Where to find shade at Red Rock in May

I'll be in Vegas in mid-May from monday the 18th to friday the 22nd.

I want to spend at least one day climbing with my fiance but I'm a little worried about the potential of it being very hot.

She has a sun allergy and can't be in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time.

Are there any areas that are better for shade in may?
like a wall that faces west to climbing the morning and a wall that faces east for the afternoon?

we're also looking for moderate routes (trad or sport), 5.5 to 5.9 especially if they are longer multi pitch routes as we don't get a lot of those in MN.

thanks

olive oil..?

black corridor..?

Cat in the hat..?

necromancer wall..?

Cat in the Hat? Could be sunny and Hot!
Olive Oil? Could be sunny and Hot!

Dark Shadows
Black Corridor
Frogland
Necromancer

We did Ginger Cracks one mid-May and were in shade for the whole climb. The approach was a different story. You'll find good shade by either starting and finishing early (Ice Box Canyon/Necromancer, for example) or the opposite --- late start, late finish, in the shade. Temps downtown that GC day were around 105. You should do well.

Most of the climbs in the canyons will probably leave you exposed to the sun for at least 30-45 minutes of the approach, unless you were to start before sunrise. You could definitely time it so you climb things in the shade

Community Pillar
Dark Shadows
Crimson Chrysalis - probably gets some morning sun though
Physical Grafitti for a fun afternoon route

30 to 45 minutes of sun for an approach should be fine

we're planning on getting an early start (not before sunrise though) so morning sun usually isn't too bad. it's the late morning mid afternoon sun that hits your back and bounces off the wall and gets you from all sides.

I wish there were some more info on the direction that some of these climbs faced.

but I'll keep taking all of your suggestions and compiling them.
I'm just excited to get to climb at Red Rocks and I'm hoping this will be one of many times I get out there.

Despite the name, Dark Shadows gets morning sun. If you get started too early, you may end up waiting for the sun to pass. Fortunately, there is a nice pond and forest at the base. Maybe start walking around 9 or 10 (may be hot) and get started climbing around 11am. It's a climb not to be missed!

Black Velvet wall catches some morning sunthen shade for the rest of the day. Epinephrine, the top half is in the sun during the morning but the bottom half is shaded so it might be possible to time a climb to coincide with the top going into the shade. Frogland which is near Black Velvet wall shoudl be a good bet as well.

schwortz wrote:why dont you just do a nice long easy route...at night...

because she wants to go to Cirque De Sole :)
that is a good idea though, but I don't think that multi pitch night climbing would be her idea of fun.

We climbed down in AZ in the pheonix area a couple weeks ago and it was 80 with lots of sun the whole time and she did pretty well with how much sun there was so we should be fine as long as we play it smart and do our homework before heading out... which is exactly what I'm working on.

I appreciate all the suggestions and I'm adding them to my todo list.

keep it coming :)

Sonnabend wrote:I want to spend at least one day climbing with my fiance but I'm a little worried about the potential of it being very hot.

Am I the only person that thinks this is funny. Hopefully climbing with your fiance turns out to be really HOT.

fwiw, i've done tunnel vision in june. i think we started late morning and everything was shaded except for the belay at the top of the second pitch. but for the hike out in the afternoon it was a very nice day.

I've been to RR twice in May. It was too hot for me, but found the Black Corridor to be tolerable

Black Velvet will be perfect. I've climbed there when it was 110 degrees in Vegas and still needed a sweatshirt because of the cool breeze down the canyon. This was on Black Velvet proper... I'm not as sure about Frogland and those routes though.

We did Frogland in the dead of summer in 106 degrees, and we had lots of direct sun exposure on that route; and the walk off under the hot sun was miserable.

When I climbed Bourbon Street in mid-June we were in the sun for the entire climb. You might have more shade a month earlier, however.

Karsten wrote: Am I the only person that thinks this is funny. Hopefully climbing with your fiance turns out to be really HOT.

No, it is funny... but this is a serious forum... rock climbing isn't a laughing matter where jokes should be involved :)

I showed her the info on Tunnel vision and she was pretty stoked about that route. It sounds like it is pretty popular though and I know she would feel pressured if there was a line of people behind us and she felt like they were waiting for her... how busy is this route/area mid-week, like tuesday or wednesday?

Keep in mind that the average high for Vegas in May is only 88. Of course direct sunlight will be warm but both mornings and afternoons should be fine and it should still be great, if warm, climbing weather. At least, here in Phoenix it is. Wear SPF 100, carry much water, enjoy the desert.

Sonnabend wrote: ... how busy is this route/area mid-week, like tuesday or wednesday?

I've been on Angel Food Wall three times now, always on the weekend. I've never seen more than three other parties on the wall and never had to wait in line. I was there last Friday (during the Rendezvous) and saw two other parties. On a Tuesday or Wednesday you'll probably have the area to yourself.

I recently spoke with a friend of mine that is a guide and works at the gym I climb at in St Paul. He just climbed Tunnel Vision a few weeks ago and had a lot of good input to give on the route.

Based one talking with him I think we might let TV go until a future trip when both of us have a bit more multi-pitch experience.

So what do you guys think about the following routes:

Atras - Necromancer wall
Chamber of Secrets - The Rad Wall

These are shorter routes so I'm hoping we can work both of these in in one day or maybe one of these as well as some time in the Black Corridor.
From the description Atras faces NE so it would probably be a good afternoon climb. I couldn't find much about exposure for The Rad Wall but the climb sounds good and seems like it would be better for a less experienced multi-pitcher.

thoughts?

Sonnabend wrote:So what do you guys think about the following routes: Atras - Necromancer wall Chamber of Secrets - The Rad Wall ?

Atras is a pretty obscure Red Rock route and a bit of a sandbag at 5.8. It's probably 5.9. There's some rotten rock on the second pitch. Seems questionable to pass up Tunnelvision for Atras based on lack of experience. TV is a good rite of passage for any budding leader. Atras is a little more serious.

I've spend the entire month of June in Red Rocks (1995) climbing in the Black Velvet Canyon, primarily. The AM sun is tolerable where it hits, and in the PM, you get shade. As well, there are places like Icebox Canyon that have shade on one place or the other all day.