Red Rocks panorama as a bit of weather starts to move in

Tom Grundy's Red Rocks 2009 Page

January in Flagstaff can be cold and snowy, and red Rocks Nevada (just west of Las Vegas) is supposed to be sunny and warm, so off we went with mini-trailer for a climbing vacation. My main goal was to climb some fun steep sandstone in the sun and continue to rebuild my strength after my 2 month break from climbing.

After a bit of research and a hasty phone call to the hotline we decided we were allowed to pull mini-trailer over the dam so we went that way. The security took a peek in the trailer, but otherwise it was a much better way to get to Las Vegas from Flagstaff. The new bridge construction is pretty impressive looking. I hope it has pedestrian access when it is done.

After setting up camp we went in search of a buffet that Julie had seen getting good reviews. It wasn't all that great, but at least it was cheapish. I ate a lot of meat. The areas we climbed at this trip were The Gallery, Sunny and Steep, Cannibal Crag, The Pier, and Tsunami Wall. I don't think I actually climbed any new hard routes, but I did repeat some old ones and managed to get my fingers and arms tired. I got especially worked on the day we tried to climb at the Tsunami Wall - holy crimpers batman - it felt like the distal joints of my fingers had been bent backwards. We also scoped out some other crags and I did some hiking.

We were a bit nervous about how the weather would be as it rained a bit the first evening we were there, but the next day was nice and warm and sunny at the Gallery. Unfortunately that evening it rained again, so we teamed up with a bunch of others and hiked down to the Arizona Hot Springs near the Colorado River the next day. This hot spring features some nice pools where a side canyon is dammed up with sand bags. It also featured a bit of a nutcase who wouldn't shut up. Luckily he left not long after we got there.

There continued to be some clouds and threat of rain as the weather cooled off. We took another weather - rest day when we probably shouldn't have and among other things looked at the fish tanks and displays at the 4 acre Bass World store and adjoining casino. Their interpretation of climbers was rather amusing. Having squandered some climbable weather despite a threatening morning, we went out climbing the next day and were soon snowed out (Yes, Snow).

The snow eases enough to see the mountains

It started coming down hard. Julie had to head back to Flagstaff to work a few days, so she dropped me off at the 3rd pullout and I walked back around the Calico Hills while she headed back through a blizzard to Flagstaff. The red rocks were pretty with snow, but it was rather dreary and cold too. It was snowing hard enough that I didn't want to take my camera out without some shelter. Luckily the snow didn't stick onto the rocks where I was scrambling much. It was really cold that night and for the next few days.

narrow Red Rocks panorama in the snow

The snow stuck to the plants

snowy cactus

I was at the Campground without a car, but managed to walk to the gallery and get some climbing the next day, and got rides with friends other days until Julie came back. Then things gradually got warmer again until we had to leave. One nice thing this trip was that with the new larger solar panel the battery was completely recharged every sunny day, and we got a decent charge on the mostly cloudy days. Good enough to keep a light or 2 on in the evening and watch a movie on the laptop. Hopefully no more slowly decreasing power levels until we have to carry the battery into a building to plug it in to charge it.

Silhouette of Eric sending something steep

Julie climbing

Chris and Dan at the gallery

Dan climbing at the gallery

After getting rather beat down by the brutal crimps on the Tsunami Wall, we hiked up to check out some other areas and amused ourselves greatly taking jumping pictures.

Julie Jumps

soaring Julie

Tom leaps - you do not want to be in the landing zone

uh oh, too high, brace for rough landing

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