Red Rocks in January: Suggestions

[treknclime]

Was thinking to hit Red Rocks in January. Route suggestions for moderate routes...that are warm enough to climb then? Places to stay?

 

Thanks!!

[smithisheaven]

whats mod to you? Frogland is a good multi pitch that 5.8, Crimson Chrisalis is another good multi 5.9, Epi is always good but cold 5.9 multi chimmneys, Prince of Darkness, multi, bolted 5.10, Eagle Dance real good multi, trad and bolts with aid ladder 5.10b. Have fun

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Lots of fun, low-commitment sport routes that get plenty of sun. Check out the Gallery & Black Corridor for high concentrations of easier terrain, but there's plenty more spread around the first three pullouts.

 

It's vacation, right? Why punish yourself with hateful, cactus-thrashing approaches and icy descent gullies?

[smithisheaven]

I guess some of us have a different idea of what "vacation " is. Everybodys idea of fun is different. I guess multi pitch good routes with some "fun" in the approach and "interesting" decents are my idea of a good time. Yes the approach to eagle dance does take a good long while, ha ha.

[JosephH]

Stuff up in BV will be cold. But if it's 60, sunny, and for sure forecast to to stay that way at least the following day I wouldn't hesitate to give epi a go. Nothing on it is particularly hard but I'm not sure about calling it a moderate in terms overall car-to-car commitment/energy. Go early, fast, and light if you do it. Those little air activated hand warmers really help as well when climbing in the shade all day...

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

I guess multi pitch good routes with some "fun" in the approach and "interesting" decents are my idea of a good time.

 

 

Seek help, oh wayward child, before you wander too far down the dark path and become hopelessly lost.

 

[chucK]

I haven't been there in January, but I'd bet sunny faces would be the ticket (and don't forget to think about the descent, many stories on the internet about icy descent gullies).

 

Stuff on the N side of Oak Creek would probably be good (Solar Slab, Black Orpheus, Lev 29 and neighbors). I think Olive and Cat in the Hat are sunny too (though Olive oil might have a shaded descent). I think Brass Wall is supposed to be a good winter destination, and it seems like I remember seeing a TR of a Jubilant Song ascent sometime in January.

[billcoe]

I wouldn't hesitate to give epi a go.

 

Moderates JH, not desperates! Short days could lead to a long ...long cold night unless you have your Peter Croft groove on.

 

What do you mean for moderates anyway? I think of well protected 5.6-5.9 and in the winter time I'd want full sunshine. Moderates for some (not me!) might be 5.10-5.11.

 

How about Olive Oil and Birdland (Brass wall). Both @ 1000' long, well protected multi-pitch trad 5.7's with sunshine on your funky ass almost all day. Check out the stuff on Brownstone wall too. Frogland, already mentioned, should get the morning sunshine. If you wanted to fight traffic, Cat in the Hat gets great sun and as a multistarred 5.6- crowds too.

 

Edit to add- Chuck K has it down: Solar good - and the descent of Olive oil is shaded.

[earthly]

for all you spouting difficulty with long routes redrocks in winter, check out luisa giles a couple of weeks ago

http://www.ringo.com/share.html?id=jwjp96Zba.a0

i believe epinephrine and frogland (5.7) were both styled. take a touque-

 

ps.- treknclime, some of the routes near the mouths in the northern canyons get some decent sun in the winter. can't recall the names, but some great splitter cracks just opposite the valley from the necromancer wall.

[earthly]

specifically:

http://www.ringo.com/share.html?photoId=51720228&id=jwjp96Zba.a0

http://www.ringo.com/share.html?photoId=51720491&id=jwjp96Zba.a0

http://www.ringo.com/share.html?photoId=51721231&id=jwjp96Zba.a0

[genepires]

olive oil gets sun but starts to lose it around 10am, then the shadow crawls up the route. Don't get there too late ot it will be shady and cool. Don't get there too early or you will have to wait for the sun. In between these two times you will be waiting behind the hordes that know about the route. (well known winter route) So get there in that perfect two minute window.

 

January is cold so plan your routes according to sunshine.

 

left side of canyons (as looking from road) have no sun (includes frogland). Look to the right side of canyons unless it is cloudy then you are hosed. I would also stay away from climbs that involve lots of elevation gain to get to cause it will be cold even in the sun.

 

that wall with the Tunnel route has sun for about 3 hours in the morning.

solar slab, olive oil, brass wall, cat in hat, maybe Y2K, and most of the pullouts should be good places to go to.

[Jason_Martin]

It is true that people climb routes in the shade throughout the winter. However, Red Rock has extremely varied temperatures throughout the cold season.

 

Three weeks ago, there were three ice climbs on the North facing walls at the back of Oak Creek Canyon. These come in and go out throughout the winter. There is ice and streaks of ice in each of the canyons when it is cold. Obviously climbing a route like Epinephrine which is completely shaded in these conditions is less than ideal.

 

The low winter sun also puts routes that are in the sun in the fall and spring in the sun for a much shorter period of time. The lower half of Cat in the Hat -- and even the upper half for an hour or so -- is in the shade much of the winter day. Geronimo is only in the sun for a couple hours in the morning. Stuff on the lower part of the Solar Slab Wall gets a great deal of shade by ten or eleven in the morning.

 

If it is cloudy or windy, it doesn't matter too much if your in the shade or the sun. You'll be cold. On the other hand, yesterday it was 65 degrees or warmer on Solar Slab.

 

Jason

[Bigtree]

Treknclime, my wife and I were there a couple of winters ago for a combined week-long gambling and climbing vacation. We bought a very economical package deal (airfare/hotel) and rented a cheap car to drive out for climbs daily. Might not be what you are looking for but it sure was a nice treat to have a bed/warm shower each night.

 

Sounds like other posters have covered possible routes well. We spent most our time in the Panty Wall area given our lack of exprience with multi-pitch climbing. Its a short hike from the 1st pullout with a good selection of single-pitch climbs ranging from 5.5 - 5.12+.

 

Also, suggest you stop in at Desert Rock Sports on Charleston Blvd (en route to RR in approaching from downtown) to pick up a guidebook ("Red Rocks - Sport Climbing Guide" for $16 is what I picked up/was pleased with).

[glassgowkiss]

Lots of fun, low-commitment sport routes that get plenty of sun. Check out the Gallery & Black Corridor for high concentrations of easier terrain, but there's plenty more spread around the first three pullouts.

 

It's vacation, right? Why punish yourself with hateful, cactus-thrashing approaches and icy descent gullies?

yeah, you forgot to mention that majority of the routes on Gallery are a couple of letters overgraded, so you can be a real "bad-ass" bolt clipping puff....

[colt45]

I have done a lot of the above mentioned routes in late Dec/early Jan and have never been TOO cold (even on shady climbs like epi, crimson chrysalis, price of darkness).

 

Also while the descent for olive oil is in the shade, I have done it in winter 3 times and have never had any trouble. And it seemed to be comfortable temps on the route regardless of when we started (7am, 10am, and 12pm). But maybe I have just been lucky.

[lancegranite]

GK,

Show of hands... who was climbing in a t shirt on Christmas day?

 

Soft ratings or not, you can't beat the Calico hills in the winter for low commitment fun in the sun.

[TyClimber]

I would check out Olive Oil, I did it a couple of years ago and it was really good. I think is is 5.7 or 5.8, nothing crazy and a lot of fun.

[111]

Aat In The Hat is a classic 6p 5.6**** It is gear and doesnt get a ton of sun, but definitely would be ok. Dont bother with anything that doesnt get sun. I was on Crimson 3 weeks ago and that was kinda hellish with the cold. The turnouts get great sun if it is cold/clear and will be the warmest spots. Great Red Book is at the 2nd turnout and is a nice multipitch.

[chirp]

Birdland is a Sweet 4p 5.7 on the North Wall (SUNSHINE!) of Pine Cr.

Bring one 70m rope!

 

BTW, Who owns DRS now? Where are Tim and Mike...and Fred? I heard rumors...whats up?

[lancegranite]

Travis and two other fellas.

The shop has moved, but not far... it is still in the same complex as the mtn bike shop.There is also a new (climber)yoga center next door to the shop.

 

fred...the personal space invader.

[Winter]

I heard the Mustang Ranch was nice and warm this time o year.

[skyclimb]

Was there about three weeks ago, when the weather was pretty freaking cold, and had a good time on:

Olive Oil

Frogland

Tunnel Vision

Dark Shadows

Geronimo

Prince of Darkness

Neither my partner or I was cold at any of the belays, and had a great time climbing and linking moderates for nice full days of mellow classic climbing.

Redrocks is a blast this time of year, cause there is no crowds

[hohm]

Another good winter choice is the Ultraman Wall above the first pullout. The slabby, moderate routes (5.7-5.10a) are in the sun all day, and this is a great place to spend an afternoon in a tee-shirt in January. The only caveat is the distance between bolts (up to 20 feet) but if you can handle moderate run-outs its all good. In addition, the day we were there we didnt have any other parties on the wall, so we could almost pretend we were climbing in the wilderness (as long as we didnt turn around and see the tourists on the trail below)..

[EWolfe]

Was there about three weeks ago, when the weather was pretty freaking cold, and had a good time on:

Olive Oil

Frogland

Tunnel Vision

Dark Shadows

Geronimo

Prince of Darkness

Neither my partner or I was cold at any of the belays, and had a great time climbing and linking moderates for nice full days of mellow classic climbing.

Redrocks is a blast this time of year, cause there is no crowds

 

He's a freak, so take Black Velvet in January with a grain of salt.

[glassgowkiss]

shit, anything but the gallery. don't you pepople know any better! shitty climbing, always crowded and waaaay overrated routes! on sunday went to "sunny and steep" crag. while there were tons of people we had the whole valley to ourselves.