Red Rocks Beta

[fixedPin]

Going to Vegas and have one day of climbing with my bro. Anyone got some suggestions on good routes, 4 - 10 pitches, mostly 5.8 or so (could have a bit of 5.9 or 5.10a).

 

Thanks.

[bobinc]

Keep hearing Ginger Cracks is quite good, plus there's the stuff everyone else piles on: Crimson Chrysalis, Frogland, etc.

[chucK]

Black Dagger

Dark Shadows

[fredrogers]

I looked at Cat in the Hat (5.7- 8 pitches?) but didn't do it due to heavy winds (50MPH+). Tons of stuff at First Creek (?)- area called the Romper Room and Lotta Balls wall- several multi and single pitch stuff. About an hour from the car but in the shade... must go back...

 

We spent a day at Panty Wall- first pullout- tons of stuff from 5.7 to 5.10, all single pitch. Mix of bolted and gear. Super fun and SW facing- so it was warm in spite of the wind.

 

Have fun!

[Uncle_Tricky]

The Great Red Book, 5.8. It's only two pitches, but they are full value pitches in a huge dihedral--jamming, face climbing, liebacking, stemming, some chimney, etc. A good choice for a mellow day and there's lots of other good cragging type stuff nearby.

[offwidthclimber]

cat in the hat is fun, 5.7 and 5 pitches, but it's also punter central. get there EARLY or wait in line and be amazed at the chaos.

 

the first time i climbed that route, it was blowing 30+ mph and threatening rain. there was only one party, behind us. it was a good outing.

 

the other time i climbed it, it was sunny and nice, and i experienced some of the worst clusterfucks ever.

 

it was truly frightening...

 

however, the approach is fairly short and easy.

 

cheers.

[David_Parker]

I did the "one day to climb" thing last fall. Dark Shadows (5.7) was killer. Route is straight up, second pitch fairly sustained but all there, and you can easily rap the route. We were told to expect crowds and we had it all to ourselves! Nice hike in/out too!

[Jason_Martin]

Cat in the Hat can be done in four pitches with a 60m rope. It's a nice climb.

 

Ginger Cracks and Chrimson Chryslis are fun routes but require a bit more approach time.

 

It's not hard to get Olive Oil and Geronimo in the same day. They are both fun 5.7 routes. Each can be done in four to five pitches with 60m ropes.

 

Johnny Vegas to Solar Slab is a nice full day of 14 pithces at about 5.7. Be sure to bring double ropes and rappel the route. DO NOT DO THE "SUGGESTED" WALKOFF and DO NOT RAPPEL Johnny Vegas. Rappel down Solar Slab Gully. If you do these things you'll have a great day.

 

Any route that can be approached relatively quickly that can be done relatively fast can be done in conjunction with The Great Red Book. Though the route spooks me because it and Olive Oil are the only two routes in Red Rock that have seen fatalities.

 

Beware of the park closing times. A ticket after the gates close will cost you fifty bucks.

 

I just got down here and it's still a bit warm. Give it another week or so and both routes in the sun and routes in the shade will be climbable. Give it a month and you won't want to do routes in the shade too much anymore.

 

If you have specific questions feel free to email or PM me.

 

Have a blast!

 

Jason

 

[ 10-12-2002, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Jason Martin ]

[texplorer]

If you anticipate getting out of the park after dark you can request a pass that lets you stay longer. You just have to ask for it the day before I believe.

 

I have done Johnny Vegas, and Olive Oil and can reccommend both of them as well. If your feeling a bit stronger though head to the black velvet canyon. Ohhh baby, some fun stuff in there.

[Jason_Martin]

Black Velvet is awesome right now... But it's going to start getting cold back there in the next few weeks. Early November it's still okay, but after mid-November, routes in the sun are the way to go.

 

Jason

[David Yount]

Crimson Chrysalis fits your request perfectly.

 

High quality routes exist at all grades, but if you're looking for mostly 5.8 and maybe more, I'd suggest you study up on Crimson Chrysalis. Most of the others mentioned do not give you the same challenge and effort.

 

Crimson Chrysalis (5.9 in Uriostes' 1984 guidebook, I think) keeps the pressure up virtually the entire way, nice solid sustained climbing; coupled with the approach makes for a full day adventure for most.

[Dru]

I really like Black Orpheus, mostly 5.8 and easier with one sustained 5.9 pitch and one supposedly 5.9+ pitch that is actually a boulder problem off a ledge with a bolt in your face as you do it. Ddnt have the crowds associated with SSlab, Cat In Hat etc.

 

Tunnel Vision is fun too.

[glacier_dup1]

Refried Brains is a good line, and doesn't get much traffic as compatred to other routes in the same canyon (Heart of Darkness, etc.)- 6 (?) pitches with a few moves of 5.9.

[klar404]

uh I second the thumbs up for black dagger! Its a bit of a walk but the climbing is great and zesty.If you go climb dark shadows make sure to check out straight shooter. Its a stellar finger crack that goes at 5.9(har har).

[chucK]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Idea Guy:

Crimson Chrysalis fits your request perfectly.

---

Did he indicate that he wants to meet many new climbing friends?

[Gerg]

Don't forget about Tunnel Vision. If i recall right, it goes at about 5.7. It has a nice chimney or two. Tons of fun. See if you can get the stuck Metolius cam out of the back of one chimney

 

g

[Greg_W]

I'm going to be there in February on business. These routes sound great. My only question is: which of these have sun?

[Jason_Martin]

Routes in the Sun to Consider:

 

Solar Slab, 5.6 - 14 P

Cat in the Hat, 5.6+ - 4-5 P

Geronimo, 5.7 - 5 P

Olive Oil, 5.7 - 6 P

Hop Route, 5.7 - 2 P

Tuna and Chips, 5.7 - 2 P

Johnny Vegas, 5.7 or 5.9 - 5 P

The Black Dager, 5.7+ - 6 P

Jubilant Song, 5.8 - 5 P

Rainbow Buttress, 5.8 - 6 P

Beulah's Book, 5.9 - 3 P

Black Orpheous, 5.10a - 6 P

Chicken Lips, 5.10a - 6 P

Leviatation 29, 5.11 - 8 P

Resolution Arete, 5.11+ - 17 P

 

The preceding list is a list of climbs that are in the sun for at least half or more of the day.

 

Have a blast!

 

Jason

[Dru]

1) Resolution Arete in february is in the sun for more like 3 hours than half or all day.

 

2) As previously noted Black Orpheus is not 10a.

 

3) judging by what fern said, look out for loose rock on jubilant song.

 

4) I dont have my guidebook here but isnt Rainbow Buttress much longer than 6 pitches? Like, a dozen or so?

 

[ 10-17-2002, 09:08 AM: Message edited by: Dru ]

[Jason_Martin]

I stand by Jubilent Song. It's quite a good route. I've done it three times and it has been enjoyable each time.

 

The guidebook calls Black Orpheous a 10-. But like Burdo, Swain is trying to solidify the grade system. It's arguable whether this is a good or bad thing. But the result is that grades can be confusing to some visitors. Following is a quote from his book:

 

"True Sport climbs have ratings subdivided by letter grades (a-d), as was introduced by Jim Birdwell of Yosemite fame. Routes that require some amount of traditional gear have the subdivisons of minus and plus. These 'gear subdivisions' are used on climbs 5.10 or harder, with a rating of 5.10- being equal in difficulty to 5.10a"

 

And certainly for twenty or so feet, Black Orpheous feels tenish.

 

The guidebook gives Rainbow Buttress eight pitches. Though the vast majority of the long routes in Red Rock can be done in far fewer pitches, especially if you have a sixty meter rope.

 

Even in February you'll have more than three hours of sun on Resolution Arete... Perhaps Dru is right it might not be a full half-day, but it's longer than three hours.

 

Regardless of all this, my original list was simply to help people identify sunny routes and plan trips to Red Rock in the winter. It is not meant to be a guidebook.

 

Jason

[Peter_Puget]

That old +/- thing can be confusing on ratings. The old Wilts guide (Suicide) used them as follows. 10- equals 10a/b, 10 equals 10b/c, 10+ equals 10c/d. Locally Brooks and Carlstad used 10+ to mean that some believe it is .10 and others .11. I was wondering how you were dealing with ratings in your guide. Sorry for the thread drift.

[Jason_Martin]

Personally I like a-d, regardless of if it's trad or sport.

[Jason_Martin]

Personally I like a-d, regardless of if it's trad or sport.

[Dru]

yeah lots of people tell me jubilant is good...only ferns partner got sketched out and they bailed...i think it reminded him of his factor 2 gear ripping fall on Yamnuska or some like dat. i hear it has no crowds either.

 

resolution...maybe you are thinking of late feb and im thinking of early? cause i remember it went into the shade by about 1030 or 11 am, it faces more NE than E.

 

personally i hate those swain ratings they seem all over the map. i will say that i found the 5.8 crux on Frogland to be much harder than the 20 foot "5.10-" section on Black Orph.

[Jason_Martin]

Jubilant Song is confusing at the top. There are harder ways to go and easier ways. Some of the ways are on very friable rock. And sometimes the easier ways don't look easier...

 

But with that in mind, everything on Jubilant Song is fun until the very top where the route is not super clear.

 

I think the move you're talking about on Frogland feels sketchy because it's so cruiser up to that point... Then suddenly out of the blue there's a hard move.

 

Jason

 

[ 10-17-2002, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: Jason Martin ]