With the winter climbing season getting into full swing, Margot invited me and Aaron on a Red Rocks trip with some of her crew. I packed my car and drove to Vegas, with the hope of camping at least a week and finding partners on site once my friends left. The following is a journal of my climbing.

Day 1 - 12/4

Drove to Vegas from SF, took way too long packing and left at 1:30. Made it to LV at 10:30, linked up with Margot, Aaron and friends who flew in. Slept in car outside their Airbnb.

Day 2 - 12/5

Did Disclosure with Aaron and Margot. We started on a trail from Kraft parking lot, navigated up a wash to Midway Ledge. Aaron led the first pitch with Margot belaying. We realized how much fun climbing in a team of 3 was today. Sharing belay ledges, taking abundant photos and generally having a great time on the wall, we cruised to the top of Tank Peak in 5 pitches. Margot led the super scenic last pitch. After signing the register, we followed a bunch of day hikers down the wrong side of the mountain. In fact the real descent path was a class 3 gully back to Midway Ledge where we started. We retraced our steps, and with Aaron leading the way on the correct path now, we made it back to the car at sunset. Later, I met up with my buddy Alex who drove up from LA today, in order to scheme up some plans for the coming days.

Day 3 - 12/6

Today was a pumpfest. Alex and I woke up before sunrise to get into the Red Rock Scenic Loop as it opened at 6am. Our objective was Unimpeachable Groping, a 7-pitch sport route on Ginger Buttress. You could see the top of the Buttress from afar and it looked like a great line, bolted by Jorge Urioste. The approach took us 2 hours, getting lost a few times on the way. I thought we would be first at the base, but Alex correctly predicted otherwise. There were two parties ahead of us. At 11am we finally started pitch 1, which Alex led without using the tree at the bottom. I led pitch 2-3 linked up, which felt pretty hard for me at 5.10. I took once on pitch 2. At the belay ledge of pitch 4 we had a great view of the area, and it was really fun climbing but getting late in the day. We decided to forgo the Blade Runner 2-pitch extension that we planned to do, and just make it to the top of pitch 7, rappel down. Alex was a beast on pitches 4-6, I led the last pitch and we made it to the top for a gorgeous sunset. Rapping down in the dark was an adventure. At one station, I made the mistake of leaving a stopper knot in the rope before pulling. Luckily we caught it early and retrieved the rope end while still attached to the anchor. We made it to the ground at 7:45, and back to the car at 10pm. What a day, the climbing was so sustained, my forearms never felt so pumped in my life.

Day 4 - 12/7

Everyone I know is leaving, so I'll be on my own after today. Alex and I found a chill crag called Moderate Mecca where I could practice placing some trad gear. As usual, we missed the direct approach path to the upper tier and found ourselves going the roundabout way. But at least it was still only 30 minutes. Alex led Crackers in my Soup (5.4) and set up a gear anchor up top. I led the same pitch after he came down. Then Alex led Valentine's Day (5.8+) and I top-roped it. Fun right hand jams! We ended the day with Ace of Hearts, a tricky 5.10d we both top-roped using the anchor of Valentine's Day. Alex onsighted, I fell once at the crux. The desert sandstone continues to deliver! I think i'm starting to get used to the types of holds here, and the trad lead was not as scary as I imagined. At night I met up with Aaron right before he flew back to the bay. Sounded like he had a successful crag day as well!

Day 5 - 12/8

Supposed to be a rest day, but I got distracted by bouldering. Pulled up to Red Spring after sleeping in and eating a big breakfast. Met some cool folks trying Monkey Wrench (V7), and I watched them crimp in agony. John let me borrow his guidebook. Tried Cherry Garcia (V3) few times but was too scared to throw for the big jug. Ryan and Lily were working Turtle on a Half Shell (V5-) and my curiosity overrode my desire to rest my fingers. It didn't help that 5 more people showed up and flashed it using our pads. I gave that problem a good 8-9 burns and it finally went after using a weird toe hook beta. Just as the sun set! It was my first V5. Ate dinner, grocery shopped, found a nice parking lot, called my friends and went to bed.

Day 6 - 12/9

Actual rest day, forced myself not to climb and found a cool spot (Cafe Mong) to do some remote consulting work. Ate Hawaiian food from the restaurant Antidote next door. Went on Mountain Project and facebook to find some climbing partners for the coming days.

Day 7 - 12/10

Met up with some friendly traveling vehicle-dwellers today. Ian, Randy and I found each other on a facebook group. We needed a fourth so we picked up Delaney, who we found in the Red Springs parking lot! It was going to be a morning of sport climbing at Cannibal Crag. I led an easy 5.4 trad route, top roped a 5.8, and hopped on a couple harder 5.11s on top rope. Caustic Cock, the famously aesthetic arete problem, felt so cool to climb despite my flailing! Led a 5.10a called What's Eating You, no falls. Weather got colder today so after doing a few routes I wanted to be back in the sun. I headed to Kraft, cooked a big pot of pasta with tofu, and decided to boulder for the rest of the afternoon. Met some locals trying Sorange (V3). I gave it a go, and flashed it! Then gave the route just left of it (Welcome to Detroit V4) a few tries, it went on my third try. I got on a few other easier boulders, got shut down by some harder stuff, and tired myself out as the sun set. Another full day of climbing!

Day 8 - 12/11

Black Velvet Canyon. I had heard many good things about this place so I felt compelled to make the slightly longer and much bumpier drive out here for a solo day. Plan was to hike into the canyon with crashpads, stash the pads, scramble up Monument Peak (class 3/4), come back and do some bouldering if there was still light. The hike through the canyon was way cooler than expected, over dry falls and other interesting obstacles. I downloaded some beta photos the night before, which was super helpful for navigating to the correct class 3 gully out of the canyon. Cairns helped a lot too. Evnetually made it to the top of Hidden Peak, a sub peak of Monument Peak. Didn't feel the need to keep going because the scrambling had already been super fun. Plus I wanted to try Natasha's Highball V2 back down in the canyon. Retraced my steps and made it back to my crash pads with about an hour of sunlight left! I was glad to find some people trying Wet Dream V12 and Sleepwalker V16 nearby so I wasn't alone. Chalked up, put on my climbing shoes, and climbed the highball! Was probably the coolest boulder I've ever seen with a V2 mono (!) crux at the bottom, then deep jugs all the way to the top out. Committing moves, thoughtful footholds, and a striking line. Made it back to the car and celebrated by cooking noodles with squash, poblano, and honey ham. Took a shower at the climbing gym in town.

Day 9 - 12/12

Today Ian (from Moab) and I completed a Calico Basin trifecta: Trad multipitch, 5.11 sport lead (with hangs), and V4 boulder all in one day, and from the same parking lot! We were supposed to do Dark Shadows, a longer route which would take most of the day, but when we met up at Dunkin in the morning we both weren't feeling it. I had gotten only 4 hours of sleep for some reason. So after a longish breakfast we pulled up to Red Springs for a chiller day of cragging. Weather was gloomy and energy was low. However after we got on rock and the sun broke through the clouds, I started to feel much better. I suggested doing Physical Graffiti, a 2-pitch 5.6 on the Riding Hood wall. I led the first pitch, it went smoothly except I overcammed a cam while placing it. Luckily Ian was able to free it on the follow. We made it to the top quickly, descended a gully, and on the way back to the car Ian wanted to hop on Caustic Cock 5.11b at Cannibal Crag. I had toproped this a few days earlier, and also wanted to give it a try on lead. Both of us fell on our attempts but eventually clipped the chains. I cooked lunch (ramen) back at the parking lot. After chilling for a bit I wanted to try Cirque du Soleil, a unique looking boulder high up on the hill. Ian was also down. It turned out to be such a fun problem we both did it twice. And then got on Cavity V4- and Sweet Tooth V1 nearby. All fun, with interesting top outs. Pretty chill day, we stopped climbing at 3 pm but still felt like we did a lot. Went to Trader Joes to get more groceries in the evening. To sleep I decided to try something different and stealth camp in a quiet neighborhood instead of a crowded parking lot. It worked wonders.

Day 10 - 12/13

Ian and I met at Dunkin again at 7. We both slept super well this time, therefore stoke was high and Dark Shadows was a go! Last day in red rocks for the both of us so we had to get on this classic route. Approach to Mescalito was super chill. Got to the base just as another party was finishing up pitch 1. Ian let me lead pitch 1-2. I was nervous but it turned out to be okay!! First pitch of 5.6 slab had only two bolts and no good gear placements after. Great quality rock despite having to run it way out to the anchors. I kept going to link pitch 2, on a cool looking dihedral that offered nice gear placements. Clipped the chains to complete my first 5.7 trad lead! Ian led 3 and 4 confidently, both at 5.8 and considerably more difficult. Rapped down the same pitches, with our 70m rope barely making it. Such a great route, varnished rock and unique movement created by hollow pods. Back to the parking lot for lunch and a total 5 hrs car to car. Said goodbye to Ian, I was super grateful for our partnership and the amount of climbing we'd done the past few days. I wanted to climb more but it was time to start the drive home. Vegas was not the most dirtbag friendly city, and my buddy Bryan was flying back to the bay from NYC so I was excited to see him as well.

Day 11 - 12/14

Last night while leaving Vegas I suddenly realized I would be passing by a climbing area called New Jack City on the way home. I called Alex to see if he wanted to meet up there in the morning, and he was down! I arrived at the spot late at night, expecting all sites to be taken since it was a free campground, but there was one remaining. I cooked my tortellini and went to bed. In the morning I met my camp neighbor Don, who invited me over to his campfire while I ate breakfast. Huge, dark grey, teeth-like rock formations jutted out from the yellow grass around us like giant dinosaur fossils. What an oddly beautiful place. As I waited for Alex I saw some bolts on the wall behind my site, so I put on my climbing shoes for an easy solo warmup. I think it was probably 5.6 or 5.7 with a chill down-scramble. A lot of these climbs had little to no approach. When Alex arrived we headed to a wall called Bighorn Buttress, about a half a mile hike in. Did a slightly tricky 10a warmup, then a really fun 10c called Catalina. I wanted to break into the 5.11s today, and the next route provided that. Legion of Evil (11a) had a really cool 2 finger jam sequence up to a thin crux. Fell once, worked the crux on top rope, then redpointed on my next try! Alex worked a bouldery 11d route to the right, got really really close but didn't send. I led another 11a with one rest. As the sun set we packed up, got a burger at Slash X Cafe nearby, and went our separate ways, Alex back to LA and me back to the bay. Was really happy to end my trip with Alex, who had climbed with me at the start of my trip, went home to work for an entire week, then came back to climb more the second weekend. I took a nap at a rest stop, then continued my 6 hr drive home.

Some trip ticks:

Dirtbagging in Vegas was not the best, had to sleep in parking lots and stealth camp mostly. But i had a good kitchen setup this time, was able to cook everyday, eat fresh food and save on meals.

Climbing wise, I did my hardest boulder, hardest sport route, and hardest trad lead in these 10 days! But more importantly, I feel like I gained confidence with trad gear (which was shaky at best, before the trip) and learned some useful multi-pitch safety skills.