A Winter in Red 2020-21

Catching a little exposure along the vertical seam where the earth meets the sky (Erik's Arete, Lone Mountain)

Essentially, I got into travelling for the lounges. This one has its own speakeasy inside its bar. Love the excessiveness of presentation despite average beverages ... b-averages. 

A secret bar inside an exclusive bar why because barception (1850, JFK)

On a chase for warm weather and open crags we head to Las Vegas. I suggest a short approach and a half-day outing on day one, to scope out the crowd situation and to start out easy but really it's because I'm completely hung over from slamming free drinks at the lounge like a broke college kid let loose on an open bar.

December 11, 2020 Ticklist
A Man in Every Pot	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.8+ Sport
Mac and Ronnie in Cheese	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.9+ Sport
What's Eating You	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.10a Sport
Have a Beer with Fear	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.11a/b Sport
Caustic Cock	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.11b Sport

The more you prehab the less you rehab or habhab (Dante's Wall, Calico I)

...

We spend the better part of a day hiking and getting lost on our way to Dante's Wall. Who do we meet on the way there but Will and Michele the caretakers of the Rumney AAC Campground. It's almost worth the extensive approach just to hit a crag seemingly built for snapping Pulitzer's.

Michele rocks some colour-coordination whilst warming up on the only rock face in the sun (Dante's Wall, Calico I)

Will cleaning up lines despite finger-numbing temperature (Dante's Wall, Calico I) 

December 12, 2020 Ticklist
Divine Comedy	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.10a Sport
Dis	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.10 Sport
Inferno	Lead / Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.12a Sport
Inferno	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.12a Sport
Three Mouths, Three Faces	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.10a Sport
One Hundred Cantos	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico I > Dante's Wall	5.10b Sport

...

Whatever the climbing equivalent of oversleeping and waking up groggy is, I have it, bad. After three rest days the stoke was somehow low and sputtering. I get spanked on moderates and go home to think about what I did.

December 15, 2020 "Ticklist"
Friction Face Panty Waist	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Sandstone Quarry > Running Man	5.9- Sport
Vile Pile	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Sandstone Quarry > Running Man	5.10b/c PG-13 Trad / Sport
Galloping Gal	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Sandstone Quarry > Running Man	5.11a Sport

Trading sends for epic views today (Scenic Loop Drive, Red Rock)

There is so much beauty in this world sometimes I just can't take it (Scenic Loop Drive, Red Rock)

...

We wake up early to get on a line that's permanently busy. A few work emergencies puts a right stopper on that and we roll up to the crag way late and are third in line for Big Bad Wolf, wistfully watching the sun creep away from us like a lover saying goodbye. I climb with zero feeling in my fingers--and in my heart jk.

Ange leads up pitch 1 (Big Bad Wolf, Calico Basin)

Ange wraps up pitch 4 (Big Bad Wolf, Calico Basin)

December 16, 2020 Ticklist
Big Bad Wolf	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Riding Hood Wall	5.9 Sport (4 pitches)
Baseboy (Bolted Variation)	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.11- Sport
Save the Heart to Eat Later	Lead / Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.12a Sport

...

Today's remarkable characteristic is its 20 mph winds. Although I'm not a fan, we swing by Black Corridor hoping to find some shelter. I close some lines that I tried years ago but never sent. Somehow, low 5.11 feels harder than ever.

The new Mars exploration summer blockbuster is coming along (Calico Loop Trail, Sandstone Quarry)

We take a gamble on The Gallery as the sun promises to settle in. It immediately peaces out and winds pick up the moment we arrive. I tie into Yaak Crack in front of some locals. I notice a core shot in my rope so I climb with an extra long tail and extra dose of embarrassment. The crushers warn me of the crux but I breeze through and then proceed to punt at the chains because what else is climbing but an endless crapshoot.

December 17, 2020 Ticklist
Vagabonds	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico II > Black Corridor	5.10a Sport
Rebel without a Pause	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico II > Black Corridor	5.11a Sport
Rebel without a Pause	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Black Corridor	5.11a Sport
Range of Motion	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico II > The Gallery	5.10d Sport
Yaak Crack	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico II > The Gallery	5.11c Sport
Super Guide	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.11a Sport

My climbing talent is making the world's easiest 5.11s feel hard (Makalu, Wall of Confusion)

...

Rest days are spent by just being in Las Vegas. No need for pics of neon or hikes that hardly stack up against the views you get from climbing, but I do dig this pufferfish that swam straight here from filming with his rap video hype crew.

This fella looks like I just dropped the sickest burn it has ever heard. (Shark Reef Aquarium, Mandalay Bay)

...

Off to the Wall of Confusion to chase the winter sun. My fingers are limber and toasty today but I still punt off warming up on American Sportsman because what else is climbing but an endless crapshoot. I put my pulleys through the ringer on Desert Pickle and then tie into Fear and Loathing to begin the thrashfest. No good sends today but I put crosshairs on my new project.

December 20, 2020 Ticklist
American Sportsman	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.10b Sport
Desert Pickle	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.11c Sport
Fear and Loathing, III	Lead / Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.12a Sport
Fear and Loathing, III	TR/ Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.12a Sport
The Runaway	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.10b Sport
The Runaway	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.10b Sport

The Most Vertiginous View Award goes to Ange. The Best Belayer Award goes to me. 
(Super Guide, Wall of Confusion)

...

Getting sick of the approach to the Wall of Confusion, but determination to project wins out. Ange puts down the funky and morpho Runaway. We watch a crew hang the draws on Fear and Loathing, III and I snake in for a burn. The pressure was high under the eyes of a crowd of strangers and the torrid sun but somehow I keep it together until the chains.

Peep the vid! Comment and smash that Like and Subscribe fam!!

December 22, 2020 Ticklist
The Runaway	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.10b Sport
American Sportsman	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.10b Sport
Fear and Loathing, III	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.12a Sport
Makalu	Lead / Flash	Red Rock > Calico II > Wall of Confusion	5.11d Sport
Gridlock	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico II > The Gallery	5.11a Sport

...

A portrait of serenity tying in preparing for the battle ahead (Civilization Crag, Calico I)

I didn't climb anything but can I tick this spicy approach? (Civilization Crag, Calico I)

I spend Christmas on belay-duty helping Ange get her miles in at Civilization Crag. She puts away 7 climbs and bails on her 8th. I clean up and get in my one climb of the day. We meet up with Lily and her quarantine-pod for a sweet dinner and random Dom Perignon. Between this and the lounge cocktails, I am one well-sauced happy camper.

Lily twists my arm to finish her Dom since she barely drinks. I oblige since I am a Good Friend™. (Enterprise, Las Vegas)

'Tis the season for Yuletide dance-offs. What? Despacito is totally a Christmas classic. (Enterprise, Las Vegas)

2020 Christmas Ticklist
Conquistador	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico I > Civilization Crag	5.10d Sport

...

We meet Lily and Shura to head over to Sunny and Steep. Lauren and Beth, the pair of crushers from the Wall of Confusion, are already there warming up on 5.12s. No, YOU'RE intimidated! I try way too hard on a warmup 10a that turned out to be 10c. I get my head all turned around but then I almost onsight a burly but maybe soft 12a and feel a little better. We all tie in for climbs as I make myself useful hanging up ropes for muh frens.

December 26, 2020 Ticklist
Claimjumpers' Special	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Sunny and Steep	5.10c Sport
Scorpions	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Sunny and Steep	5.11a Sport
Steep Thrills	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Sunny and Steep	5.12a Sport
Sport Chimney	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Sunny and Steep	5.8 Sport
Sunny and Steep	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Sunny and Steep	5.11d Sport

Lauren making .12s look easy (Give Me Back My Bullets, Sunny and Steep)

Beth wiring in her beta (Steep Thrills, Sunny and Steep)

Hmm, are you sure that's a good way to clean--actually you know what--that's the best way to clean (Steep Thrills, Sunny and Steep)

Me and Lily picking up right where we left off. Three years since we last met at Red Rock (Kraft Loop Trail, Kraft Mountain)

...

Allan makes a stop in Vegas as part of his vision-quest driving out west. We swing by the Hoover Dam because what else were our college majors good for? We spend a few snowy days doing local stuff before he continues on his chase of the white rabbit.

Two civil engineers enter the Hoover Dam okay this joke already sucks (The Hoover Dam, Colorado River)

A message left by the ancient ones. I think it's a yo mamma joke (Petraglyph Wall, Willow Springs)

...

In a bid to escape the New Years' crowds we head out to Lone Mountain. After slogging up the rocky scree reminiscent of some Kalymnos approaches we get the pleasure of climbing the chossiest bands of sharp limestone at least all to ourselves.

January 2, 2021 Ticklist
Glorious Kaos	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Lone Mountain > Suburban Crag	5.10a Sport
Erik's Arete	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Lone Mountain > Suburban Crag	5.10a Sport
In the Spotlight	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Lone Mountain > Suburban Crag	5.11a Sport
Stratosphere	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Lone Mountain > Suburban Crag	5.11a Sport

Angela surveys the magnificent Vegas desolation minus the desolation part and the magnificent part (Suburban Crag, Lone Mountain)

Stark scared out of my mind on the crumbliest of rocks I find solace in an angry cactus wildly clawing into my rope (Stratosphere, Suburban Crag)

...

A new year, we move to a sublet. I take advantage of our new proximity to Calico Basin to project Cannibal Crag. I spend days getting nowhere, so instead here is a photo of some Naked & Famous™ people.

Professional climber and Oscar winner Alex and wife Sanni climbing the same line after me. I guess you could say I'm kind of a big deal now. (Baseboy Direct, Cannibal Crag)

January 6, 2021 Ticklist
Caliban	Lead / Onsight	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.8+ R Sport
Baseboy Direct	Lead / Redpoint	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.11- Sport
Save the Heart to Eat Later	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.12a Sport
Save the Heart to Eat Later	Lead / 1-hang	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.12a Sport
Pickled Cock	Lead / Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.11c Sport
Maneater	Lead / Fell/Hung	Red Rock > Calico Basin > Cannibal Crag	5.12a Sport

...

The days go on, the send and the stoke dwindles. I climb a smattering of lines but without much grade progress, I fear logging here will bore my already-endangered readership. Since nothing goes, I decide to pivot from my fringe hobby into something much more mainstream.

January 30, 2021 "Ticklist"
Ninja Warrior Warped Wall	Onsight	Las Vegas Circus School	Small Solo
Ninja Warrior Warped Wall	Onsight	Las Vegas Circus School	Medium Solo

Shura dunking on all the naysayers to his Ninja Warrior career (Las Vegas Circus School, Las Vegas)

Back in my day the hula hoop went around your waist but actually I'm down with this (Las Vegas Circus School, Las Vegas)

Bubba levies a cat tax on this blog post (Summerlin, Las Vegas)

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Our journey draws to a close. New York is slammed by snowstorm after snowstorm. A few cancelled flights later, we wistfully wave goodbye to the glitter gulch that took us in these past months. Soon I will return to close up my projects. For now, the next trip is calling.

The proud range with its on-brand red in all its scarlet swagger (Scenic Loop Drive, Red Rock)