Vegas Again

So what are we gonna do for Halloween? How about Vegas! Wow thats a great idea. 

Friday after class Clay, Spencer (not the one from Potosi) and I made the four hour drive to Las Vegas for Halloween night. It was great just what you expect, everyone dressed up and getting wasted on the strip.  After a few hours of hiking the strip we needed some food, and since everything so uber expensive on the strip, we opted for a quieter place. Using my handy iphone I located us two diners right next to each other,  hopefully one would be suitable. We headed to Tropicana and Decatur. It turned out that the 'Block Bear' had closed 30 minutes before we got there. Should of check that. But they suggested that we go to the Orleans Casino, they have a restuarant that serves breakfast 24/7. Sounds pricey, no they have comparable prices to us. Two blocks away was a flashy Casino southern style off the strip. We headed in to be greeted by giant alligators dressed in red vests playing Jazz. After a wonderfully greasy meal we were done. We headed out to the desert to sleep. Finding a nice pull out a bit closer then my last campsite we set up a tarp but the lights didn't go out, they were still glowing from downtown like it was a full moon.

Next day we awoke to bikers unloaded there mountain bikes, I guess we picked a popular trail head. We scarfed down some eggs and coffee and headed to Red Rocks. 

I have done a little bit of tradition climbing, of placed gear a few times and have seconded a few more routes, but my experience is pretty minimal. So this was a learning experience for all of us. Actually I think Clay had more experience then I do. But he doesn't ever climb and didn't feel comfortable leading. So we hiked to this beautiful slaby dome with a stunning dihedral that suns for 270 feet right up the middle. The first pitch was 5.7 with good gear placement. I felt comfortable and only had to place a few pieces. Surprisingly this pitch had a nice section of vertical rock with massive jugs. I pulled over the lip and ran it out another thirty feet to the anchors, which happen to be bolted. Spencer and Clay came up second and third. The second pitch was 5.8 with some technical face climbing followed by an amazing lie-back section which probably was the crux. Another 50 feet and I was on top looking out at the Doctor Sues landscape covered in truffula trees. Thinking that this was easy we decided that we needed a bit of a more challenging prospect for tomorrow. We looked in the guide and thought that the classic Solar Slab 5.6 9 pitches would suit or appetite. That evening as we set up camp the rain came in and wouldn't stop, the wind picked up and tossed our tarp around. AFter what felt like 15 minutes but in reality was more like two hours we decided to call it and head home. It was almost mid night and we thought that some breakfast we be just the ticket. So we headed back to the Orleans for another round of eggs and pancakes. On the way home we stopped at the Hoover dam where they are building a by-pass right over the thing. The canyon has a lord of the rings vibe, with giant flood lights illuminating the 24 hour work crews. Although we probably would have made it to the top of solar slab, it would have been a shit show, since we didn't have a very efficient system. But we are planning on returning in a few weeks to conquer something larger in the beautiful basin. 

It was a draw in the end

I have been climbing in Flagstaff for about a week. I have been working on this beautiful roof called 'Cosmic Tricycle' it goes at v10. It is very complicated and requires lots of body tension. I feel like I have a lot of crimp strength right now, and this does nothing for this climb. The holds are full hand slopers and large bad pockets. So this makes it harder for me. The first day I figured out the first few moves, which happen to be the easiest moves. Second day I was able to do all the moves with some beta from the locals. Speaking of locals, it was amazing to see Sam Davis link the entire roof into a super power endurance v13, its probably 30 feet long. It links the climb I'm working on, climbing it backwards into a v11. plus some more hard moves before you even get to 'Cosmic tricycle'. I took a rest day and went and checked out the secret Kelly's canyon, a very nice collection of grippy sand stone highballs. I spent the day watching locals shoot their guns at what the call "the Pit" (not the pit which has limestone routes). and after a restless night accompanied by a series of 'Red Box' rentals, I was more than ready to send this thing. So I waited for someone to show, so I could use there pads since the cave is quite long and is very uneven. Around two o'clock Andrew showed up with his pads and we headed to the Puzzle Box roof. After a few tries on the tricycle I wasn't feeling to hot and it didn't seem like I was going to send. Andrew gave 'pink lightening' a few tries. we were both feeling tired so he decided that his knees were hurting so he took off, taking his pads with him. I gave it another try and stuck the crux, but my foot popped. A few tries of sticking the crux, I managed to get my right foot cammed into correct spot and successfully crossed to the next slopping pocket. Now unprotected I turned my head off and executed the final moves to the lip, mantled easily. I was so psyched. So glad I didn't ass rocket into the rocks below. So with my project done I tore out of the draw returned my 'red box' movies. I love this rental system. and sped off to Prescott.

 

Getting the foot cammed just before crossing to that next pocket