September 2015 photos

April 2025 photos

Third time climbing in Calico Basin

We spent the day cragging at Cannibal Crag, chasing shade and climbing first on the west side and then on the east side. It was quite crowded. We climbed 10 pitches each so it was a good mileage day. Our favorite routes we Caustic (5.11b) and Baseboy Direct (5.11a). The climbing was crimpy and of soft sandstone, not as good as the rock we had been climbing at The Gallery area the previous few days of climbing.

First time climbing in Calico Hills

Joanne and I spent the morning climbing High Scalin' (5.9, 3p). This route climbs a long, right-slanting crack up the center of Blister in the Sun. It was perfect temperatures, cloudy and 70. I had a great time catching up with Joanne and doing some climbing. So fun and good for the soul!

Second/third/fourth/fifth/sixth days climbing in Calico Hills

Nate and I were on a weeklong stretch of sport climbing between bigger objectives. For the first few days, we climbed up at the Wall of Confusion and The Gallery, one of the more popular and stacked areas of 5.11 and 5.12 climbs. A few good days of strength-building steep sport climbing!

We spent most of the first day projecting one of Red Rock's best 12a sport climbs, Fear and Loathing. Nate redpointed it on his third try (nice job!), and I went up it four times and figured out all of the moves bolt to bolt (thanks Nate for the encouragement to take falls and figure out the 12a on lead rather than wimp stick my way up it). We then finished the day with two 5.10c's, both of each leading both.

The second day I worked some more on Fear and Loathing, eventually getting it to one hang. We then finished the day on a 3-star 11c called Yaak Crack. I led it three times, but I had expended enough of myself on the 12a that I was unable to make a redpoint. We'll be back.

After a rest day we returned for our third day up at Wall of Confusion and The Gallery. I promptly redpointed Yaak Crack and Fear and Loathing. My first 12a redpoint! I attribute it to my lucky Snoopy & Woodstock socks. We then played around on a couple of hard 12's (Minstrel in the Gallery and Promises in the Dark) Nate had his eye on.

After checking out another area (Calico Basin) and being less impressed, we decided to return to The Gallery area. We climbed at The Gallery in the morning, and when the sun arrived we moved to Sweet Pain Wall, which receives afternoon shade.  I led 10 5.11 pitches (3x A Day in the Life, 3x Gridlock, 2x Sweet Pain, 1x Glitter Gulch, 1x The Gambler), onsighting a couple of 11a's and redpointing an 11d. Must be the lucky socks. Nate played around on a 12c at The Gallery and blasted up the rest of the 5.11 pitches. It was another great day of climbing!

We were nearing the end of our three weeks in Red Rocks. We planned to do one more day of sport climbing, and then cap off the trip with a big route. We decided to do another Gallery + Sweet Pain Wall day. Another day of 5.11 redpoints and onsights for me, exciting.

Ice Box Canyon Hike (Red Rocks)

The trail takes you through a cool, shady box canyon with seasonal waterfalls (December-April) in the heart of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Hiked this with my parents when I met up with them for a day during a climbing road trip. Photos from this hike are on my Red Rocks March 2019 trip report. I hiked this again in April 2025.

North Peak Hike (Red Rocks)

One of the more strenuous mountain trails, this hike takes you through a pinyon-juniper forest and brings you to the top of the Red Rock Escarpment. After cragging with Joanne and Sherri and Diane for a few hours (see previous section for Willow Springs), I hiked up to the top of North Peak (~12 miles, 2700' gain/loss). This hike starts from Willow Springs so it was a convenient choice. I parked about a mile up the dirt road from Willow Springs (as far as my non-jeep could make it) and hiked the rest, making a lollipop loop by ascending via a trail that cuts off the road and descending the road. I had a slightly longer hike than expected since I mistook Bridge Mountain for North Peak (it just looked cooler) and would have summited that one too if I hadn't felt I was running low on time if I did. I enjoyed this hike through Red Rocks backcountry. (I hiked to the top of Bridge Mountain later during this same trip.) Below are some photos from my hike up North Peak.

Turtlehead Peak Hike (Red Rocks)

This hike features sweeping views from a choice Red Rock Canyon peak. An enjoyable morning hike on a rest day between cragging 5.12 and climbing something big.

Calico Tanks Hike (Red Rocks)

After Turtlehead Peak, I hiked the Calico Tanks trail. This scurry over jumbled sandstone leads to a hidden water pocket and a great view of Las Vegas. Wanting to get my rest day started soon and read a book, I jogged the trail on the way out.

Calico Hills Hike (Red Rocks)

I hiked around looking at possible future cragging.

Kraft Mountain Loop Hike (Red Rocks)

A hike around Kraft Mountain to get the blood flowing. I checked out the Sunny & Steep climbing area. I picked up a Whopper meal for Nate back at camp.

Bridge Mountain Hike (Red Rocks)

When I had hiked North Peak at the beginning of our Red Rocks climbing trip (see photos earlier on this page), I had seen Bridge Mountain and thought it looked like fun objective with an improbable 3rd class ascent. So a couple of weeks later, on another rest day between climbing days, I decided to hike to the summit. I parked about a mile up the dirt road from Willow Springs (as far as my non-jeep could make it) and hiked the rest, making a lollipop loop by ascending via a trail that cuts off the road and descending the road. My Garmin watch recorded 13 miles for my route (longer or shorter depending on where you park and whether or not you hike the road to its end or take the steep trail). The round trip took me just over 5 and and a half hours, at a casual pace. I met a friendly group of a dozen Las Vegas locals on the summit. It was a fun morning out!

Petroglyph Wall Hike (Red Rocks)

This short trail takes you across a wash and towards a cliff-side that features historical rock art, estimated to be at least 800 years old. I did this as a quick hiking stop on the loop road while driving out for a day of cragging at Calico Hills.

Fletcher Canyon & Eagle's Nest Hike (Spring Mountains)

Located just northwest of Las Vegas, the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area provides over one million visitors annually an opportunity to escape the desert heat of summer, as well as enjoy the only southern Nevada ski area and winter recreation opportunities within 200 miles. It is also the location of Mt. Charleston and the surrounding limestone cliffs where there is significant sport climbing development. I was curious to check out the area so when we had a rest day from climbing I did a morning hike in Spring Mountains. 

Several of the trails were closed due to Tropical Storm Hillary in August 2023. So I hiked the Fletcher Canyon and Eagle's Nest trails. Fletcher Canyon trail is a 3.8-mile out-and-back that takes you through a limestone slot canyon. Eagles Nest is a moderately trafficked 2.7-mile (round trip) loop trail that starts from the same trailhead. I combined the two trails into a nice 2.5 hours of hiking.

After my hike I picked up some body filler and paint and fixed a rust spot on my car. 

White Rock Mountain Loop + Keystone Thrust Trail (Red Rocks)

At this point I had hiked most of the popular trails in Red Rocks. One of the remaining significant hikes I had not yet done was the White Rock Mountain Loop. This is nicely combined with the Keystone Thrust trail for a nice 8.4 mile hike.

The White Rock Mountain loop takes you through a secluded pocket of life around the colorful sandstone White Rock Mountain. The Keystone Thrust trail takes you to the intersection of great and colorful geologic eras. Sixty million to 65 million years ago, the Pacific and North American continental plates got into a shoving match. The conflict pushed up the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west. The same force pushed the deep limestone layers up and over the sand dunes in what is now Red Rock Canyon.

I hiked the loop counterclockwise, adding the Keystone Thrust side trail in at the beginning. When I arrived at the Willow Springs parking area, I decided I felt more like jogging than hiking, so I opted to jog the road back to my car at the White Rock Mountain trailhead.