UKC

I am in part involved in planning a trip to red rocks, Nevada.

From leaving the house to getting back, what do I need to know?

I would appreciate any info from planning, coordinating and executing the trip, any guidebooks, accom or any gems you have I would love to know!!!

I will have up to 8 novices and 4 instructors, up to 2 weeks long.

Thanks...


Lee

In reply to leemagowan:

I'll start the ball rolling with some useful links:

The definitive guidebook is by Jerry Handren (get the 2nd edition) http://www.redrocksguidebook.com/index.html .

In addition to Mountain Project, there is a major route compendium at http://www.summitpost.org/red-rock-climbing/171112 .

A dated, but still useful Red Rocks FAQ: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/frequently-asked-red-rock-questions-with-l... .

A thread on non-climbing activities in Las Vegas: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/things-in-vegas-/107527053 .

In reply to leemagowan:
Oops, forgot BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Campground info at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock... .

The campground closes during the summer from Memorial Day (last Monday in May) to Labor Day (first Monday in September). You pasty-white Brits don't want to be there at those times anyway, you'll bloody melt in the heat. (Truth be told, golden-brown Americans melt in the heat too. Alternatively, build a climbing wall in a sauna and train there.) The campground is a rather unpleasant windswept patch of desert but is the closest thing to the climbing. There are group campsites, and these can be reserved.

Hotels or Airbnb are potentially good alternatives. I've consistently managed earlier starts from hotel rooms than from the campground.

In reply to leemagowan:

And...

http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock...

You'll be braking the law...no big deal unless you get caught...but local guide services, who pay a lot of money and must put in a lot of effort for the privilege, often call in pirate guides.

In reply to redjerry:

Excellent point, leemagowan might need a Special Recreation Permit (SRP) to operate legally. Best to have a look at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock...

In reply to leemagowan:

The park is locked at night, may sure you leave before the gate is closed. If you're running late or are planning to have a big day you can get a late exit permit (it's only 2 more hours I think) by calling a number 9 on the leaflet you get at the park entrance) but you'll need to know your vehicle reg. If you don't get this permit then you'll be fined. It is also possible to get bivy permits I believe for certain routes.

We were glad we got a upgrade to a SUV for our rental as the clearance was useful on some of the tracks we drove down.

It's bad form to climb if the rock isn't dry. The sandstone is quite soft when damp and it can damage routes, and potentially yourself!

The campsite is meant to be quite bleak, we stayed with friends so didn't experience it ourselves.

I really enjoyed Red Rocks, you'll have an amazing time.

In reply to beckycoles:

The big routes are maybe best approached from parking outside the park (unless you have valuables in the car). Solar Slab area is only about an extra 10 minutes walking for instance. As for cars we have always booked economy hire and got a compact (as they rarely have economy and if they do you can complain it lacks advertised features and get the upgrade anyhow... worst case pay for the upgrade) . An SUV is loads more expensive and in any case usually not even insured to drive off road. The approach tracks can be terrible outside of the park (south side), but you can always park further out and walk in.

It is not 'bad form' to climb during or just after rain it is explicitly unethical. Morons trash routes all the time doing this... don't be one of them.

http://www.lvclimberscouncil.org/#!climbing-after-rain/c3zz

In reply to leemagowan:

In terms of accommodation I have stayed in an Airbnb on the west side of town and it was only 20 minutes drive into the park.

Worth noting that the hotels in Vegas can be quite cheap because they want people to spend money in their casinos. You might find a good deal there and can drive out each morning.

In reply to leemagowan:

YHM regarding a guidebook

In reply to leemagowan:
Late exit pass is very useful. Call in & leave a voice mail with all the details (name, address, climbing plans/date, car info. trailhead, phone etc). We'll usually do it the day before the climb. Never ran into issues whether we got back an hour or 6 after gate closing times. 702-515-5050. Not doing it & coming back late is a guaranteed ticket.
Vegas is a depressing hole (some don't seem to mind however). Weather can be hit or miss (eg. got rained out a few times in late May/June). Winters can be quite cold (incl. snow) esp. when you're way up on the big routes. For forecasts, check Blue Diamond, NV vs. Vegas itself (can be quite different). The campground is not as bleak as people make it out to be (it's a desert so lack of trees is a given. But it can be hard to find a spot if you get there on a weekend or a holiday. Keep places like St. George, UT & Joshua Tree in mind as possible bad weather back-ups.
Agree on the Jerry Handren guidebook being the best right now.

Also, not really a guidebook but a fun read that should fire you up (even more) for Red Rocks climbing (great B&W photos), Red Rock Odyssey by Larry DeAngelo: http://www.verexpress.com/

An SUV could be nice if you're going for things like Black Velvet Canyon or Windy Peak but both were doable in a standard sedan w. enough time and care (things change however after a good rainstorm).

In reply to leemagowan:

Check out rockclimbing.com, you can link up with partners there, and many in the US will have climbers stay with them at theirs.

In reply to leemagowan:

Are you going for the sport climbing or trad? The sportclimbing areas by the pull-outs are a bit of a maze to find your way around, but I don't know if some guidebooks are better than others at dealing with that. The climbing is far enough out of town and from the campground that you'll want to stay in the park the whole day.