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climbing general

red rocks report

Welcome to Red Rocks, Nevada. Day One – clipping bolts in the Black Canyon.

ben in red rocks

(More photos behind a cut, for the benefit of those out there who still have their internet access provided by modems made of cardboard and string)

black canyon, red rocks

The view through the Black Canyon.

ben

Ben watching climbers.

julie climbing at panty wall

Day Two – clipping bolts at Panty Wall. Weather still beautiful. This was Julie’s second outdoor lead I think. Meanwhile, I was still running around in circles considering getting people to tie me down to a rock to prevent me from climbing (well I did go up a couple of easy climbs… but oh).

boer on cat in the hat

Day Three – Climbing Cat in the Hat, a fun 200 metres of 5.6. This was Boer’s lead. If you look closely you can see the evil swooping birds flying past. We had the climb to ourselves – apparently this is unusual, and it’s more often like a Sunday picnic at the races.
 

walk-in to pine creek canyon

 

Day Four – Walking in to Pine Creek Canyon, to climb Johnny Vegas with Boer and Ben.

boer on johnny vegas

 
Boer leading up Johnny Vegas. We have discovered the rock on the climb leads a little to be desired. Ben describes it as ‘like climbing in a sandcastle’, and I can’t help but be reminded of the Grampians guide book, where a climb is described as being so hideous that you’d chew off your own arm to get away from it if you woke up next to it in the morning. Sure, the position was fantastic, but the rock was absolute rubbish.

3 replies on “red rocks report”

“Absolute rubbish” is kind of harsh, isn’t it? I mean sure, the holds sometimes break off, sending you plunging toward the ground. But I thought that’s just the name of the game when you’re climbing on sandstone.

I suspect they were vultures actually. Circling, waiting for us to fall off. Or just hoping we’d sit still for long enough for them to start chewing on us – possibly when we were belaying half way up the cliff, and couldn’t get away.

And oh the joys of Red Rocks sandstone. Come to Arapiles, and I’ll show you sandstone that is actually sandSTONE, rather than SANDstone :)

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