Calico Basin Red Rocks

Looks great! Can't wait to be there next week. Hope to find some sporty climbs to try around Calico Hills area as I only have the 'stupid' guidebook with little information in it.

WC, I can only say if you can lead 5.7 to 5.8 trad you MUST do Classic Crack of Calico (5.8) and Pysical Graffiti (5.7). Physical Graffiti is one pitch of 5.6 followed by an amazing long hand crack at 5.7. But, there are bolts for the first belay on a nice ledge and the pro is great. The final pitch is a full rope length so bring a lot of hand size pro. Classic crack is a little more physical with every size crack and again a very long pitch. You can escape to easy ground about 2/3 of the way up but that avoids the fun part.

Go to MountainProject.com and rockclimbing.com for info on the routes. Look in my pictures for some shots of Nat on Classic Crack. I will post more of Physical Graffiti later in this thread.

didn't a new red rocks guide just come out? its supposed to be great.

Little did I know of its title or author. I just bought the only one I found listed from a climbing websource, and it has no sport routes, nothing about all the routes around Calico Hills. Wasted 30 bucks on this book and I leave in 4 days.

heres the new one:

http://www.redrocksguidebook.com/purchase-red-rock-guide.html

I'm sure you can find it at desert rock (http://desertrocksportslv.com/)

I know some of the guys who put the latest book together spent a lot of time on it. I'm definitely going to get a copy. From what I've been told, the author has actually climbed about 80% of the routes in the book, so most of the beta is from first hand experience. He also tried to include a lot of the latest routes, the ones that you won't find in the Swain or the Brock guidebook.

Like Steve said, you can order it online, or grab a copy at Desert Rock Sports on W Charleston. It's probably about 15 minutes from the entrance of Red Rocks, so worth the detour. It's also right next to Red Rocks Climbing Center, which is an awesome gym in case you get rained out. If you go, tell Todd I said hey.

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http://www.paradoxsports.org
http://vegas.smugmug.com
http://www.coloradospringsrockratz.com

that is amazing.

WC

Forgot to mention that there are a bunch of sport climbs in Calico Hills that you'll have fun on. The uber classic Caustic is an awesome 5.11b with tons of exposure. Great climb, may be one of my favorites at Red Rocks. There are also a lot of great routes right around Cannibal Crag. If you go up into the canyon, there are tons of routes and bouldering all along the canyon walls. If you got noobies, at the back of the canyon is a place called Cut Your Teeth Crag that my friend bolted. 5.6-5.9 sport routes. Bolted very well to keep the most novice leader feeling safe.

There's tons more out there that I haven't checked out. If you want good beta, I can try to find some of the locals out there that would love to climb with you.

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http://www.paradoxsports.org
http://vegas.smugmug.com
http://www.coloradospringsrockratz.com

DUDE! I can't wait for March!!

I hope to get a good preview in now, and return for the fest in March next year.

If you are talking about the Red Rocks Rendezvous, I think it's in April. But, regardless, it would be great for a bunch of YC people to meet up and maybe do a route or two.

And as promised some pictures of Physical Graffiti. The first is another party on the balay ledge (you come up the left hand crack to the ledge) but it shows both pitches beautifully. The next is Nat following me up the fantastic second pitch hand crack. Oh, and it is a walk off from the top.

I'm going (well, planning on it) in March during Spring break. 2nd week I think??

yeah, I meant the rendevous. forget when it is, thought it was in late March. No calendar on my desk yet for '08.

seems like it was late march last year. and seems like it was hard to get beta on the event. they didnt have a website like the hcr24.

Very end of March, you're right. http://www.redrockrendezvous.com/