Best Guidebook and rack for Red Rocks

Looking for the best guidebook. Something that covers Sport Routes, TR and Trad Lines. Will mostly be doing Sport with some TR and want to attempt Solar Slab. Will be climbing easier stuff up to 5.7 maybe 8 on sport. Less on trad depending on how it goes.

What are some good easier trad lines?

What is the best guidebook that explains the pitches and most of all rappel points and or walkoffs.

Also, What is the best trad rack for that area? My current rack is full C4 rack (minus # 6) doubles in mid range (.5,.75,1 - will be getting second #2) and C3s (#2, 1, and 0)
What should I double up on. Will be climbing easy trad routes.

Planning to go in mid march or so

Thanks

Roman

Click me - or look in the FAQ thread that is sticky'd for this forum

I did google, however i wanted to know what people prefer and consider to be the standard must have book for Red Rocks. That I did not find. They all claim to be the best. I might have to purchase two books.

The guidebook question, as noted in the wonderfully sarcastic post above, has been well documented on this site. The summary of all this is that you should get Jerry Handren's "Red Rocks, A Climber's Guide." It is, in general, a superb guidebook that is vastly better than any of the other options. If you want to boulder, get Tom Moulin's "Southern Nevada Bouldering." There are many other guidebooks out there in addition to these two, but the others are inferior.

As to rack, what you have is fine for most easy Red Rocks trad routes...and many of the hard routes too. One of my favorite things about Red Rocks is that on most routes you can get away with a really light rack. Many of the trad routes have a fair number of bolts. Also, it is rare to need many pieces of one size (with some notable exceptions...but not in the grade range you are probably looking at). The one thing you don't mention is stoppers. The plated varnish at Red Rocks eats passive gear; it is incredible. It is a great place to force yourself to become less cam-reliant, and to use more nuts. Even hexes seem to work well there. Going out and climbing a long easy route in Red Rocks with only a light passive rack (a set of nuts, 4-5 hexes) can be a really fun adventure.

A basic Red Rocks trad rack might include a single set of cams from small to a #2 camalot. Also 1.5 sets of nuts (with the doubles in the useful middle sizes), plus a couple of RPs. Plenty of slings for wandering pitches. That is really all you need for most routes; on some specific routes where there are a fair number of bolts, you can get by with even less. Larger cams and multiples of one size are often unnecessary, unless the guidebook specifically notes that the route has wide cracks (bring big cams), or a sustained splitter at one size.

There are a number of routes out there that you can't rap off of with one 60 m rope. Two 60s are often required to rap, although sometimes you can get by with one 70 or 80. Also, many routes (like Solar Slab) give you the option to either rap or walk off. Taking a single rope and walking off will let you go lighter, but it increases the commitment factor. If taking two ropes, look in to a system with skinny half ropes, or a lead line and a super-thin tag line. Don't be that idiot gumby trying to climb Solar Slab while weighed down by two 10.5 mm ropes.

Roman,

I think for what you are looking for, purchasing two guidebooks does make good sense. The first to purchase is Jason Martin's guide book, Fun Climbs Red Rock. This book is written for pretty much exactly what you are looking for - moderate multi-pitch lines, the best top ropes, and fun sport climbs. It is written from the perspective of someone new to Red Rock and gives great beta.

The second book to get, would be the Jerry Handren book. It is in color, is much more comprehensive, and more or less the standard here. In time (likely two or three road trips), you will run out of climbs in Jason Martin's book, and will look to the Handren as your daily resource for climbing in Red Rock.

Full disclaimer, I work for Jason Martin - however I truly believe his book is what you are currently asking for.

Handren's guide

C4 doubles up to 3, one 4, lots o slings

solar slab/black Orpheus descent can be done with a single 60m off the backside. i hate raps at red rocks, always get the ropes stuck, try to avoid rapping when i can. make sure you tie your EDK!

Nobody seems to like the supertopo but it served me well for many road trips, back before I lived here. It has lots of info and enough routes to keep you busy for a while.

The lack of topos and R ratings make the Handren guide less user friendly for someone new to the area who is looking for easier casual climbs. More than once I've had out of town visitors flipping through my copy say some thing like, "Hey, Rock Warrior looks like a neat climb for tomorrow." Obviously they can read the description or go on MP but it's still a pain for someone looking through a thick guide book to a new area.

I'm not familiar with the Martin guide but that might be a good option as well. I think a smaller more detailed guide is the way to go for someone in Roman's spot.

As others have said, gear placement are quite diverse on most routes and you can often make do with whichever sizes you happen to have. A single 70m rope will get you down from a lot of climbs.

Thanks guys. I will purchase the books.

As far as ropes go, I will be using two ropes or buy a new single 70M.

Most likely use a 60m 10.5 lead line i currently have, and buy another rope, probobly something like 60m 9.5 to use as a second rope for rappels or as a tagline for rappels.

Thanks guys.

Roman

I recently did solar slab -- some mistakes I made you should probably avoid:

- Don't climb the solar slab gully route as the approach. It sucks. Climb Johnny Vegas or one of the other routes that get you to the start.
- Don't rappel the route as the descent. Take the black Orpheus rappels. Not only is rapping the route a lot of rappels but there is a lot of stuff for your rope to get stuck on.
- Don't get confused when you finish the climb and it looks like there is still a bunch of third class stuff all around you. That's the top. You can coil the rope and enjoy.

Oh and your rack is fine for solar slab. I didn't bring RPs or anything out of the ordinary. Doubles might be overkill but it's up to you.

VaGenius wrote:I always tie an EDK when rapping with a single 60. What's the number for rock and Resole again?

I always do too. It's just safer, you know?

For SOLAR SLAB: The guidebook doesn't seem to mention, if the belays are bolted or gear? Just curious, are all belays bolted? are some of them gear?

Also, if we don't end up finishing the route or end up bailing, we will be rappelling the route (which im assuming is the same way we went up) I know many people rappel at end of pitch 5(I think this is the money pitch - with a beautiful crack) but either way have to keep that in mind in case we don't get to the top to use the Black Orpheous rappel.

Thank you everyone!!!

Roman

Aaron S wrote: The lack of topos and R ratings make the Handren guide less user friendly for someone new to the area who is looking for easier casual climbs. More than once I've had out of town visitors flipping through my copy say some thing like, "Hey, Rock Warrior looks like a neat climb for tomorrow."

I think you have to understand the understated nature of climbers from across the pond in order to appreciate some of Handren's descriptions.
If he suggests a climb is the least bit sketchy, watch out!

This thread answered a lot of my "best guidebook" questions. Myself and two others are headin out Nov 7-9. One of us has been before. Any locals up for linkin up out there?

Can I really get by with a single 70 on most climbs? I have two, but hauling one is no fun. Say I bail early from Ginger Cracks or do some of the other lines in that area...will a single 70 reach?

Depends on the routes. Buy the guidebook, look at the MP beta, and figure out relative to your tick list what rope config will work.

Handren's second edition is out. Wanted to make sure it was referenced in this thread:

redrocksguidebook.com/conta…

I like topping out routes in Red Rocks whenever it makes sense to avoid the rappels (triassic sands). But if you're heading into any of the popular canyons on a weekend carry two ropes as there will be crowds and more often than not the raps are setup for doubles.

redrocksguidebook.com/
I glanced at this breifly last year and noticed the photos didn't have information such as bolted anchors or trad anchors needed etc.  Am I wrong?

Would this gb have the same issue?  Where I am, we don't have both books so I can't really decide which to get
https://www.amazon.ca/Best-Climbs-Rocks-Jason-Martin/dp/1493019635/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538239293&sr=8-1&keywords=climbing+red+rock

John Wilder wrote:

The Handren guide does specifiy bolted vs gear anchors, but you do have to read the route descriptions- Jerry believes you should read the full description to understand the route- whether it's run out, bolted anchors, etc are all discussed in the details, not the highlights.

Wait, you have to actually read the guidebook to know what's in it? That's an outrage!

is there no app for treks and things?