Famous Trad Climbing Routes
Trad (traditional) climbing routes are known for their reliance on removable protection gear, like nuts and cams, placed by the climber as they ascend, and removed by the second climber. Well-known trad climbing routes around the world hold unique challenges and history. SENDY wants to introduce you to a few:
The Nose - El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, USA: One of the most iconic big-wall climbs in the world, The Nose is a classic 3,000-foot (900 meters) route up the sheer granite face of El Capitan.
The Eiger - North Face, Switzerland: The North Face of the Eiger is famous for its extreme alpine challenges, including the Nordwand (North Face) route, a challenging and deadly climb.
Freerider - El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, USA: Freerider is another renowned route on El Capitan, known for its free climbing and featuring the iconic pitch called the "Boulder Problem."
Great Trango Tower - Trango Group, Pakistan: This massive granite tower in the Karakoram Range offers some of the most demanding and sought-after trad climbs in the world.
Lotus Flower Tower - Cirque of the Unclimbables, Canada: Located in the Northwest Territories, this remote granite spire offers a classic alpine trad climbing experience.
The Totem Pole - Tasmania, Australia: A slender sea stack with limited access, The Totem Pole presents a challenging and adventurous trad climbing opportunity.
Salathé Wall - El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, USA: This route combines both free climbing and aid climbing on El Capitan and is known for its sustained difficulty.
Old Man of Hoy - Orkney Islands, Scotland: A famous sea stack in Scotland, the Old Man of Hoy is challenging and iconic.
Directissima - Piz Badile, Switzerland: The Piz Badile's North Face offers classic alpine rock climbing, with Directissima being a popular and demanding route.
Gogarth - Anglesey, Wales, UK: The sea cliffs at Gogarth provide some of the best traditional climbing in the UK, with routes like "Dream of White Horses".
Hell's Gate - Rift Valley, Kenya: The Main Wall has adventurous multi-pitches to climb while watching zebra, giraffe and buffalo below. Fischer's Tower is a 30-meter pinnacle with several exciting routes.
These routes are extremely challenging and require skill and experience, careful planning and preparation. Always climb within your abilities and seek local advice and guidance when attempting routes like these.
