Trip Report: Red Rocks

Viva Las Vegas

Even though I was glued to the internet learning all about tariffs and the importance of national manufacturing capabilities, I still went to Red Rocks in Las Vegas to go climbing. In my defense, all the rocks in Squamish were wet.

I went with Gabriel and my friend Jules and her sister Alice. Gabriel and I went a day earlier since the flights were a lot cheaper, and hung out on the Las Vegas strip for an evening. Some memorable encounters included getting heckled by an intoxicated indigent for about a minute before a police car rolled up — I guess the locals are not allowed to yell at the tourists — being charged the princely sum of $40 USD for a plate of soggy nachos at Flavortown, and exploring Fake Underground Venice.

Rocking the Red

The main activity on the Sunday was getting food and going for a multipitch. The cafe we found, Chamanas, was completely delightful (especially compared to the horrors of Flavortown). Fortified with burritos and homemade hot sauces, we set out to Calico Basin to climb Big Bad Wolf, which is one of The Climbs in the area.

Calico Basin was my first encounter with the Red Rocks area. I didn’t know there was so much beauty to be found in such proximity to Las Vegas. It’s not in the park proper, which means you don’t have to pay to enter (yay!), so we parked our rental mustang and geared up.

I had a great time romping up the layered sandstone and looking at the desert plants on the approach, but when I actually got set to follow Gabs up the first pitch I immediately freaked out. Despite the fact I was safe on toprope and it was a 5.9, my brain reacted with complete panic to being on the wall. Maybe it was wearing the backpack or the sandstone or being outside or being cold, or some combination of all that. By the time I got up to Gabs I was gripped and mentally crushed.

He heroically led the three pitches to the the top. I had fun on the other two pitches, one cool slab pitch and the other a fun vertical finish, but I didn’t bring my jacket (it’s the desert, hello) and I was freezing. Gabs heroically lent me his jacket and we rappelled off into the setting sun.

After that we met up with Jules at the rental, got some Trader Joe’s, and marinated in the hot tub with some beers until I was finally warm again.

The next day we went to a kitshy diner called EggWorks for breakfast and then drove into Red Rocks for the first time. I’m not sure why Americans are so obsessed with paying for access to parks but this one was $50 for a year pass and $2 per entry. Lame! It is an incredibly beautiful park with a one-way loop going around the valley floor. Maybe the money goes towards maintaining the beautiful park? Who can really say.

At the first pull-out, we parked and went to climb at Panty Wall. Why is it named that? I prefer not to know. Again, this trip held many such mysteries that failed to rouse my curiosity. As always when finding a new crag, we took the incorrect trail, couldn’t find the climbs, faffed around, and then finally got set up on a couple easy 5.8 leads. Jules crushed some difficult leads while I continued to faff around, this time with my camera, which I bought for $100 second hand several years ago and don't use enough.

After lunch, we drove to the next pull-out and went to the Black Corridor. I thought it was an unbelievably cool crag — once you find your way there and step over a log, you enter this hidden narrow canyon full of climbing routes, all covered in the black rock veneer.

We hopped on a couple 5.10s there. When I say ‘we’, I mean Jules, who was climbing brilliantly. I got scared again and made her set up top-rope anchors for me. I haven’t been leading much and I couldn’t shake the paralyzing fear whenever I went above a bolt.

We got out after we lost the daylight and went to Olive Garden after attempting to go to a buffet on the Strip and discovering everyone else had the same idea.

Gabs and I were flying back on Tuesday afternoon, so we did a half-day in the Black Corridor, heading to the upper part of the crag. I continued to be a shrimp and top-roped everything. I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to work on my lead climbing, but I hadn’t practised it in so long and I just didn’t have the mental capacity to do it. Luckily my friends were kind and generous and set up anchors for me, so I ended up having a really fun time and was able to work hard without getting absolutely pummelled by fear.

Overall, it was a really fun trip. I loved Red Rocks and I would go back again in a heartbeat.