What would you consider to be red rocks quickest classic route to climb taking into consideration the approach, ease of climbing, descent and probability of waiting in line to get on the route?

Tunnel Vision

Cat in the Hat at 5.6 is a good route to start on
Good gear placements and the approach is pretty straightforward - takes about 1/2 hour on a good trail.

I like Birdland as well... good approach and solid 5 pitch 5.7

Just my .02

+1 Physical - Plus there is that 3 pitch 5.9 next door that rocks!

If you decide to do birdland or cat in the hat I would recommend going to Straight Shooter (www.mountainproject.com/v/straight-shooter/105732428) and Topless Twins (www.mountainproject.com/v/topless-twins/105732362) on the way there or back.

If CITH has a line jump on Cookie Monster (www.mountainproject.com/v/cookie-monster/105732773) and connect to CITH (3rd pitch).

Probably Cookie Monster to Cat if you are efficient- there will be no one on Cookie (which is better than the start of Cat anyway), and if you're fast, you'll beat the slower parties to the base of the good pitches of Cat. Rap with a single 70m and you're down and out super quick.

Tunnelvision...the problem there is the lines- you're going to bump into parties on a weekend when the weather is nice enough to do the route comfortably. I once was on it with 15 other people. That sucked.

Agree with Cookie Monster to CITH in RR. Very cruiser if accustomed to multi- pitches.

CITH is as crowded than Tunnel Vision. But Tunnel Vision has many alternatives, hell, anything on the Angel Food Wall is pretty good and similar. I have heard good things about Cookie Monster though.

Plus, CITH descent is back down the route, on top of other climbers. Tunnel Vision has a nice quick walk off. Purblind Pillar, next door, is less well-known, but longer and at least as good as Tunnel Vision.

Y2K would be a good quick hit, but maybe not "classic".

Physical Graffiti is great fun, but short by RR standards.

A great day would be to hit Lotta Balls and Black Magic in First Creek. Lots of stellar 5.8, the approach isn't awful.

Frigid Air Buttress is my favorite climb at RR. Pretty long climb, great ledges, short approach, no crowds. But it gets no sun right now and the descent is not straightforward.

Geronimo is another candidate, but you WILL get your ropes stuck on the descent. And the approach is medium-length.

Ragged Edges has no approach, and is classic, and has fun stuff around. Pretty short and popular though. Step up from Physical Graffiti.

Ragged Edges for sure. Five minute approach.

@ Jeff- yeah, but the ledges on Cat are enormous, and working around upward bound parties on the descent is no biggie, as the raps themselves (for the most part) dont really interfere with the climbing- both with anchors and line of rappel.

Olive Oil is awesome, less crowded than Cat in the Hat, and has a very fast walkoff not requiring any raps.

Frigid Air Buttress. An underrated classic in my opinion. Approach: 25 minutes. 9 Pitches of varied and quality climbing. Somewhat tricky descent but it's all worth it. No lines to wait in.

. . . .or lady wilson's cleavage. Mwhahahahaha

Karsten,

you forgot to mention The Red Throbber Spire, Mr. Natural of the Desert, and The Black Dagger.

(an extended pinkie meets the lip as a lone eyebrow raises to reveal a coy expression while the screams of my former assistants entangle the popping sounds of alligator jaws snapping shut in a song that only a Dr. of Evil could dance to.)



oh, and happy friday!


:-)


jon

If Crowds aren't an issue, I'll cast a vote for Birdlands.

Great Red Book would be where my vote goes. Shorter than many mentioned here, but aesthetic moves up an incredibly aesthetic feature. Pretty mellow climbing to boot.

Jon, I just don't know how you failed to remind Karston of the obvious choices of Blitzkrieg, and Mini master Corner...JK!

Dark Shadows. Mellow approach and even if there are parties on it, the wait is not usually too bad. Don't worry about people rapping over you too much like you do on Birdland and CITH. To avoid lines and have a plan B right next door, do either Lotta Balls or Black Magic. You won't be disappointed and they are out of the loop. It's easy to get them both done since the raps off the back are really quick and easy.