Best non - "4 star classic" Red Rock routes

Heading to red rocks for the first time middle of March with the rest of the human race. Super excited, but a little nervous about the crowd potential. Looking for best sport, crack, multi-pitch routes that may not get the traffic of the entrenched classics, but are still very worthy in your mind.

And/or, if anyone has any good recommendations on stellar climbs that may have a longer approach that will keep the traffic away, please send them my way.

Bottom line is we'd love to climb where the people are not. May be impossible but gonna try our best.

Any trad up to .11+/12- and any sport in the 5.10 - 5.13- range

Thanks!

Mai Tai and Rob Roy rarely have crowds and are trad masterpieces
Delicate Sound of Thunder is amazing and rarely done
Rock Warrior won't have a line
Fiddler on the Roof generally doesn't have a line
Risky Business is incredible
Excellent Adventure will not have a crowd!
Long Hike into the NightCrawler may keep crowds away

Don't be afraid to attempt the afternoon start (looks like you've got plenty of experience). Trying to be the 'first' at a route has gotten ridiculous. One time I was the first at the gate when it opened and 4th in line at the route...

I did Bird Land last year and if we had started 2-3 hours later (11am) we'd have had the entire route to ourselves. Instead we were in amongst 3 (very) slow teams.

Jeff G. wrote:Risky Business is incredible. Excellent Adventure will not have a crowd! Long Hike into the NightCrawler may keep crowds away

These are all great suggestions for great routes. Excellent Adventure is my favorite route at RR yet. I'd also suggest Orange Clonus and, as a bonus, it's a short approach. The middle two pitches are ho-hum but the first, and especially the fourth, are good fun.

A little easier than what you may be looking for, but I really enjoyed Hot Flash and Armatron. Had both routes to ourselves on otherwise very busy weekend days.

Red Rock Trad Routes, Far and Wide

Nightcrawler will not fit your parameters in terms of other climbing parties potentially on it. However, in your grade range, the opposite side is just as good, Times Up, 5.11 best combined with Ten Minute Shift, 5.11 for a full day.


Other good, less traveled routes at your grade...north to south

Unfinished Symphony, 5.11

Edge of the Sun, 5.10+ and Chocolate Flakes, 5.10+ done as a combo day

All You Can Eat, 5.10+ best combined with Fist or Flips, a single pitch splitter

Two of my longer remote favorites...Gift of the Wind Gods, 5.10d and Woman of Mountain Dreams, 5.11a


Celtic Cracks, 5.10d

Ixtlan, 5.11c, one of the great historic fun routes, folks on either side of you, but rarely anyone on it.

Yellow Rose of Texas, 5.11a linked with Texas Tower Connection, 5.10aR rare is anyone on these two but they both offer fun climbing.

The Schwa, 5.10d a great 2 pitch route showing you a bit of everything (direct version). Full page photo in Handren's guide, but rare to ever have anyone on it.


Tons of possibilities. It is actually very easy to escape the herd at RR.
Good luck with your trip.

Black Velvet Canyon:

Lone Star to Texas Hold 'Em Link up
Rock Warrior
Rock Warrior
Did I say Rock Warrior?

The Warrior (Oak Creek Canyon) is all time! It will be one of your favorite routes ever done, I promise!

Gift of the Wind Gods is awesome, doesn't seem to get much attention, and it gets you up Mt. Wilson.

Have you already done the Rainbow Wall? If it's warm enough I'd say get on it, you'll never find a better climb anywhere! You might have to share the wall with another party or two but it won't be a junk show up there.

Ray Lovestead wrote:Don't be afraid to attempt the afternoon start (looks like you've got plenty of experience). Trying to be the 'first' at a route has gotten ridiculous. One time I was the first at the gate when it opened and 4th in line at the route... I did Bird Land last year and if we had started 2-3 hours later (11am) we'd have had the entire route to ourselves. Instead we were in amongst 3 (very) slow teams.

This is good to know - I am heading out next week for the first time and hoping to do some moderates (like everyone else I'm sure). We will only be climbing on weekdays - is that any better in people's experience or still a cluster? We are looking at Jubilant Song, Frogland, Birdland, Johnny Vegas to Solar Slab - is that even worth trying to get on?

Anything else in that grade range that might not be so 'classic' but still worthwhile? Long approaches are fine.

Thanks all!

ErikaNW wrote: We will only be climbing on weekdays - is that any better in people's experience or still a cluster?

Weekdays are always better. Especially if you're not going during spring or winter breaks. And that applies anywhere you go. That said, when you're doing the trade routes you mentioned, don't be surprised to see other parties.

Edit: It is getting close to the schools' spring break now.

I doubt they'll be a line on Jubilant Song on a weekday or even on a weekend. The approach(drive & hike) make it a little less traveled then some of those others...

Bryan Manning wrote:I doubt they'll be a line on Jubilant Song on a weekday or even on a weekend. The approach(drive & hike) make it a little less traveled then some of those others...

Not true, plan to have a backup option for JS especially on a weekend. It would suck to hike all of the way up there and be too far back in line to finish.

for Robert, both of these have hefty approaches:

+1 to the Warrior
Inti Watana to Resolution Arete (one of my favorite RR linkups)

Inti Watana, the Warrior and Resolution will not fit the "non-classic" status, all three are climbed often and could all easily have traffic in the spring. The backup options after the investment on the approach, for Inti or the Warrior or Resolution would all be very different in nature. I personally would plan those routes for off season or middle of the week at a minimum.

Fosanna is correct on Jublilant. This route can have 3 deep easily this time of year but there are several other comparable choices nearby, easy to have a backup plan.

Dow Williams wrote:Inti Watana, the Warrior and Resolution will not fit the "non-classic" status, all three are climbed often and could all easily have traffic in the spring. The backup options after the investment on the approach, for Inti or the Warrior or Resolution would all be very different in nature.

I have never heard of anyone encountering other parties on any route on the Cactus Flower Tower, let alone the Warrior. Ever.

Inti is a very casual affair, would be a good warmup route for you. Goes in 6 pitches very fast.

While one can appreciate the list of fun moderate romps with links to a rather antiquated site (why not link to RC.com too while you're at it?), I feel that the database here is quite adequate and the "Classics" at the 11+/12- range seem to be dead on as being as good as advertised.

Another vote for The Warrior. Climbed in peak season and no one was even in earshot all day long.

The Beagle wrote: While one can appreciate the list of fun moderate romps with links to a rather antiquated site (why not link to RC.com too while you're at it?)

Indeed!

That reminds me, I'm tired of having to upload pictures to MP - can't I just link to my LiveJournal page?

Adam Burch wrote: Indeed! That reminds me, I'm tired of having to upload pictures to MP - can't I just link to my LiveJournal page?

I prefer photobucket, I hear it's all the rage with the kids these days. At least that's what the Uriostes told me

;-)

Thanks a ton for the info! Lots of good stuff to sift through. Fired up!

Also The Warrior looks out of control....

Robert Daniel. wrote:Also The Warrior looks out of control....

I have done it about four times since 2011. It is definitely a worthy route Rob. But I have gotten a lot of inquiries about it these past couple of years. I consider it a 4 star classic. If it isn't I don't know what is in the park. I know it is getting climbed a lot more than it use to. The 2nd through 4th pitches make up the beautiful dihedral. The 3rd pitch is by far the crux of the route (pic below). The upper 5.11a pitch in inconsequential in comparison. Very much worth finishing, many discard the final couple pitches, either they run out of time or whatever I suppose. More enjoyable to rap vs walking off the back so you can climb it sans shoes, etc. Enjoy.