Route | Difficulty | Parent Crag | Notes |
Right Dihedral | 5.2 | Sandbox
| Route can be extended left or right from top via a crack. Left is more like 5.4 or 5.5, right 5.0-5.2. |
Sand Box Corner | 5.4 | Sandbox | This is maybe THE classic beginner's route at Great Falls. On the easier side of 5.4, it also is excellent for learning and practicing to lead. |
Sand Box Crack | 5.6 | Sandbox | You'll want to stick something big into this diagonal, uneven crack early on and then put something else in soon; it gets easier as you get higher. |
Box Left | 5.2 | Sandbox | Takes big gear as well as small, from small stoppers to a #6 Camalot. |
R.I.P. | 5.6 | Dihedrals
| Pretty sketchy-- shallow cracks. Take small gear. |
Beginner's Dihedral | 5.2 | Dihedrals | Not a lot of chances for good pro. Boring for anyone experienced and not so good for learners for the aforementioned reason. But it's trad-friendly in an area that mostly isn't, so hey. |
Pride | 5.4 | Dihedrals | Feels a bit harder than 5.4, harder than 5.5 Prejudice right next door. Great hand crack most of the way. |
Layback Dihedral | 5.4 | Dihedrals | A bit run-out at the start and also at the finish, but awesome gear through the middle. |
Epigone | 5.6 | Juliet's Balcony
| Very short, but high-quality crack. |
Left Stuff | 5.7 | Juliet's Balcony | Tough start, then a great crack to the finish. |
Backslider | 5.7 | Juliet's Balcony | Perhaps the hardest 5.7 at Great Falls. Very tough for the grade. It's directly below Left Stuff, so you can link the two for a climb of close to 70', about as long as it gets at Great Falls, or you can two-pitch it for the practice with building belay anchors. |
Possibilities | 5.9 | Juliet's Balcony | Right next to Backslider. I haven't led this but know that it has been on stoppers. |
Trellis | 5.0 | Juliet's Balcony | Very easy, only the upper half will take decent pro. Mostly used as a descent route. |
Seclusion Corner | 5.1 | Seclusion | Not too exciting, only Class 5 at the very top. |
Seclusion | 5.4-5.7 | Seclusion | The classic route (5.7) starts below and left of a prominent flaring crack to the top (look for a tree growing from it); the 5.4 goes straight up to that crack. |
Nubbin Corner | 5.2 | Seclusion | Easy route but good opportunities to place pro. |
Zig-Zag Edge | 5.5 | Seclusion | There are enough flakes and cracks to take gear. |
Stan's Lead | 5.5 | Seclusion | Despite the title, this is not a very good lead if you follow the traditional route. (A 5.7 alternative finishes straight up via a nice crack.) The lower half of the climb takes no gear unless you have very long slings (requiring you to go well off-route just to place the gear), but the upper half will take gear. |
Snowflake | 5.6 | Seclusion | The finish is harder than 5.6, more like 5.8. Most don't know this because they don't top out since they're toproping it. |
Great Beginnings | 5.7 | Seclusion | The crux comes early with a diagonal ascent requiring some underclinging and laybacking. |
Romeo's Corner | 5.2 | Romeo's Ladder | Short, not great for placing pro. |
Romeo's Ladder | 5.6+ | Romeo's Ladder | Perhaps the most popular climb at Great Falls. Holds can be pretty greasy. Good pro, though. |
Romeo's Left | 5.8 | Romeo's Ladder | Very nice crack system. I haven't led this but have seen it led (on cams). |
Delivery Room | 5.5 | Romeo's Ladder | Little opportunity for pro on the upper half, but by that point it's practically a walkup; the fun is below. |
Lost Arrow | 5.10c | Aid Box
| This route is tough enough on toprope; I have never led it and probably never will, but the line clearly can take small gear. |
Diagonal | 5.9- | Aid Box | The start would be run-out, but there would be pro the rest of the way. |
Dark Corner | 5.6 | Aid Box | Good pro. |
Bird's Nest | 5.7 | Bird's Nest | Because there is a traversing section on this one, it can help teach good rope management. |
Armbuster | 5.9 | Bird's Nest | Read the linked blog post. This is where a guy's gear failed and he decked, injuring himself badly. |
The Nose | 5.6 | Cornice | The crux is fairly early with working around an overhanging block. In my opinion, it would be sketchy to lead the route up to and through this part, but there is an easier and more pro-friendly line on the wall to its right. |
Cornice | 5.7+ | Cornice | I have not led this or seen it led, but the page linked to above contains a firsthand account of it. |
Balder | 5.4 | Dr. Needlepoint | Last third of this doesn't have good pro but is basically a scramble. It's also a bit dirty due to rarely being climbed. |
Needlepoint Corner | 5.3 | Dr. Needlepoint | Good pro. Stiff for the grade because it is steep and even overhanging at times. |
Dr. Needlepoint | 5.9 | Dr. Needlepoint | I've toproped this and think it could be led, as it follows some cracks up a steep, slightly overhanging face. |
Last Exit | 5.6 | Degree 101
| I've read that a set of stoppers and BD C4 1-3 will do for leading this one. However, I would note that although the guidebook describes the climb as mostly a crack, it is really a flake, and flakes are usually better protected with passive gear. When I led it, I went all-passive. I also found the pro a little sketchy near the top. |
Socrates' Downfall | 5.8 | Cow Hoof
| On toprope, this is a stout 5.8. I watched a guy lead it and heard him mutter several times that no way was it a 5.8. |
F.I.S.T. | 5.9- | Cow Hoof | Start is an off-width. |