Trip Reports - Red Rocks, Nevada, Jan. 12-15, 2001

Henry Gholz and Jan Engert, Washington, DC

With two America West flight coupons expiring in mid-February, only one long weekend before then, and the fact that America West doesn't fly to too many other places from DC except Nevada, the choice to head to Red Rocks Canyon, near Las Vegas over MLK Day weekend was a no-brainer. This was in spite of our total ignorance of the area, which after all, we had never let impede us before.

Enlarge photo

We made hurried Internet hotel and car rental arrangements, and flew nonstop to Las Vegas Friday morning, Jan. 12, 2001, arriving just after 11:30 AM. We drove into town and slowly up "the Strip," dazed by the incredible juxtaposition of the totally artificial Vegas skyline blindingly reflecting the midday sun, against the unexpected grandeur of mountain ranges in all directions beyond. We found our hotel, the Riviera (moderately priced, nice rooms, OK casinos, great comedy club, excellent Italian restaurant), on the north end of the Strip and convenient to Red Rocks. At 11:30, the check in line was too long and chaotic for us to handle among the flashing lights and ringing bells, so we took off for a climbing reconnaissance. Red Rocks is conveniently located 18 miles west of the intersection of Las Vegas Blvd. and Charleston Street (Rte. 159).

See larger image of the Mescalito

We were soon gawking our way around the natural wonders of the Park's Loop Road, first eyeing the red Joshua-like boulder piles on the right, then gazing in awe across the desert at truly awesome canyons, rainbowed walls and high peaks. A very obvious snow/ice line ran completely around the high mountains (from NE to SW in the park). The weather report indicated crap for weather during our entire stay, but the afternoon was in fact crystal clear. We hiked the easy 30 minute approach to the base of the south face of Mescalito, a freestanding pyramidal peak about 1000 ft high that sits in the mouth of Pine Creek Canyon and scouted the conditions on a route called Cat-In-The-Hat (5.6+, 5 pitches). On the way, we stopped to watch 3 bighorn sheep pass nonchalantly nearby and stand silhouetted on a rock less than 100 ft away. A group of 3 or 4 climbers was high up the great looking route, and as the shadows grew longer, they were just starting to rap down as we headed back to the car in almost dark (5 PM). We decided to come back to climb on Saturday, anticipating that there could be several groups ahead of us on the route.

After an evening strolling the streets of NYC, Paris, Venice, Egypt and other exotic locales, all within a mile of each other on the Strip, we arrived at the Pine Creek Canyon turnout at 9 Saturday, with 8 cars already there. We dejectedly hiked in - only to find no one even near the route (who knows where all the people were). We were glad we did some scouting, as the beginning of the climb is less than obvious. To find it, go around the base of Mescalito to the west side, scrambling up the talus slopes around and to the backside of the obvious buttress. A large cruddy looking gully will be ahead of you, and the start of the first pitch to your right. The route is advertised as "sunny, one that can be climbed even in cold conditions," but it was almost entirely shaded and the air was chilly (around 40 F at the base). But our moods buoyed by clear weather, and with no competition for the route, Henry lead off on the first pitch at 10 AM.

See larger photo of Henry

Pitch 1 (5.5) has three parts. The first is the longest, a left-curving steep crack accompanied by abundant huecos that runs about 90 ft to a ledge (and a slinged rap station), and was a very fun lead. The second part is a short section up another left-leaning crack to another ledge (with no anchors). The final part is a short climb up a corner/chimney section to the first real belay ledge. Henry forgot there was a third part and brought Jan up to the second ledge, realizing his mistake before she arrived. No problem, though, as we moved easily up the short rest of the pitch to another big ledge and the well-protected belay/rap station of slings around the base of a gnarly scrub oak. The pitch totaled about 150 ft and was very nice, although the first part was the only one long enough to really be absorbing.

Pitch 2 (5.5) was short but a lot of fun, up a short black face, then up a big corner crack to another big ledge and a rap/belay station. Pitch 3 upped the ante (5.6), with over 100 ft of climbing up the center of a steep black face. Part way up there is a neat, albeit exposed, move left to avoid a roof and to get into a finger crack above. "This pitch is one of the best for the grade that I have been on anywhere." Totally enjoyable climbing on fantastic rock, with great exposure (you finally get up above the original buttress and suddenly can see clear out of the park and down to Las Vegas in the distance). Interestingly, as he reached the belay (slings around a big boulder), he saw an almost brand new rope hanging down from above, which had apparently snagged as it was pulled and left by the party we had seen on Friday as they beat their hasty retreat in the face of darkness. He left it alone, figuring to rescue it from the top.

See larger image of Henry

Pitch 4 (5.3) is mainly a traverse right around an arete to get to the base of Pitch 5, and it can be combined with Pitch 5. However, if you combine the pitches you must move up as well as right from the belay and clip a bolt that protects the transition, using a long sling to avoid rope drag later. Since we were unfamiliar with the route, and it looked dicey for 5.3, we decided to keep the pitches separate, so Henry led straight out right around the corner and over to the obvious crack that is Pitch 5 (5.6+). Done this way, unless you want to hang in the crack for the belay, you actually must down climb to the base of the crack and the secure belay spot in a notch (or you can sit on top of the buttress off to the side, although this again would cause some rope drag). Jan came over and established herself, and we gazed up the narrow crack that split the vertical, black wall above. It is steep, but we could see hand holds and the protection looked fine. It actually surpassed Pitch 3 in quality, but was harder and more absorbing. It was a lot longer and very sustained in grade. Near the top, still on the face, the crack peters out and you move carefully up over white rock to clip the one bolt on the pitch, then again carefully move up and right over the balancy and unprotectable next 15 feet to the exit crack, then the anchor on top. Wow, what a pitch!

We were on top at 4:00, indicating a pretty leisurely pace. As he got settled to bring up Jan, Henry again noticed the end of the other rope hanging in the second of two rap rings - just caught by the plastic wrap covering the last inch of the rope! No knots or any other signs of why it couldn't have been pulled from below. Hmmm, they must have really been rushed (note: we later dropped it off at the Visitors Center for lost-and-found).

View larger image of Henry

There are three full 2-rope rappels off the top (although we were not at the top of Mescalito itself, which would involve another hundred feet or so of scrambling), to/from obvious and safe anchors, although it is tricky indeed to keep the ropes free as they are pulled through the anchors above. We were on the ground hiking out in the beautiful desert twilight at 5:00. The climb overall was very high quality for the grade and we both highly recommend it.

We had a leisurely evening and then hit the Riviera's Comedy Club for a 3-act show that was pretty good (and relatively cheap compared to all the other shows in Vegas).

The forecast for Sunday was for rain, and the higher areas in the park were clearly socked in, so we slept in. Late in the morning we set off to do some of the shorter, lower elevation climbs and headed to Moderate Mecca, through the Calico Basin/Red Spring Road picnic area (off Rte 159, two miles east of the Park entrance). To the accompaniment of some Native American drumming, throughout the cold and cloudy but dry afternoon we passed the time top-roping some fun 6's and 7's and a challenging 8+ (called Valentine's Day). Satisfied, we walked back to the car just as the rain started.

Enlarge photo of Valentine's Day

FYI, for all we looked for and climbed, Todd Swain's climbing guide was easy to use and accurate.

Finally, after focusing on being so safe while climbing for two days, we gambled and drank that night at the MGM Grand and Henry won enough on slots so that we broke even overall between slots and the Black Jack tables.

In conclusion, we lucked out on the weather and enjoyed great moderate climbing in January at Red Rocks, and even enjoyed the bizarre cacophony of the Vegas Strip during our off hours. We'll go back. Happy climbing!

Submitted by Henry Gholz and Jan Engert

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