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From all the "best" climb destinations I have been to in this country, (Rumney, Rifle, Maple, New, Red, Wild Iris, Mill Creek) I have to say that the new has the most aesthetic rock. It is the most bullet, has the most amazing colors, and is very fucking tall. That being said, because it is an older area the climbs are not as "muir valley" as these other places. Furthermore, a lot of climbs are stout (quinsana would be 13c or 13d at the red) and therefore your 8a.nu does not inflate.

The red on the other hand has very featured rock and thus lends itself to many more climbs and harder climbs because the line between what is climable and what is not is often very thin.

All in all, I would have to go with the new right now. It is adventurous and beautiful, the two reasons I climb.

gregkerzhner wrote: ...a lot of climbs are stout (quinsana would be 13c or 13d at the red) .

for sure. There should be some revisionist grading here with Quinsana being the standard bearer 13a. Set some shit right....

the deep water soloing band aside, the availability of clean deep (running) water makes a huge difference in downtime. i discovered underwater rock climbing at the New-just swimming upriver through rapids, diving under to use the rocks of the river bed to pull through currents and rapids, using hydraulics for 'no hands rests' along the way. rain or not.
the rock is hard and clean, but then; some of those, the heavily travelled routes (maybe think rock wars) get polished, greasy and tenuous even though 'easy.'

i don't get the height bit, it seems to me the red's got routes every bit as long as the new. the geography of the red is trippy too-folded and reticulated. slade has untapped potential if the creeks were highlighted.
or the pond (mill?) truly allowed swimming.

im gonna have to say the red. though i respect the New the climbing here isnt my style. Dan u can leave because i still think the colliseum is the shit.