Why do people like climbing at Red Rocks?

Beer-Muscled Has-Been wrote:

When are you going to name some specific routes?

I originally asked because I actually wanted some suggestions, and specific routes what? I said I'm going for the first time next month? Wanna know what were we're looking at? inti watana into resolution, wild mountain woman, might try to simul most of epi if it's not too much of a shit show that week. 

TIL that people are very defensive about the word on the street being that red rocks is soft if they enjoy climbing there.

You could repeat the 5.9 Blake put up, blood on the tracks. I have yet to climb it but I bet it is solid for the grade and also bet you won't see another party on it. However, with this being your first time in RR the approach and descent might be the crux. 

Russ B wrote:
TIL that people are very defensive about the word on the street being that red rocks is soft if they enjoy climbing there.

Nobody was being defensive, they were laughing at your comparison to LCC.

Which is totally understandable, because it was hilarious.

Russ B wrote:

I originally asked because I actually wanted some suggestions, and specific routes what? I said I'm going for the first time next month? Wanna know what were we're looking at? inti watana into resolution, wild mountain woman, might try to simul most of epi if it's not too much of a shit show that week. 

TIL that people are very defensive about the word on the street being that red rocks is soft if they enjoy climbing there.

Inti Watana is good.

Marc801 C wrote: “Local”, not “yokel”. And compared to other granite areas, really kind of meh, both from a rock quality and topologic standpoint. 

Thanks for the english correction Marc. Having lived in LCC for about ten years (while climbing an easy 100 days a year in LCC) I'd have to assume you are bored with doing the same old routes? I could do another 10 years there and still do a new route once a week. I'd probably still be there if the air wasnt brown half the year.

Vegas... I could do a year max. Climbing is world class but the environment/vibe of the city itself is world class weird. 

m Mobes wrote:

Having lived in LCC for about ten years (while climbing an easy 100 days a year in LCC) I'd have to assume you are bored with doing the same old routes? 

TBH, 95% of my climbing now is sport. After 45 years in the game, I'm not really fascinated with placing gear anymore! And I just don't like the often gritty nature of LCC granite.

Vegas... I could do a year max. Climbing is world class but the environment/vibe of the city itself is world class weird. 

Agreed. I could never live in Vegas. Too far from my preferred skiing as well.

Marc801 C wrote: TBH, 95% of my climbing now is sport. After 45 years in the game, I'm not really fascinated with placing gear anymore! And I just don't like the often gritty nature of LCC granite.

I'm not sure what "being fascinated with placing gear" means. To me a good line is a good line whether on bolts or gear or a pad. I'd take the top 10 lines in LCC and put them up against any granite area as far as quality goes.

m Mobes wrote:

I'm not sure what "being fascinated with placing gear" means.

Just slagging the newbie trad leaders who suffer from excessively/obsessively playing with gear. You know, the folks who post photos to the "rack envy" thread or the gear storage thread.

 To me a good line is a good line whether on bolts or gear or a pad.

Yes, of course.

 I'd take the top 10 lines in LCC and put them up against any granite area as far as quality goes.

Sure. That leaves an awful lot of other routes.

m Mobes wrote:

I'm not sure what "being fascinated with placing gear" means. To me a good line is a good line whether on bolts or gear or a pad. I'd take the top 10 lines in LCC and put them up against any granite area as far as quality goes.

They are photogenic for sure, not had the pleasure.

m Mobes wrote:

I'm not sure what "being fascinated with placing gear" means. To me a good line is a good line whether on bolts or gear or a pad. I'd take the top 10 lines in LCC and put them up against any granite area as far as quality goes.

That’s the thing ... LCC has a handful of great lines and a life time of potato chip, leaning, butt crack trash. Compared to somewhere like CoR, Yosemite, or Squamish, we just don’t stack up. It’s a great backyard playground but that’s about it. This is way off topic now. 

Buck Rio wrote:

It is in the middle of a desert...people weren't meant to live in the desert, at least not in the numbers that are there.

I absolutely agree, but didn't build the city.  It was here when I arrived.  [again, same for SLC, LA, Phoenix, etc]

I'm sure as hell not going to pass up the opportunity to climb for a decade or two, pretty much at will, on great rock and long routes.  I did my time back East, missing days and weeks and months each year to foul weather.  I tell people who ask -- if you're serious about climbing, move West.  Otherwise, expect (sometimes heartbreaking) compromise.

Todd Berlier wrote:

A old friend who moved to vegas a few years ago for the climbing said, " the only regret I have about moving to vegas was not doing it sooner."

That was me, but I'm not sure I know you.  lol

Yeah, Vegas as a city sucks.  But luckily only 1/3 of the people (2M) live there(640k).  
There's a whole lot that isn't the strip.  And Boulder has more than CU too.

Tony B wrote: Yeah, Vegas as a city sucks.  But luckily only 1/3 of the people (2M) live there(640k).  
There's a whole lot that isn't the strip.  And Boulder has more than CU too.

The Front Range is my preferred playground vs. LV. But Boulder has gone through some unwelcome changes, like junkies living in wilderness areas. 

Twenty years ago you could climb Dome rock on the weekend without even waiting in line.

Dear Californians and those putting the "rad" in Colorado,

Please stay where you are.  Vegas sucks.  Shitter's full.  Too damn hot here and too many people to be environmentally sustainable.  Pat yourself on the back and crawl back to where you came.

Good fucking God I love climbing, but climbers are insufferable.

Weston L wrote: Dear Californians and those putting the "rad" in Colorado,

Please stay where you are.  Vegas sucks.  Shitter's full.  Too damn hot here and too many people to be environmentally sustainable.  Pat yourself on the back and crawl back to where you came.

Good fucking God I love climbing, but climbers are insufferable.

Pot calling the kettle black. 

Just for you, Weston. Okay, just for all of us:

Buck Rio wrote:

The Front Range is my preferred playground vs. LV. But Boulder has gone through some unwelcome changes, like junkies living in wilderness areas. 

Twenty years ago you could climb Dome rock on the weekend without even waiting in line.

I don't know about that; while the number of climbers in Boulder / Colo. Front Range has increased hugely, I see most of the increase in gyms and sport climbs.   The popular "oldies" (from my perspective as someone who started climbing here in the early/mid 90s) don't seem that much more crowded (maybe somewhat).  Some things, like bouldering on Flagstaff, seem less crowded.

A little example to illustrate this point:  in the "old days" (for me), toproping the Brick Wall in BoCan seemed at least relatively common.   Now, I rarely see anyone it; I presume people now prefer to get on the hundreds of moderate sport climbs that didn't exist in the old days.

Also, there used to be more places somewhat close to Boulder to camp (example, South St. Vrain Canyon), and at least some of the campers seemed to be, shall we say, people, experiencing homelessness.

But I'm just sort of quibbling:  obviously the population has grown hugely here, traffic is much worse, parking at trailheads is much worse, and overcrowding is a real problem.

Tony B wrote: Yeah, Vegas as a city sucks.  But luckily only 1/3 of the people (2M) live there(640k).  
There's a whole lot that isn't the strip.  And Boulder has more than CU too.

Vegas as a city sucks and there's a whole lot that isn't the strip? Well did you know that the strip isn't in vegas? 

Personally I think vegas as a city is doing some cool things. Has anyone been around main street, the arts district? See what they're doing on 3rd street? Its gonna be really nice down there. The city itself is coming around. 

Ashort wrote:

Personally I think vegas as a city is doing some cool things. Has anyone been around main street, the arts district? See what they're doing on 3rd street? Its gonna be really nice down there. The city itself is coming around. 

Some of the "hate" is spillover from the obscenity of the strip / gambling culture.  Water waste stood out to me when I was there.  Why are there so many golf courses in the desert? That makes no sense. Why is my mothers water bill in Phoenix less than mine, when MN has much more water.