machete at Sunny Side for kids to climb.
As far as trad, I don't know much, but I do know that your 4 year old would probably love Dragons Tail (5.3) at Practice Wall. You climb over lots of small boulders. I would go explore as many 5.1 - 5.3 trad lines as you can, there are probably tons of stuff that he can do in that range.
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Pendergrass:
Lowered Expectations (5.5) might even be able to be climbed by your 1 year old it's so easy. Swap Meet (5.6) near by does have some reachy moves near the top, but most likely you can find a way through the crux without having to reach far, but I bet it would involve crimps. 27 Years of Climbing is extremely easy for the first half, but it has a loose anchor bolt, so I would keep the last bolt clipped in as an added backup.
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The 5.7 at Pistol Ridge has non stop good holds. There is an 8 next to it, but it has a trickier start, but it gets easy after that until you get to the very top, right before the anchors where the crux is. You might have some luck at Phantasia, Lord of the Flies (5.8+/5.9) is all honeycomb holds at the start. If you aid them past the roof/crux on Creature Feature, they would have a blast for the remaining 50 feet of the route, it's all jugs on slab up there.
"It is difficult to estimate the potential damage of solvents; therefore the middle of the rope should never be marked with a felt-tip pen or similar. Although a danger might be improbable, it should never be ignored." Mammut
Re: Best Routes for Really Really Really Short Climbers
Since going to Muir, he has spent hours looking at all my guide books, training manuals, and magazines. Hours is not a joke either, he constantly has then off the shelf and looking through them. I pick them up everyday. (His climbing skills are better than his cleaning up skills). He constantly wants to go climbing in the garage or on the playset.