Crimson Chrysalis 

this was my first climb in RR and was super fun. it has alittle bit of everything. show up early to get a start on everyone else. my partner and i were there by 8am and had the route to ourselves for about an hour. we past about three parties coming down, so be careful where you throw your ropes.

As Kevin correctly points out, this route is immensely popular. It is not uncommon to have a party on every pitch. Since the only descent is by rapping the route, the belays can get crowded and rope management as well as good communication with other parties is essential. Allow plenty of time for the descent, count on getting your rope stuck at least once, and bring a headlamp.

Note to all you aspiring Vegas Climbers:

You don't HAVE to do Crimson Chrysalis. Really. It's not manditory. It's not really any better than a lot of other Vegas routes. Ginger Cracks is more fun. Black Dagger is a hoot. Everything in Black Velvet is great. But Crimson Crysalis is nearly always plastered with endless gumbies that just have to do this one route.

While the line is classic the climbing isn't particularly notable. I can barely remember any of the pitches anymore - they all blend together. Lots of hanging belays. Serious problems with ropes getting stuck on the way down. People everywhere. You can't pass slow parties.

Before you do CC, stop by the Pine Creek pullout at dusk and count the headlamps. I've seen 3 or 4 parties rapping in the darkness on many occasions. It's not fun. You'll get ticketed if you don't tell the rangers you're staying late. Your ropes will get stuck. You'll stagger through the cactus and get lost on the myriad of trails leading down from CC in the dark.

If you still have to do CC, start early. Really early. Be the first party there. Be prepared to do something else if there's a crowd ahead of you. Start rapping if it's getting late and come back another day.

There. You've been warned.

John

Yes, this route is crowed. Yes, your ropes will get stuck rapping. Yes, you should still do this route. The only downside to this route, is the unnecessary bolts on the first couple pitches. The route would be a lot more stimulating if you had to bring some big gear. We didn't bring anything bigger then a gold Camalot.

Back in the "good ol' days" we used to drive the loop road backwards to get a jump on everyone for this route. Now, with the severe tire damage in place, the field is leveled and parties jocky for position as the entrance gate opens. The best thing to look for in a partner is good aerobic conditioning for the race up to the base. I had fun on this route, but then again we did win the race that day...

I'd take a #3 Camalot as otherwise the first pitch is runout (see the first photo). But you don't need it higher up.

Wow, John P. What a buzz kill. This route is a one star and Cat in the Hat is a must do? Huh. I like your Vegas page, though...

The other option for getting a jump on other parties, since you can't drive the loop road backwards anymore, is to hike in from the end of the loop road. There's a large parking area there and if you're willing to hike an extra mile or so (each way) you can start as early as you want and finish as late as you want.

A few years ago I climbed this route with a bevy of aging hardmen (guys up to 62, at 34 I was the youngest by 11 years). By registering the day before we were given the combination for the loop road gate to start early. We started hiking by about 6:00am and 7 of us were on top at 1:00pm. The descent for all 7 of us took about 2 hours. No stuck ropes and two parties came up behind us with no problems. Several of these guys had backgrounds in guiding, rescue and rigging. This was one of the greatest climbing experiences I've had. By being thoughtful and keeping your wits about you you can avoid the common problems of stuck ropes and belay cluster#&*@s that can occurr on this route. Climb it!

OK - maybe I was a little harsh. The line of CC is absolutely classic. I'm sure a lot of people have had really good experiences there - my first trip up it was excellent. The thing that gets to me is that so many people come to Vegas and ignore tons of good routes just to join the conga line on CC. If I can scare some of those guys onto other quality routes I've done my job.

Tradgirl was up there last week and found something like 6 parties patiently waiting their turn at the base. At least she had sense enough to go climb a different route.

That said, if it's not the busy season or if you're willing to get the early start you'll have a blast.

John

the rap anchor on the top needs a little TLC. the top bolt is loose (spinner hanger, you can wiggle the bolt with your fingers)

anthony

I think this is a cool route simply because it is long and for 5.8 pretty dang steep. But, you gotta admit, it's the same move over and over and over again. Reach up for incut crimp, bring feetup, stand up and repeat. I think I did one hand jam on this route just for the hell of it even though I didn't really need to. I think my experience was also diminished on this route because the crux isn't the climbing nor the length of the route, but it's getting to the base before the hordes.

We did this route on 11/10 and didn't see another soul. I can't believe that people will b#$ch about this route. Same move over and over, ropes get stuck, extra bolts (here's an idea, don't clip em)other people on the route, too many trails to choose from and hanging belays to boot. Hush whiners, this climb is great, period. Can't really beat 9 pitches of well protected, exposed, super positive 5.8 climbing. (Except maybe next door on unimpeachable)Get there early and watch your ropes.

All experience is subjective 5.10b4me. No crowds would have made the day for me. But that wasn't the case when I did it. It was a clusterfu#@ of humanity up there.

Wow! John Peterson you should be ashamed of yourself for such a negative post about a quality route! If anyone checks here to find out information about this route completely ignore this mans comments, they are absurd. Crimson is a beautiful line of quality Sandstone with 99.9% of soild rock that should not be overlooked by any climber. Yeah if you don't wake up early enough there is going to be a line, and yeah if you don't know how to pull ropes there is a chance of gettin your ropes stuck. I've done the route twice and never once had a rope even come close to gettin stuck or run into another soul the whole day. The view from the summit is spectacular, pulling the top moves and being stunned by the Rainbow walls presence is surreal! And shouting with freedom to hear your echo bounce off the Brownstone wall till it turns to sweet silence! In my opinion Crimson is totally worth the effort and if you feel like beating the crowds do it in the winter months, being cold is part of being a climber. Enjoy.

Best moderate I've ever done!

Climbed this route today, May 20. It was 100 degrees in town; the route was windy and moderately hot. We were surprised to be in the sun for most of the climb. Plan on linking pitches 9 + 8 and 3 + 2 on rappel. The bolts on the final pitch could use replacing.

Just in case any girls are wondering,(because I sure was) there's a small, semi-comfortable (as when compared to the hanging belays) "picnic" ledge on the summit of C.C. and one nice sized chunk of rock to duck behind if you had to pee really bad; Not like I had to ,but I noticed it was there. The boys can stretch their legs and rest their aching feet up there too, but you will have to be careful, as you will be climbing a little past the last set of anchors . The views are absolutely beautiful from up top. Loved following this climb (Jonny led;Hey...did I ever thank you baby? ) Not sure how soon I'd be ready to do it again. Maybe next year. Whew!!

Best 5.8 I've ever been on. Think it's consistently 5.8 (no plus) on almost every pitch IMHO.

When I did this route, we were lucky enough to be the only people on it. Now I realize what a rarity that was! It is an amazing line, but very crowded. We hiked up there yesterday to do Cloud Tower and by the time we got to the top of the 3rd pitch a party that was there before we arrived, finally go their turn on CC. My advice would be to bring the guidebook when you head up there to do it and if it's super crowded, get on one of the other classics nearby. I've heard great things about Spare Rib, Ginger Cracks, and Test Tube.

Just climbed this route on a Blitzkrieg trip from Flagstaff, we drove in thursday, climbed friday, drove back friday night. It was well worth the commute. Fantastic Route with great climbing. We brought a double set to #3, a 3.5 and a 4 camalot and 10 slings. If we were to do it again I'd bring only a single set to #3, the 4 maybe and 15 slings and thats it! Stellar stellar route, cold throughout the day though and a little snow at the top of the 8th pitch. Notes on the Rappel, pitch 8 and 9 can be combined and so can 2 and 3. No problems with ropes in the cracks but could see where some of the plates could snag a line. Again sweet route.

If you want an interesting perspective on the route, climb The Black Dagger or Bird Hunter Buttress, you can see the climbers on Crimson Chrysalis in profile. On that note, be careful what you shout from Crimson Chysalis, as us climbers on the Brownstone and Rainbow Walls can hear you perfectly!

There's a lot of poorly buried (or not at all) human feces next to the base of this route. Please be a little more LNT disposing of your waste and taking care of Red Rocks. Consider buying a couple wag bags and just sticking them in your climbing pack, or at least digging a deeper hole.

Nate

This was my 1st long route at Red Rock and I was sorely disappointed by it. I cannot understand why it so popular. I found the bolts to be often unnecessary and placed in such a way as to disrupt the flow of the climb. I often found myself wondering why a belay station had been placed where it was when there was a perfectly good ledge within eyesight. I also felt that the 8+ rating was pretty soft. That said, the upper pitches were spectacular and I'm glad to have climbed it, but there are soo many better routes out there without the zoo.

I didn't think this route was that good either. There were a ton of bolts on it often times when there was a perfectly good crack within reach. Also, we didn't think any of the moves warranted 5.9 or 5.8+ rating. It was kind of a straightforward climb and not very committing seeing as there are rap anchors at every belay.

I don't consider CC a 'Four-Star Classic,' maybe three-minus and here's why:
1) The approach hike is heinous, especially if you have the 'heavy' pack.
2) Several of the belay stances are awkward or hanging, which makes for sore ankles and a generally unpleasant belay. I too question some of the belay locations... why not place the pitch 4 belay on the huge ledge about 15 feet lower?
3) Rapping through the parties below can be time consuming and frustrating depending on their comfort and organization at the belay stations (I shared the p#7 hanging belay with a group of three that was following our party, and then shared the p#5 belay with another group of two). I am totally impressed with Crusty's account of their time up and down. My story was much different...
4) Even if you are careful, your ropes are bound to get caught on the chickenheads as you pull them. Fortunately, we were able to free them each time (they got stuck on every rap except the first pitch's).

The climbing is fun, but I don't plan on climbing CC again for the reasons stated above. There are SEVERAL other routes of equal or better quality without all these drawbacks.

Here are some other points on the climb:
1) Be the first group... don't leave this to chance, or a foot race. Park at the end of the loop road and hike in...early!
2) Link pitches 2 & 3, and 8 & 9 when climbing with a 60m rope. My partner and I also linked 5 & 6, but this required us to simulclimb about 15 feet of 5.6 terrain.
3) If you have some stretched-out ropes, you could probably combine the rappels for pitches 5 & 6. They are both just over 100' (not 90' as the route description says). As I rapped from P6 anchor I was at the half way mark on my rope when I hit the P5 anchor. Same situation for the P5 rappel. With the ropes hanging straight it would seem you could make it. Anyone else tried this?
4) Bring a windbreaker, as even if the weather is sunny and nice the winds pick-up the higher you climb.

MM

Matt, I totally respect your opinion that this route is overrated but I'd point out that the approach and the hanging belays deserve more credit than you give them and add to the overall flavor of the route.

Could you imagine if this route was next to the road? It's crowded now, but it would be a sea of people if access were any easier. And the hanging belays, while uncomfortable, do testify to the greatness of this climb - how many routes out there at this grade and this length are completely void of ledges?

The rap situation is regrettable, I agree. This route would definitely benefit from a separate rappel route.

Hmmm.
4 stars on a weekday if you get through with the hike before it is hot out and and lead each pitch quickly so as not to hang in belays for long.
2 stars on a weekend if you sleep in and start when it is hot out and then have to have to wait in the conga line at the belays.

And a....

If you're PMS'ing,and climbing with a significant other ,in cold brutal winds all day,and into the night after a rat had chewed and drained your water bladder before you even started the climb, as you were delayed by other parties ahead of you all bailing off the first pitch, and then you have your ropes stuck on every rappel, after bailing in the dark 6 pitches up, dehydrated, and starving, and finally getting back to your car at midnight with a 150.00 ticket on your windshield on your epic date on CC. Wait a minute, that epic's a 4 star for me! I love epics when it's all said, and done (genetic problem).

I did the climb three years ago. We were there during the Red Rock Rondevous(not planned) We climbed it on a Saturday and there was only one other party on the route. I guess all the Rendevous people were busy crowding the sport crags. Anyway I thought that the climbing was fun an relaxed. The belays were a bit uncomfortable, but added to the "biggness" of the route. As far as the approach goes, reasoning that the tough approach takes away from the star value of a climb is pretty silly. With that type of reasoning then Eagle Dance, Levitation, Cloud Tower, anything on Mt. Wilson and many more Red Rock classic routes are lesser routes due to the effort required to reach them. I acutally think that the contrary is true. The harder that you have to work to get to a route, the more you appreciate the whole experience and more goes into earning the ascent. Either way I thought that Crimson was an excellent route and alot of fun.

I actually love the hike up to CC, but that's probably because I was a power hiker/scrambler in RR for years, before I was a climber. It's a beautiful hike but can be considered a pain with a heavy pack on, with a foot race to the base. My first time it was an epic, the second time we did CC, it went as smooth as butter; beautiful day, and no problem with rope snags. It's a great classic route!

Personally, I loved the route. Great fun even when it's cold. From our little jaunt...

http://fishproducts.com/crimson/index.html

~Susan

Wow....!!! Just "shows to go you" that people have different perspectives. Although there were a few too many bolts, and the belays are not necessarily in the best locations (and many of them are not comfortable), I found: 1) the approach, while long, was not unpleasant, 2) that there were a few (perhaps two or three) 5.9 moves, 3) the exposure awesome, 4) no problems with pulling the ropes on the raps, and 5) the climbing fun and unique. Cold weather kept us (fun day with jodie and Marcy; thanks ladies!) from finishing the climb, though. I will definitely return to CC!

we were the first party on the climb, and glad to get there early! there were multiple parties that arrived within a half hour. we only made it to the top of pitch 5 due to cold and blustery winds, but if the final pitches are as good as the first five - this is my favorite climb at RRs thus far! plan to do this one again....and finish it.

Regarding my whining post about the approach... okay, I admit that a climb's approach shouldn't influence it's rating. I was tired, frustrated by the other groups we had to rap through, and by the hike out in the dark. The climbing itself was great. I could see the belay stations as not being as bad as I described if you didn't have to stay there long (it was my partner's third multi-pitch, and thus slow climbing and transitions). The exposure is awesome, and the summit rewarding. Okay, fine... it's a classic! I just wish my day had been better. =)

MM

In my opinion, Chrimson Chrysalis is fun but not the best route ever. If you go in expecting a fun climb, you will probably enjoy it. If you go in expecting the best classic of all time, you will probably be disappointed.

Another vote for absolutely classic. You don't get 1000 foot tall 5.8's any steeper than this. And surprisingly mellow for a nine pitch climb. Just make sure you're first in the long line, but isn't that the case with almost every absolute classic 5.8 in the country? Now, for all you player haters out there... you want to get away from lines just hop on the Cloud Tower instead! :)

I enjoyed this route, but I don't think it was as great as everyone makes it out to be. The formation and line are sweet, but the climbing is a little too repititive for my taste. Unbelievably, when we showed up on a Saturday only 1 other party was there. We followed them for a couple pitches, then they were cool enough to let us pass. Thanks guys. Some of those belays are poorly placed as mentioned before. I can't imagine hanging out at some of those belays with other parties. Anyone have any idea why they were put there - ease of rope pull, using 50m ropes at the time?

While this is a great climb, you have to wonder: why all the bolts??? Seriously, they are everywhere, right next to excellent placements.

IF you are really solid at the grade then you don't really even need a rack. Maybe a set of nuts or some Tricams at most. We did it in 5 long pitches with a 70m rope and a tiny bit of simul-climbing, placing only 2 pieces of pro. This, like many Red Rocks moderates, is a great climb to just cruise on. If parties are ahead of you, there are some variations to pass without disturbing them.

Hey Mike,

I agree about the bolts but I guess this is a perfect example of don't clip them if you don't want to. Or.........skip the rack. Read our TR a few comments up..... no gear was placed.

Any way you do it, it's a nice line with fun bomber rock. Enjoy!

Susan

My brother and I had a great experience on this climb...perhaps do to the fact that we had the rare and pristine 1st party experience. I personally liked the third pitch the most, although, toward the end of the first pitch, if you avoid easy moves up the shallow right corner and climb a vertical hand bar feature with a sequence of about three moves (hands and foot smears) directly to the anchors, it's actually quite spicy...making the 1st pitch significantly harder than 5.7 climbing. I recommend this variation if you want to put some zest in the easy breakfast pitch. There are a lot of bolts and bomber features on the route, so I recommend a single rack up to #3 Camelot with maybe some doubles in the smaller pieces. I don't think we placed a single nut...but bring a nut tool...it came in handy as one of our ropes got snagged on the descent. It wasn't a bad descent, but our ropes were new and one of them developed a random kink in the wrong spot, as we've all experienced. Salute.

Quality route, not as "overbolted" as some previous comments may suggest, except in one location on one of the upper pitches. I am a sold 5.10 trad climber and placed at least a couple pieces on most of the pitches. I only mention this because I dont want other climbers to be lured into a false sense that they can leave their racks at home!
As for the popularity of this one goes, I dont know what all the fuss is about. It was a three star, maybe three and a half star, route, but not four. It appears this routes popularity is keeping parties away. Ive been in Juniper Canyon four times in the last 6 weeks and never saw more than 2 parties on this climb. Sunday when I climbed it, there was only one other party on the route...and it was a beautiful day.