Destination: Red Rocks National Conservation Area
Date: 5 Jan. – 9 Jan.
Where: Las Vegas
Equipment: Standard Rack to #3 Camalot
Difficulties: Easy to Hard

After missing most of the summer and spending all of November overseas, I was itching to do some climbing. While visiting friends and family back in Missouri, I mentioned my yearnings for the vertical to a good friend and bridesmaid in my wedding, Lori, who sounded equally desperate to climb and could get days off when I had leave. With some tentative plans, I headed back to Washington. The details all fell into place, and on Jan 5, I was in McCarran International Airport, waiting for Lori to arrive from St Louis.

Before we even got to the crag, we had a sharp reminder of how small the climbing community is and it will always be a little awkward going climbing with your wife’s bridesmaid. While wandering around, looking for the trail to Mescalito, we ran into two other climbers. It was one of those déjà vu moments, where someone looks familiar, but you’re not sure why. After chatting for a couple minutes, Chandler asked if we’d been in Mexico a couple years ago, and if I was the guy who brought his wife and a bridesmaid on his pseudo honeymoon. We both laughed and said yes. Then, he asked, “Is Lori the wife or bridesmaid.” We laughed again, and I admitted that yes, I’d taken the bridesmaid on a climbing trip, but Leslie and I are still happily married. Complicated, but I guess that’s what happens when you climb with a bridesmaid because your wife has class.

Lori hadn’t climbed in longer than me, so the first day, we took it easy, climbing Cat in the Hat, a 5 pitch 5.6+(?) I had climbed as my first Trad lead 4 years ago. It was cold starting in the valley, with the promise of warmth above on the sun-soaked upper pitches. Using our 70 m rope, which we led all of the climbs with, I was able to avoid my rope drag mistakes of 4 years prior, and we made decent time (for 2 out of shape climber) to the top. Seeing and hearing the ice fall off the northern faces across the valley reaffirmed that we wouldn’t be climbing anything in the shade that week.

Side Note: One of the greatest perks of climbing in Vegas is that for $5, you can buy a 52 oz. football of beer and walk around, enjoying the sights, sounds and people of old-town Las Vegas. This, along with a $2 shrimp cocktail, became my nightly recovery ritual.

The second day, we got an earlyish start, sites focused on Johnny Vegas and as much of Solar Slabs the short daylight would allow. After wandering off the trail early, a frequent occurance for us, we found the 4th class moves to the bottom of the route. This was probably my favorite route of the trip. After a wonderful mix of face and crack, with amazing views, sun, and wonderful features, like the 20 foot roof we eased pass on the right side, we were on top of the route on Solar Slab Ledge. With plenty of sun and a late exit permit, we decided to press up as many pitches of Solar Slab as we could. We’d been swapping leads, but after leading the first 60m pitch, Lori was tired. I took the next two leads, bringing her up to the top of P3, about the same time as our pre-designated bail time. The first two raps were a dream, despite the gaping flakes, eagerly waiting to eat our ropes. The third rope pull was a nightmare.

The entire 60m pitch from Solar Slab ledge to the belay ledge is visible. We can see the knot linking our ropes, but there is a ton of rope drag. It’s so bad the only way we can pull the rope is the clip in on a single rope rappel, walk down the shallow sloping bottom face while the other person pulls on the rope. It was horrendous. After an eternity of hauling, we get both ropes back without having to climb back up. The next three raps go smoothly, and we have just enough sunlight to clip in to the rope on the last rap before darkness sets in. I reach the ground in darkness, pull the ropes, get my headlamp out and hike out in the darkness, with a satisfied smile.

Lori had done Olive Oil on a previous trip and wanted to do it again. Since she knew where the route started and roughly how to get there, we took pictures of the route, left the guidebook in the car and headed out. After getting a little lost on the hike in, Lori found the “start” of the climb and led the first pitch. I wasn’t convinced, but she said she’d buy dinner if she was wrong. Never one to give up a free meal, I followed her. I took the second lead, following the rock that seemed to sorta match the vague description. That was until about 120ft up. I kept climbing, looking for good placements. But everything that look promising from below turned into thin, hollow flakes and pockets. Wandering left, right and upward, nothing looked quite right or solid. With about 15 ft of rope left, I found a sloping ledge and a solid crack to build an anchor. Lori followed and admitted that we probably weren’t on route. Lori took the next lead and eventually connected with P3. P4 was a delightful dihedral that narrowed to an awesome chimney that led to the top. After a short scramble and gulley climb down, we were back in the maze of trails. We lost the main trail (again) but made it out in time for a wonderful sunset.

Our last day, we were both a tired and had to catch our planes home, so we decided to go cragging. Looking at the book, we decided on the Willow Springs area, which seemed to promise sun and a short approach. Our first route was Ragged Edges, which Lori convinced me to lead, mostly by not mentioning the actual crack climbing you had to do at the top. I struggled through it, after a lot of contemplation. With a top-rope set up, we flailed on Plan F, re-affirming how out of shape we really were. We climbed a few more easy routes, getting the rope stuck on our last route, which required some interesting re-climbing.

Back in the parking lot (after taking the wrong trail out again), we sorted gear, changed clothes and headed to the airport. It was a short and somewhat expensive trip (about $500 for flight, hotel and rental car) but it felt great to get onto some dry, wonderful rock.