Why do people like climbing at Red Rocks?

I completely disagree with the posters above who don't think Red Rocks is a great climbing destination.  

I first went there in in the early 90s and last went two years ago.  The park, and the approaches to the climbs are gorgeous and the routes are fun and plentiful.  The are plenty of excellent sport, trad, and mixed climbs, including short walks from the road and true wilderness climbs. The look and colors of the rock can be striking - even psychedelic.  And I agree with the two posters who recommended "Unimpeachable Groping" (5.10, 7 pitches sport) - its great!

Although its true that what had been an isolated desert wilderness is now surrounded by suburbs and can get quite crowded, climb during the week and its absolutely fine.

I've climbed around the world, and RR measures up as an international destination.

Russ B wrote:

Like what? I'm visiting next month and I heard you guys got "5.9" that we call 4th class here in little cottonwood. 

I'm a Salt Lake City climber headed to LCC in a few minutes hoping the rain holds, but dear God... LCC and Red Rocks aren't even in the same arena. Red Rocks is world class sandstone multi-pitch and LCC is a two-star local crag with a few good cracks and a lifetime of dirty slabs. Get off the high horse. 

crag cat wrote: 2 words:
SOFT GRADES

Check out some Richard Harrison routes at RR and then complain about soft grades.

C Archibolt wrote:

I'm a Salt Lake City climber headed to LCC in a few minutes hoping the rain holds, but dear God... LCC and Red Rocks aren't even in the same arena. Red Rocks is world class sandstone multi-pitch and LCC is a two-star local crag with a few good cracks and a lifetime of dirty slabs. Get off the high horse. 

Mostly agree, next time in SLC will be for 20 minutes in the car while passing through to City of Rocks or the Tetons.  Our one trip that included SLC quickly removed it from our list of potential Western move destinations.  We fell on Vegas because it was central [Northern AZ, Sierras, cheap flights to Northwest coast destinations] with Red Rock in our backyard.  No regrets in the year+.

To echo a few prior posts... the sport climbing is on featureless rock, anything with cracks remains trad/mixed.  So the sport climbing is generally the same wall to wall, with some exception when you go up in grades.  Mt Charleston (limestone) likewise is mostly the same climbing at the lower grades, some variation (roofs, overhangs) the harder you climb.

Trad is fun, lots of quality lines.  There's probably hundreds more deep back in some of the canyons where few people are willing to lug trad gear/explore.  For someone willing and daring, there's a lifetime of FAs still to be found in Red Rock.  There's some fairly stout moderates in Red Rock.  Most people cite the same, tired, 'classic' (and over climbed) set of routes.  There's about as many featherbagged routes as anyplace else with thousands of climbs.  The easier ones tend to get climbed the most as ticks, due to tourists (myself included) looking for a safe and easy introduction to climbing sandstone the one time a year on vacation.

Russ B wrote:

Like what? I'm visiting next month and I heard you guys got "5.9" that we call 4th class here in little cottonwood. 

Don't be one of those gumbies that ropes up on 4th class...

Looking forward to pics of your Epinephrine solo!

Long Ranger wrote:

*looks outside window* 

Flatirons?

Ah, that's a good one, and I even live in the area. I would still say that the respective quality of every style is at a higher level at Red Rocks, plus with multiple times the number of routes.

Russ B wrote:

Like what? I'm visiting next month and I heard you guys got "5.9" that we call 4th class here in little cottonwood. 

Who even differentiates between 4th class and 5.9? geez, scrubs all y'all!

hifno wrote:

Ah, that's a good one, and I even live in the area. I would still say that the respective quality of every style is at a higher level at Red Rocks, plus with multiple times the number of routes.

Rent's cheaper too, although gentrification is in full force in las vegas as well... so not sure for how much longer this will be true.

lots of good points above......

one of my favorite places. excellent climbing, scenery, etc, and lots of other world class areas within an 8 hour drive. red rocks was my first go to back in the day, as you could get round trip air, 3 days and 2 nights in a hotel/casino, 20 dollar voucher, tickets for a few free meals, and a free rental car for a day, all for about 199 to 230. me and my buddy would get to the airport, schmooze the chick at the gate to extend our return trip a couple weeks later for free, then at the car rental we would extend that the whole trip, spend a few days climbing red rocks then head to the sierras east side, bishop area, tahoe, yosemite, or j tree, etc. you can do so much from red rocks. shits more expensive today and i havent checked the airfares and hotel stays in vegas in a long time, but its worth a shot.

oh yeah, and the hookers too.....

Dave K wrote:When I go to Red Rock, I bring an RV and camp at one of the surprisingly few RV campgrounds in Vegas. But most climbers don't have that option.

The Oasis is like my second home!  Been taking my Winnebago there for 15 years. 
OP: find a partner with gear. Those long trad routes are magical. It’s a gorgeous place. 

I love the sandstone at most areas of Red Rock.
As a poster said above about soft grades try one of Richard H's routes
In his last years he hobbled around on flat ground but when He got on the rock it was like Vertical Ballet.
Richard was a good Friend, and a GREAT climber!
RIP Richard, you left this world too early!

Wyatt Losee wrote: I've never climbed at Red Rocks before and will be climbing there for the first time next month! I have heard a lot of hype about the area from the climbing community, and am curious to hear all of your thoughts about it. I'm not really sure what to expect of the climbing there and thought this would be a good way to learn more about it and get even more excited!

* I know RR is a trad climber's paradise, but at this point I am too broke to own any trad gear and would especially appreciate opinions of the sport climbing/multi pitch scene there.

Why do you like climbing at Red Rocks?

* Just a thought: Red Rocks must be pretty awesome if Alex Honnold and a handful of other pros picked Las Vegas as a residence to have RR be in their backyard haha!  

If I'm honest, I'd rather go to Red River Gorge if my target were single pitch sport climbs.
What is great about red rocks are the long climbs, most of which require some trad gear.

The solitude that can be found so close to a city of 2 million.

Russ B wrote:

Like what? I'm visiting next month and I heard you guys got "5.9" that we call 4th class here in little cottonwood. 

Plenty of  very slick 5.13 trad covered in bolts.  Hahahhaha

Red Rock is just pretty looking choss.  Nothing worthwhile to climb here.  I should've stayed in Virginia and kept doing some REAL climbing at Carderock.

bkozak wrote: Red Rock is just pretty looking choss.  Nothing worthwhile to climb here.  I should've stayed in Virginia and kept doing some REAL climbing at Carderock.

Pshhh Elizabeth Furnace or GTFO 

Kevin Heckeler wrote:

Mostly agree, next time in SLC will be for 20 minutes in the car while passing through to City of Rocks or the Tetons.  Our one trip that included SLC quickly removed it from our list of potential Western move destinations.  We fell on Vegas because it was central [Northern AZ, Sierras, cheap flights to Northwest coast destinations] with Red Rock in our backyard.  No regrets in the year+.

Let’s be clear, Red Rocks is great. Vegas is a contender for the most repugnant city in the US. With 2 million people and no water, it’s an environmental atrocity, not to mention a moral wasteland where every hideous facet of capitalism is painted gold and sold to fat drunk hobby-less midwesterners. 

C Archibolt wrote: Let’s be clear, Red Rocks is great. Vegas is a contender for the most repugnant city in the US. With 2 million people and no water, it’s an environmental atrocity, not to mention a moral wasteland where every hideous facet of capitalism is painted gold and sold to fat drunk hobby-less midwesterners. 

Basically actuate

Dont forgot the Californians who cant hack it in socal getting cheap botox here. 

caughtinside wrote:

There is worthwhile stuff in RR, but looking at your ticks I’d say you have yet to find it. 

C Archibolt wrote:
Let’s be clear, Red Rocks is great. Vegas is a contender for the most repugnant city in the US. With 2 million people and no water, it’s an environmental atrocity, not to mention a moral wasteland where every hideous facet of capitalism is painted gold and sold to fat drunk hobby-less midwesterners. 

Oh yeah, plenty of undesirables here.  But on the West side of town it's becoming Boulder West.  I've been here for more than a year.  Been on the strip once for a hockey game.  Next plan to go to the strip... yup, another hockey game.  Take what you need from life, leave the rest.  Assumptions don't do much good.   I just assume all people living in the rich parts of town are selfish assholes, so I guess what comes around...

There's not much water for SLC, Phoenix, or LA either.  The entire Western US is severely water deficient for such population densities.  The entire urban West, technically, is an "environmental atrocity".  LA being the epicenter, literally stealing their water to exist.  And as it gets warmer each year and droughts longer water is going to become an even more critical issue.  For everyone out West.

So check that condescension and recognize you aint no saint, either.  ;)

“Second to Nevada, Utah is the driest state in the nation and climate change is not something that we can deny."

According to Baker, Utah’s water consumption is among the highest in the nation, as 160-170 gallons of water are used per person each day, mostly to support agricultural industries. She added that Utahns pay less than a penny per gallon, making it the second-lowest water per gallon rate in the nation.

https://www.deseret.com/2019/6/23/20676273/can-utah-s-water-supply-keep-up-with-its-booming-population