November in Red Rock??

What are temps usually like in the first half of December? I imagine climbing can be pretty good, but camping can be pretty cold...

Nov is wonderful weather yet. I've only camped out in late Dec. once, way out in desert and it was down to zero at night. Time to get a motel room.

Oops. I meant, what is the weather lke in the first half of November, not December.

Haven't camped, always stayed indoors, but I've climbed over several Thanksgivings and around New Year's. The climbing on the tall south facing routes was always excellent on sunny days around Thanksgiving. It was ok around New Years on the absolute sunniest faces (freezing in the shade).

Anyone else??

weather.com/outlook/health/…

Highs will be probably be in the mid 60's. It could be 50 or 80, who knows. I'd just chase the sun accordingly.

I was at Calico Hills pullout #1 in first week of Nov and we had about 80 for a high that day. Beautiful sunny comfy day!

I've been in Vegas during Thanksgiving and the temps have been perfect, or even too warm at times. 30's and 40's at night and 60-70s during the day. During the first few weeks of Nov. you may need to seek shade to stay cool...

And I've been there one Thanksgiving when it rained one night and by morning all the puddles were frozen solid.
Point is, you just never know.

I used to go every year for thanksgiving, if not Xams/newyears.
The worst that can happen is you will go to short sunny walls on cold days or see a little precipitation, but odds greatly favor highly climbable weather in the sun.

I wish Vegas/Red Rock forum could have a sticky:

The winter weather in the desert is:

"Winter weather in the desert"

Stop asking People!!!!
It's the desert in winter, who the heck knows what it will do in months from when you post.

Bring Shorts a huge down jacket and everything in between. There's no predicting winter weather in the desert. It could snow today and be in the 70's tomorrow at any given time it's any body's guess what the weather will be like in months from when the question is posted !

I have climbed in Shorts in early Feb and froze my arski in jeans and a sweater in May !

trundlebum wrote:I wish Vegas/Red Rock forum could have a sticky: The winter weather in the desert is: "Winter weather in the desert" Stop asking People!!!! It's the desert in winter, who the heck knows what it will do in months from when you post. Bring Shorts a huge down jacket and everything in between. There's no predicting winter weather in the desert. It could snow today and be in the 70's tomorrow at any given time it's any body's guess what the weather will be like in months from when the question is posted ! I have climbed in Shorts in early Feb and froze my arski in jeans and a sweater in May !

+1

The only predictable weather here is July & August will be hot as balls.

Desert temps are totally due to the length of the day and amount of sun. Very short days and low sun angle in winter can mean very cold near zero temps at night. But that same sun might bring it up to high 70s in early afternoon if you're lucky the next day. You never know when some of that limited precip is going to show up as 2 inches of fast snow. Just prepare in layers, for all of it.

Hey trundlebum, thanks for your super helpful and not at all rude or annoying response. You didn't have to read this thread if it was so irritating to you.

I was there just before Thanksgiving last year, and the weather was perfect for climbing. I brought my summer bag (40 deg) to save weight on the plane, and slept in a bivy sack inside a summer tent with all my clothes on and froze my ass off. You basically nailed my experience in the OP.

Wilcox:

I am sorry if I come off rude.
You sensed my frustration though.
Yep your right I did not have to read or respond to your thread.

As always a few people jump in with generalizations that of course hold true. But the bigger picture is... It's winter weather in the desert'. Really and no joke, bring all your clothes. Better prepared than miserable. Expect wicked cold nights, especially when it gets windy. But you really can't get to finite in long term prediction. Many times it has snowed and hailed, then a few days later been shirt sleeve weather and there was no way to predict those changes eight to ten days before.
If you are traveling to Red Rock then I would bring all kinds of clothes. The great thing about Red Rock is that it is not simply a climbing area. If the weather does all of a sudden get nasty and you have the clothes to enjoy being out in it then there is tons of fun and beauty to take in during in climate weather.

wilcox510 wrote:Hey trundlebum, thanks for your super helpful and not at all rude or annoying response. You didn't have to read this thread if it was so irritating to you.

Actually, having spent 30+ years in the desert, that was a pretty accurate assessment of winter weather...

I've done Resolution Arete on the winter solstice and also been frozen out same time another year it might be nice, or it snow, or it might flood...bring shorts, a huge down and everything in between...and just hope it's not windy. I still occasionally find grains of red sand in my rig from a blustery trip a decade ago...