Vegas Fun

Climbing

I love climbing at Red Rocks! But gale force winds the first couple days that made us stop and just hang on until the gusts went by were making me question my judgement. Day three was the charm!  While it was still a little cool in the morning, we had a fantastic afternoon of climbing in the warm sunshine.

Looking down the rappel line.

Typical bum shot when the belayer is trying to take photos of the climber.

Springs Preserve

It's hard to believe this place is in the middle of Las Vegas, not far from the strip. It's one of our favourite places to go, either in the morning before we head to out to climb or on a rest day. We always get a membership both to support their initiatives and so that we can get early admission before the general public arrives. We were the only ones there on this morning. So quiet and relaxing. 

Andrew enjoys the photography opportunities. 

The cactus garden.

The butterfly garden was out of season but I liked this colourful entrance wall.

Flying

This is the first time we've been back to Vegas area since taking up paragliding. So Jean Ridge was a new spot for us. The conditions weren't spectacular (a few difficult-to-stay-in thermals but no steady wind required for soaring) but we did get several short flights of 4 - 18 minutes. The ridge is about a mile long so if conditions were "on" it would be awesome!!

It's a 20 minute hike from the bottom of the ridge and, thankfully, the road in was doable in our Prius. There's also a road to the top but a 4x4 is definitely needed for that. Sort of humorous that one of the dirt bikers we encountered was more impressed by the fact we got there in the Prius than he was by the fact we were flying off the ridge.

In addition to the dirt bikers, there are a ton of ATV's and people out shooting guns. We learned that it's one of the few areas near Vegas where there's enough room for people to do long-range (i.e. a mile +) practice. We'd wondered why there were rocks near the road in with paint on them but they were markers for the shooters. One morning we arrived just a couple minutes ahead of a couple shooters and they weren't too impressed that they had to find another location.

We didn't have any success contacting the local paragliding club but luckily this is a site that doesn't require membership, etc. It was definitely fun to be able to come here on our own and not worry about needing a retrieve vehicle. We'll no doubt be back!

View from Jean Ridge mid-launch.

Andrew at the top of Jean Ridge, waiting for a good wind cycle before launching.

Me, just after launch. Screenshot of video taken by Andrew. 

Andrew coming in for landing.

Patrick, a pilot from Utah (left) and Andrew (right).

Me, just after launching. Photo from video taken by Patrick.

A Biased Guide to Climbing at Red Rock Canyon

Do you hate crowds and chaos? Does walking into a casino give you audio sensory overload? If so, you might think Las Vegas isn’t for you. Well, if you play your cards right (pun intended) you can go to Vegas and pretend you’re not really in Vegas.

Andrew and I have been making the almost-annual trip to Red Rock Canyon, a short drive west of Vegas, for several years. Lots of our climbing friends, thinking of coming here, have asked us for advice and there have been several questions lately on the ACC Sask Section Facebook page so I thought I’d write this guide, biased as it may be.

Guidebooks

Red Rocks, A Climber’s Guide by Jerry Handren – This is the best and most recent detailed guidebook. However, it was published in 2007 so there are a lot of climbs not in it.

Fun Climbs Red Rocks by Jason D. Martin – This book focuses on “moderate” climbs up to the 5.10 range. Published in 2009, there are a few more areas listed than in the above-noted book and often with a bit more detail.

www.mountainproject.com has some of the most recent information. You can download the app on your phone. Be sure to also download the photos -- there are no route topo maps. Check it out before you go, as it is sometimes hard to figure out where things are on the go. We've found that the locations only listed on mountainproject.com are pretty quiet. Maybe one other party there at most.

There is also a bouldering guidebook if that's your thing. 

We generally climb, at most, in the 5.10ish sport range so the following, unless otherwise noted, are good suggestions for that range. These are just a few of our favourite areas to give people some suggestions to get started. There are far more really great climbs than what I've listed here! 

Sport Routes

Calico Hills - First Pullout

·      Panty Wall (a good range of sport climbs from 5.6 to 5.11 and a few trad routes in the 5.10 range) 

·      The Hamlet

·      Ultraman Wall (Slabby, very long routes. Watch your rope length for lowering or rapping off.)

·      Civilization Wall  (Info on mountainproject.com only. Several routes in 5.10 range. Mostly in shade.)

Calico Hills - Second Pullout

·      Magic Bus (Also a couple trad routes here.)

·      Meetup Wall (Info on mountain project.com only. A couple really fun "pumpy" overhanging routes on the shady side of the wall. 5.9 and 5.10a.) 

·      Black Corridor (Wide variety of grades and lots of them. Shady narrow corridor that is great, but crowded, when it’s really hot out.)
- The Gallery (Wide variety of grades and lots of them.)

Single Pitch Trad Routes

Great Red Book - 2-pitch 5.8 at Calico Hills Second pullout
Ragged Edges area at Willow Springs pullout

Multi-Pitch Routes

There are many great multi-pitch (mostly trad) routes of all levels to enjoy. All the ones we’ve done have been true to grade if not easier and all the get a 2 or 3 star rating have been well worth the effort.  (Yes, I wrote this before we did Group Therapy!) Some of our favourites:

Tunnel Vision (5.7) – Its namesake is a really fun vertical tunnel that you climb through. Not much for pro on that pitch. Look above/behind you, about ½ way up to find a gear placement. 

Cat in the Hat (5.6) – A very popular but fun route. Unfortunately you have to rappel the route, which makes it worse with crowds. Suggest going early and not on a weekend. The first time we went, it was such a gong show that we bailed off after three pitches for fear of getting in the middle of a major accident.

Birdland (5.7+) – Really fun route. 

Olive Oil (5.7) - Really nice route. Don't let the "poor protection" comments about pitch 5 scare you. Very easy where it's run out and then good pro further up. 

Solar Slab (5.6) – NOTE: When doing routes in the Solar area, we recommend parking along the highway, just west of the exit from the scenic drive loop, rather than in the Oak Creek Parking area which is noted in the guidebook. It’s a slightly longer hike in but you more than make up the time by not having to drive the scenic one-way loop. And trust me, if you’re at Red Rock for a week or more of climbing you’ll get your fill of the loop!

Also note that to do the upper routes on Solar you have to first climb Solar Gully or Johnny Vegas. In the Handren book the Gully is rated as 5.3. It is not 5.3. Other versions describe it as 5.5 which is more accurate. 

Crimson Chrysalis (5.8+) - Long route, mix of sport and trad. Quite popular and have to rappel route so try to go early and not on a weekend.

Where to Stay

Summerlin is the area on the west side of Vegas, closest to Red Rocks. We usually stay at the LaQuinta Inn& Suites on Sahara Ave. It’s relatively inexpensive, clean and has a small kitchen which is great if you’re staying for any length of time and don’t want to eat out every night. We stayed on the strip once but driving from there and dealing with heavy traffic cuts significantly into your climbing time.

If you know the dates of your trip for sure, you can find a few places on airbnb.com. Friends of ours stayed at one called “Base Camp” and is owned by a climber. They said it was good.

The Red Rock Canyon campground is just east of Red Rocks. The one time we stayed there, many years ago, we found it to be very basic, dusty, dry and desolate. No shade, no showers. There are now shade canopies over the picnic tables. At the time, you could shower (for a small price) at the Red Rock Climbing Gym beside Desert Rock Sports on Charleston Ave.

Rest Day Activities

Hiking – There are several hikes to choose from in and around the Red Rocks area. Hiking/scrambling up Turtlehead Peak provides a great view of the area. On a hot day, Icebox Canyon is the place to be. On a recent cold & rainy day we did the loop hike from Red Springs in Calico Basin, to the Quarry, around the front of Calico Hills and back to Red Springs. 

Hiking Las Vegas by Branch Whitney is a good resource for this area as well as others in the area. 

Springs Preserve – This is one of our favorite places! And it’s right in the middle of Vegas. There are several hiking/interpretive trails, a lovely gardens area, a sustainability centre, a couple museums with always changing displays, and a really nice restaurant. Andrew and I buy an annual membership so that we can go in early (8 am instead of 10 am) and it often seems like we have the gardens and trails to ourselves at that time. The number of blog posts we've both written about the Springs are proof of how much we like it. 

Pahrump Winery – Pahrump is located an hour west of Vegas. The winery is only one of four in Nevada and specializes in red wine grapes, as it’s too warm here for white. There is a nice restaurant and they have daily tastings and tours.

Movies – There are several Regal Cinemas. At the corner of Sahara Ave and Fort Apache Rd (walking distance from the LaQuinta if you're staying there), one at Downtown Summerlin mall and one in the Red Rock Casino Resort. The one in the Resort also has an Imax theatre. 

Valley of Fire State Park - Just over an hour drive from Summerlin area. Beautiful red rock (hence the name), interesting rock formations and several short hiking trails. 

Shopping

Desert Rock Sports – 8221 W. Charleston Blvd.

REI – 710 S. Rampart Blvd. 

Groceries - One can easily find a grocery store in the Summerlin area. These are our favourites:

·      Whole Foods - 8855 W. Charleston Blvd.

·      Sprouts Farmers Market - 10000 W. Sahara Ave.

Coffee Shops and Restaurants

·      Starbucks – they’re everywhere, they’re everywhere!

·      The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf -- also several locations. We usually go to the one at 10834 W. Charleston Ave on the way out to Red Rock. 

·      Sambalatte (near REI in the Boca Park Mall)

There are tons of restaurants in the Summerlin area! A couple suggestions:

• Honey Salt - 1031 S. Rampart Blvd. Casual and laid back but very nice place. 
• Vintner Grill - 10100 W. Charleston Blvd. This is for a classy, “fine dining” special night out. Although the address is on Charleston, there is only a small and easily missed sign on the street side. Drive around to the back to find the entrance.
• If you’re looking for a relatively quiet place to have a drink (which seems to be a rarity in Vegas) check out the bar area beside the reception desk at the Red Rock Casino Resort.

Other General Advice

The Visitor’s Centre at Red Rocks is quite good. Stop there one day before or after climbing and, in the warmer months, look for Mojave Max (the tortoise) in the area out back.

You can get a 7-day pass to Red Rocks but if you plan to visit other national parks or conservation areas, buy an annual National Parks Pass. We didn’t figure this out until after our first few trips.

Note that the park gates and the scenic loop drive closes at varying times depending on the time of year and how early it gets dark. Locals have warned us that the park staff are very strict about ensuring people are out of the park shortly after closing time. Fines are handed out if you're late. However, climbers and hikers can apply for a late permit if they are on a very long route and know they will be late or overnight. 

If You Must . . .

If you just can’t leave Vegas without trying your hand at a slot machine or two, check out the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa. Get your fix without braving the chaos of the strip. 

If you need more than just climbing/outdoor stores and grocery markets to get your shopping fix, check out Downtown Summerlin mall. Close to the Red Rock Casino, between Sahara and Charleston Avenues. Has an Apple Store; voted as the local’s favourite shopping mall. Sorry, I have no clue where the nearest outlet mall is! 

After Group Therapy, I Need Therapy

“No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No!”

That’s what was going through my head but I’m pretty sure the sound coming out of my mouth was more like adrenalin infused whimpering. Regardless, Andrew knew I was in trouble. We were on the second last pitch of “Group Therapy” in Red Rock Canyon.

The day hadn’t been going well from the start. I had the first lead and immediately got us off route. At least I thought I did. Turns out, I was just short of where the next pitch was supposed to start and, despite thinking Andrew may not have enough rope to finish the second pitch, we were fine.

Looking down, Andrew climbing up.

But we were both climbing much slower than usual, trying to figure out the route. The whole route is trad protection and, other than a route two days before, we hadn’t done any trad climbing since last summer. We’re out of practice setting gear anchors instead of clipping bolts so each belay seemed to take forever!

Although it was sunny out, it was cold and sometimes breezy in the shade. The majority of the climb was in the shade and, standing there in our light jackets patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for the other person to climb and set up an anchor meant we were near popsicle status at least half the day.

At the top of the fourth pitch, we were again slightly off route - one corner crack system to the right of where we were supposed to be. Both led up to a small alcove below a large roof overhang, which is where we wanted to go. It looked doable (slabby but relatively low angle) so instead of rappelling and down climbing over to the proper area, we decided I’d go for it.

In the middle of the photo, the large roof and the two crack systems leading up to it (just right of the large black spot).

On the way up I managed two good cam placements and a small (very small) nut. Above the nut, the crack closed off and I couldn’t see anywhere else to place gear. The corner angled up left and closer to the other crack system. Just a bit higher there was a large flake that appeared well attached with decent handholds at the top and a foothold about four feet below. From there I figured I could step over into the other wide crack system and presumably find somewhere to put in more gear.

As I moved three points of weight over (two hands, one foot) the slab started to slide.

“No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No!”  (Whimpering noises.)

Climbing friends, you’ve no doubt seen videos where someone is ice climbing and the whole sheet of ice or pillar breaks off with the climber still hanging onto it. In a split second that’s what I envisioned happening - me sliding down the cliff hanging on to this 4’ x 3’ rock.  It could only end badly. Very. Very. Badly.

But it slid only a couple inches and stopped. I loosened my grip, thought light thoughts, and slowly and gently moved my weight back over onto my right foot and plastered my hands and left foot back onto the slab.

“Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.”

“Are you okay?” asked Andrew.

In hyperventilating gasps, I explained what had happened. “I just need a couple minutes to get my shit together,” I said.

“Yep, take your time,” he said.

As reality of what could have happened sunk in, I thought, “You can’t die today Shell. It would be really rude to die on your sister’s birthday.” (Yes, Bev, I really thought that!) “You gotta calm down and do this.”

Trying to decide what to do, I looked down. Not a great option. I looked up. About 10 feet above me there was a horizontal crack that looked like it would provide both good handholds and a place to put in gear. From there I could make a big step over to the alcove. More slab climbing up to that point. Trust your feet! I moved upwards.

“Fuck!” The horizontal crack was flaring with only sloping holds. I hate slopers!

“Ok, just keep it together Shell. You can do this.”

I moved my hands and feet cross to the left, palming the rock, and took a big stretching step over to the alcove, grabbed a good handhold and moved the rest of the way over. “Whew!” I slammed in a bomber cam placement and finally breathed easier. (Thank goodness for that shiny new big #4 cam we bought a couple days before at REI.)

From the safety and security of the alcove, I took in the next part of the route. To get out from under the roof, there’s a large chimney on the right. The guidebook notes that it looks very intimidating but has decent holds if you can convince yourself to stay on the exposed outer edge instead of jamming your whole body into the chimney.

Just as I’d convinced myself to keep going Andrew said, “You can belay from there if you want. That’s the belay noted in one of the books.” He barely finished speaking before I grabbed the lifeline and said, “Yes!” A second good cam placement and I had an anchor in no time.

View from the alcove under the roof.

As Andrew led the next pitch I looked down at what I’d just climbed up. I generally make a point of not dwelling on what “could” have happened but this time I couldn’t help it. It was a good 20 feet back to where I’d put in that last nut. If I’d taken a fall, it would have been 40-50 feet. I have my doubts that small nut would have held that sort of shock load. Which would have meant an even longer fall. Not a pretty ending.

Looking down from the alcove.

Luckily, I didn’t have too long to dwell on it as Andrew did a great job leading past the roof. I followed carrying the pack. (We’d left one pack at the bottom of the route. Whoever was following each pitch carried the second pack with our shoes for the descent, water and food.) Even trying to stay on the outside edge of the chimney it was a struggle with the pack getting caught and a few burley overhanging moves to get past. Huffing and puffing I thought, “I just want to get the fuck off this route!”

Andrew graciously offered to lead the final pitch but I said no. “Suck it up, Princess!” We made it to the top without further difficulty.

Getting ready to lead the last pitch.

Panorama view from the top of Group Therapy.

By this time it was 3:30 in the afternoon. About the time we’d expected to be down and back to the car. The descent from this route is a walk off but not an easy one. More like a scramble off. First, finding the correct big gully can be a challenge. Then there’s a lot of boulder hopping and more route finding involved. Luckily, we’d been down this way twice before over the years after having climbed Tunnel Vision (a great route!) so we at least had pretty good idea of what we were looking for.

We made our way back to the start of the route, picked up the pack we’d left behind and arrived back at the car just before 5pm. Having not had more than a handful of gorp and an apple since morning we immediately drove to one of our favourite restaurants. That glass of beer sure did taste good!

View of the whole cliff.

Red Rock Canyon - Part 2

Day 4 - Climbing gear store, Springs Preserve (Andrew took lots of photos!), movie (Gravity starring Sandra Bullock) in Imax 3D, REI and then one of the nicest restaurants we've found in the Summerlin neighbourhood of Vegas, the Vintner Grill.

Day 5 - more sport climbs. We finished the day with this easy two-pitch route at Sandstone Quarry that was half light coloured rock and half red rock. And it had about a 10 minute approach walk from the parking lot. Ideal!

Day 6 - Olive Oil. A 3-star, 5-pitch trad route in Juniper Canyon.

Andrew at the top of pitch 2. Great gear placements but I was cursing him by the time I got up there because I had to use the nut tool to get out nearly every single piece of gear he put in. Very frustrating!
And it was very hot in full sun so the heat was making me a bit cranky as well.  :-(

This was my view from the top of pitch 3 as Andrew led around the corner and up pitch 4.
Not quite so cranky any more.

I led pitch 5, the very long (200 ft) but very fun crack/chimney pitch to the top
(the "obvious" crack just right of centre and left of the highest point in the photo).
Not cranky at all after that! :-)

On the last little uphill back to the car. Great sky pattern and colours.

Day 7 - more sport climbs and despite the fact that we were getting tired and sore from climbing, we did our hardest routes of the week today! 

A sad and lonely looking palm tree. 

Red Rock Canyon

From Zion National Park we headed over to the eastern edge of Las Vegas. It's about a 15 minute drive to Red Rock Canyon from where we're staying. We've been here several times before as it's one of our favourite climbing areas. So much to do and so much variety!

Day 1 - single pitch sport routes on Ultraman Wall. Long, steep, slabby, balancy, trust your feet!

Andrew rappelling from the top of one of the climbs on Ultraman.

Amazingly, even though it was Saturday and the canyon was quite busy with cars, cyclists, runner,
hikers and other climbers, we had this area to ourselves!

Love the red rock. 

Day 2 - single pitch trad routes at Willow Springs. Easy grades but good to get used to putting in gear again.

Bomber gear placement.

Andrew found a unique belay spot at the top of one climb. Not gonna get pulled off that one!

Airplane designs in the sky.

Day 3 - multi-pitch trad route called Cat in the Hat. This is a very popular route which we tried to do the first time we climbed at Red Rocks but there were so many people that it was a total gong show and we bailed off before we ended up in the middle of an accident scene.

This time we thought perhaps a weekday in "winter" and starting early would help. It did to some extent as there was only one other pair of climbers on the route. They started just ahead of us and moved a bit faster as the guy leading was quite a good and confident climber and barely put any gear in. His second was a slower climber and then slowed things further by having a conversation on her cell phone half way up the climb!

The route does deserve its popularity. Great views, mostly gets the sun, interesting rock features, a few challenging spots but really good gear placements.

Heading to Mescalito to climb Cat in the Hat.

Andrew at the top of the crack of Pitch 3.

Andrew nearing the top of the last pitch.

Love the red stripe of rock on this mountain.

Andrew and I both, at different times during the day, caught a glimpse of an animal with a ringed tail. We couldn't tell what it was for sure but when we stopped at the Visitor's Centre we found it was a ringtail cat. They are good climbers!

Day 4 - Rest! Or, as Andrew says, "Tomorrow Shelley is letting me have a rest day."  :-)

Andrew's blog post here.