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I'm going to be making a trip to Red Rock this winter during Christmas break, and was wondering if anyone could give me some insight about the climbing there. (and weather too, for that matter)
I'm looking to do some sport routes, probably easier stuff since this will be my first major multi-pitch climbing trip.
So all in all, I suppose I'm just looking for some reassurance about the weather at the end of December, the climbing there (sport) and any other beta that anyone has to give. Anything is appreciated

Oh..and any good guidebooks that you can recommend? There are so many to choose from. haha

I double this question, only I would like some good trad routs too.
Thanks

ps. Fuj, there may be a good NYE hotel party around then too so if you plan on a rest day, make it new years day

As for easy/classic trad routes: Dark Shadows and Cat in the Hat are both great. (On Dark Shadows, I thought that the 2nd to last pitch (5.7, corner) was harder than the last pitch (5.8, face with 'the pod'). On Cat in the Hat, be mentally ready for the runout slab to the lone bolt on the last pitch. It's not that bad, I'm just a whiner, but I've now done it, the route was great, but I'm not really psyched about leading that again.)

There's Tunnel Vision - Mostly pretty cool, but there's some seriously rounout sections, and the topout is totally unclear. It's another route I'd enjoy doing again, but there are a couple of pitches I'm sure not going to lead...

About guide books, the Todd Swain book is decent on the route descriptions themselves, but the descent descriptions are crap and can get you killed (Somewhere here there's a report from Merrick where he almost followed Swain's descent description - he's pretty sure he would have died if he did.) His Tunnel Vision descent description says something like 15 minutes to the car - HA! - he does mention that you'll probably have to do a rapell, but it took us over an hour.

I don't know of any 'easy' multipitch sport stuff there. Although, if "10c" is your idea of easy, I'd totally recomend Prince of Darkness! When you say "5 consecutive pitches of slab sport climbing with hanging belays" it doesn't sound so great, but it was a blast! Don't be scared off by the initial 5.6 trad pitch - if you can lead 10ish sport and you have the faintest clue what you're doing with a few nuts, you won't have a problem on that initial pitch.

As for weather - it looks like the average high in Dec/Jan is 57 deg. F and the average low is 37. Personally, I wouldn't be too afraid of the weather, but I like it chilly. There's a chance you'll get some flurries, and there's a chance you'll be out in shorts sweating balls. If it's chilly, there's plenty of stuff to do in the sun, where the dark rock should keep you pretty comfy.

Don't forget about the Kraft boulders - Desert Rock Sports said that they were going to start renting pads. Also, they would be your prime source for the latest guide books and info.

I've gone on a couple trips out to Red Rocks at that time of year. It can be cold at night and the last I was there it snowed 4-6 inches at the campground. I was flying out that day with a broken leg but from what I heard, it was a bit miserable. That said, the year before was pretty nice, cold at night but nice and warm in the sun. My favorite clothing solution for cold climbing like that is to climb in long underwear and then pull on a pair of windstopper fleece over them and your harness when you're not climbing and belay with the your belay device through your fly! it works pretty well.

It's mostly a trad climbing destination with something for everyone if you have a rack. There are single pitch sport routes but most of them are short and in limited areas with a couple exceptions. Basically, days of sport climbing and years of trad there.

Red Rocks Select by Todd Swain (book of classics) or
Rock Climbing Red Rocks by Todd Swain

http://www.mountainproject.com/

Grades are very soft, TAKE A GOOD TENT and watch out for the cataback (spelt wrong) winds

Was there for 2 weeks in earliy Feb, and this is out tent after 4 hours of 70+ MPH winds..

When we lived there, we spent Christmas eve and day there usually...always an awesome day.

Great trad and bouldering would be before the loop in Calico Basin...really good moderate one and two pitch trad and then the bouldering of course. Desert Rock did start renting pads, and they were still doing that when I left.

Olive Oil is a good multipitch trad - I would not recommend Cat in the Hat, I have just heard too many people say they almost died there, got lost on the route and so on...but hey, how much adventure do you want?

Multipitch sport - you need to go to Mesquite an hour away to Limekiln Canyon. 5 pitches of 5.8 of limestone SPORT bolted (no cracks) great stuff. 5 pitches of 10b...and so on.

Easy-going sport at Red Rocks? Black Corridor will probably be too chilly, but that was a favorite spot for me (second pullout I think it was) Then there are places like the Magic Bus and Panty Wall, but will probably be really crowded. Be careful if you go to the Gallery... if you're not a confident leader, stick clip is good. I decked there on a 5.10...pretty much my own fault but would have been better off sticking another bolt.

But definitely if you want multipitch sport - go to Limekiln Canyon. I can give you the beta if you're interested.

Dream of Wild Turkeys is supposed to be pretty much all bolted now, but I think you have to place a few pieces, not sure. The people at Desert Rock would know.
If you want an old Red River Gorge vet, now a Vegas-ite to call on for help when you're there...let me know I will give you his number. He's an awesome walking guidebook.

HAVE FUN!

I just spent the past weekend out there with Ray. A new guidebook came out on Saturday and it's sweet! Color and very well done.

We climbed about 2.5 hours each day (after his conference sessions) and got in 4-5 pitches each at the Gallery. Great climbing, short approach. Since we were racing the clock, we didn't venture from the Gallery this trip but there are tons of other great climbing areas there. Check wunderground.com for historic temps.

for easy trad, I had fun on Solar Slab and Jonny Vegas. and Prince of Darkness was totally sweet, but not comfy when you sit in the harness for too long on the hanging belays....... that climb is rad.

It probably will be cold there over X-mas...so S facing routes would be preferable. Solar Slab is great, but a fairly long route with the approach on one of the shortest days of the year. Cat in the Hat I thought was awesome...the runout slab at the top of the last pitch is 5.5 at most and you just have to trust your feet. Dark Shadows would be cold, as would most of the routes in Black Velvet Canyon. The Gallery is great for moderate to hard sport routes, Panty Wall for easier sport, and they stay in the sun a good part of the day.

Birdland would be a classic moderate (5.7+)...I have not done it but it is "on my list"

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/nevada ... /105733115

I also recommend the Supertopo guide (supertopo.com)