Johnny Vegas 

It's also possible to do a different pitch 1 starting right of Beulah's Book. A party got in front of us using this alternate start and reported it's similar in difficulty to the regular pitch 1 (maybe a little more runout, though).

We also combined 3&4 with a 50m rope, I think it just barely made it (Swain calls it 180', and we might have had to simulclimb a little with our 50m). This way you do not have to downclimb to the 3rd anchor (after climbing too high)!

We combined the pitches 3 and 4 too, George, but we had a 60m. Going straight up the corner for P3 and moving out right at the bolt is 5.9 friction.

A fun route! P1 and P2 are each approx. 135 feet long. As Jake mentions, it is easy to miss the bolted anchor for P3, and I ended up 30 feet above it before noticing (not to worry - you can easily build your own). There also appear to be two different ways to approach this pitch. One way is to stay left in a corner, then step right (protected by a shiny new bolt) once the crack peters out. The other way is to stay further right off the belay out on the face, which is somewhat runout but probably no harder than 5.4. Done this way, the singular bolt is a bit out of reach, but is not needed.

I'd honestly have to give this route a higher star rating, 2.5 at least, and as for the grade...by Red Rocks standards I would definitely have to say this was a slight step up from anything in the 5.6 range there. If it were in other places I could see it being called 5.6. Anyhow, it's all subjective.

By the way, the nice shiny bolt on the 3rd pitch is for the 5.9 variation in the right facing dihedral, which is by far better than the right traverse out to the rounded arete. Going right at the 3rd belay is 5.4 but harder to protect off the belay than in the dihedral.

Don't rappel this route. This recommendation is based on personal experience and also that of others. It is very easy to get ropes snagged while descending this route. You would be much better off making your way to the right and rapping Solar Slab Gully with one rope.

This climb was a blast. The second pitch is just fun cruisin'. Rapping each pitch individually is probably the best option for rope pulling and traffic issues.

Classic must do route! Our rope got stuck temporarily during the raps... So be careful!

I would disagree with John about the rappel-this is the quickest and most safe descent from the solar slab ledge that I know of, and I've done every route on the wall that's in the guidebook. I've descended the Solar Slab Gully by rappel at least three times (I may be blocking out other times-*find a happy place!*) and find it complex, sketchy to find and traverse to certain anchors on the way down, and Johnny Vegas offers a quick, safe solution. A short (50 ft) rap from the boulder, a 120' exposed rap over the roof to the P2 anchors, two full length raps, and you're back at your packs. Stuck ropes are as common as cheap hookers in Vegas, but do the math on how many short, diagonaling rappels are in the gully, and you'll see my point-mathematically speaking, it's better odds doing 3.5 raps straight down. See Nevada Forums for info about the accident report in SS Gully-I climbed Horndogger Select that day, and very nearly got to witness the results of that rappel and an inexperienced and tired climber. I went down JV and hit the ground in less than 20 minutes of rapping. We weren't there to assist because we were already scarfing pizza at home by the time the other party got to the next to last rap in the gully.

I have a question about the slab on the start of P3. That sure didn't feel like 5.6 (to my fat ass anyway) I went about half way and fell on my pro, then traversed out to the right and went up that way on much easier terrain. Clipped the bolt from above/right. Can anyone comment on these moves? Are they really .6 or more like .9 (in the dihederal on the left of the slab)? Man I love friction but that freaked me out for some reason.

Cammyjams-- it sounds like you got onto the 5.9 variation. The standard route goes to the right from the 2nd belay. The climbing is very easy, but not much protection on the right (unless you do something weird, you will be too far to the right to even clip the bolt).

JV is a fun route. We had two parties rappelling down while we were climbing up...This made for quite a scene!!! Both parties reluctantly climbed back up to free their snagged rope. I would recommend rappelling the gully as it puts you right back were you start JV. Using the gully for descent also creates less traffic on JV. We descended the gully, had no issues and were down about the same time the snagged rope climbers were packing up. This descent uses one rope (we had a 70 meter) and is very straight forward. There are even some old pitons next to one of the rap anchors for your viewing pleasure!!! Be prepared to walk out in the dark.

Thanks Larry, I realize this probably should have been posted in the forums. I'm gonna go back up there soon and nail that slab. It just seemed like the 'right' way to go off of the belay at the time. Live and learn. 5.9, not 5.6, LOL.

..named for my old friend, John Rosholt, I hope your pulling down where ever you are...

Great route! The climbing was always interesting and never really stressful. This was our "warm-up" for Solar Slab, so we had a full day.

As for the dreaded rope snags, ours got snagged twice coming down JV after rapping Solar Slab without any issues. It was a real pain in the ass, but it doesn't look like rapping the gully would have made any difference: as we were hiking out, we heard obscenities from a climber with a snagged rope in the SS gully.

JL

My partner and I did the 5.9 variation on pitch 3 without clipping the bolt. The slab was really slippery and there's absolutely nothing on it to grab, but it contains some very shallow divots high up that offered us just enough traction for our mantled palms to keep from slipping off. If you set a piece high enough up the crack in the dihedral, a slip on the traverse will result in a pendulum across the smooth slab high enough to miss the more featured rock below it. The layback moves required to set a piece that high are pretty fun. Fortunately, neither of us slipped during our traverses, but the slap was so powdery we both felt like we were right on the edge of doing so!

A few sections of this route that might feel a little runout contain solid horns that can be slung for protection. You might want to look for them and use them whenever potential gear placements aren't obvious.

A note for the start. Best to "suit up" at the base of the descent gully. You can then easily scramble up to your left (4th class) to the base of the actual climb. Nice to find your packs waiting for you right where you descend!

Great climb, but very easy except for the 2nd pitch, which is way classic. And just when you think the challenges are over the holds begin to thin out and it becomes run out! Nothing to fear as you will find what you need but keep a cool head.

Rappelling the gully takes a while as there is a lot of junk and ledges and you are continually having to help your rope along. Also lots of loose rock so be careful. I managed to pull a rock down behind me with the rope. Would'nt you know it that the rock managed to take the rope with it and wedge it perfectly into a crack below me. Luckily was able to dislodge the rock with my hands and free the rope. Lots of opportunity for adventure here.

Most of the rappel anchors in the gully are obvious accept for the second one. Continue on past tempting rappel trees and look left. You will see a very exposed anchor on the cliff corner.

A great climb. If I ever do it again though will get there a lot earlier and try to link it up with Solar Slab (which several other parties had done that day) which looks and sounds awesome.

If there are any other parties on this route (and there probably will be) - please, please consider rapping Solar Slab Gully instead of this route. You'll be doing a service to those following you.

Contrary to some of the reports above, I found the gully to be an easy descent. Six straightforward single-rope rappels.

Combined w/Solar Slab is it possible to find more 5.6 in one climb? Amazingly fun and a must do.

Get there EARLY. Easy to route find, just follow the chalk. Each pitch has something different and fun. The "R" on P2 is just real 5.6 climbing w/o those monstrous jugs you get used to but still pro where you need it. Combine P3 & 4 for sure.

Props to Tom, Harrison et al for this one!

Perhaps the finest 5.7 blast I've ever climbed. More fun than runnin' naked through Sunday service. A bit run out on P2, but mostly on solid (but steep!) 5.6 ground.

DO NOT SKIP the short, obvious 5.9 dihedral on P3--it's most excellent. And you don't need to clip the bolt to lead this, but definitely show your second that you care by clippin' it anyway, cowboys and gurls.

Finally, P4? Really? Rope up for what is ordinarily considered "scrambling"? I think the opening moves just to mount the boulders at the bottom of P1 were harder than anything on that P4 mound...

About rapping: We rapped JV with zero problems, this with two spaghetti string ropes that usually insist on snagging. That gully sounds vicious to me; would recommend rapping JV every time (provided it's the end of a full, Solar Slab day and the crowds are gone) and making sure you give a damn good YANK at the end to clear the rope. Also, do stop at that short, auxiliary station 50ft below the P3 anchor.

Great route, definitely worthwhile! I was concerned about the descriptions of pitch 2 and 3 being spicy. Two was a tad spicy, but not bad and the gear you do get is good. Pitch 3 is runout on the arete, with the exception of slinging some chicken heads, but its easy ground. We too missed the belay atop P3. If you find yourself 20-30 feet above the anchors, just push it up another 20 feet or so to the bolts atop P4.

We rapped Solar Gully with a single 60 meter rope. A 50 probably would have worked, but would have been close on a couple raps.

I'd give it 4 stars but I haven't done enough classics at Red Rock to understand the difference between classic and great. It's a route with three wonderful pitches. Pitch 2 is fantastic! Steep with great holds. I really enjoyed P3 with its exposed easy run out arete, the traversing left across the lip of roof at the first easy opportunity. The 5.9 corner and slab seems out of character with the rest of the climb if chosen as a variation.

This was my first trad climb I have done. The holds were excellent and it felt relatively easy to place gear. I recommend this climb for a beginner trad climber.

This route was very fun. Only my eigth lead. I was a litle scared on it but it was good. Would do again.

The whole climb came down to the micro placements half way through the second pitch. a couple nut placements and GO! On the third pitch, dont hesitate to look around the corner - there is fun to be had - then you dont have to sling those heads.

www.climbphx.com - CLimbPHX climbin in the desert!

Link P3+4 with a 60m or 70, if you can avoid the rope drag.

To the Admin: Please adjust the way the route is documented, so that MP recognizes this route as 4 pitches instead of 1 pitch as it is currently.

I just climbed this for the 4th time and finally did the 3rd pitch 5.9 varation. I found that you can sew this up with cams, very little risk to make the crux move to clip the bolt. I just love this climb.