Red Rocks

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On this Page:	General Information Recommended Books
Trad Climbing:	Cat in the Hat (5.6+) Johnny Vegas (5.7) Cookie Monster (5.7)
Sport Climbing:	Ultraman Wall (5.7 - 5.9) Magic Bus Wall (5.8 - 5.10-) Black Corridor (5.9 - 5.12a) The Gallery (5.8+ - 5.13b)

General Information

Red Rocks may be one of our favorite places to climb. If you are in the mood for closely bolted sport climbing, the there are days of climbs to do. If you like multi-pitch trad climbs, then there are hundreds of climbs, some as easy as 5.6 or 5.7.

There is no longer an early day permit program, but the park is opening earlier than originally scheduled. Admission fees apply to the park, but A Golden Eagle Pass allows you free entrance. The Golden Eagle Pass allows you and everyone in your car to enter National Parks and several other parks like Red Rocks for free when you have your pass.

Trad Climbs

Cat in the Hat (5.6+, 6-7 pitches)

Cat in the Hat is one of the longer climbs on the Mescalito. Its pitches include face, crack, huecos, and some easy pitches. The route winds around from the back of the Mescalito to the front but does not go to the top of the Mescalito.

The Approach: Follow the trail from the parking lot all the way to the Mescalito until you are forced off of the trail into a wash. Follow the wash for a few minutes and cut up and out on the right side which will place you on a bushwhack on the left side of the Mescalito. Walk around the Mescalito until you see a steep rocky trail leading up. The climb starts where an offshoot of the trail leads you to a huge rock to sit on and a cleared dirt area to belay. The route picture in the book is misleading and you can not see the beginning of the climb (or the next few pitches) from the front of the Mescalito.

The Climb: The two guide books contradict each other and both are out of date. Do not look for a "horn with slings" for the end of the first pitch. (Swain combines P1 and P2 of Urioste's guide for his P1). We climbed about 150' to a comfortable ledge to a belay. We continued up to where we saw slings on a small scrub oak for a semi-comfortable belay. After that, we could follow Swain's book description easier. When you eventually get to an exposed white rock for a belay with slings around a part of the rock, you can finally see the parking lot. You need to traverse out towards the front of the Mescalito by stepping down about two steps and then going over to an area with an enormous leaning rock. Belay here. If you have extra long ropes you may be able to finish the climb from there. We climbed the black face and set a traditional anchor about 15' below a bolt in the crack. From there, we went up to the white rock and anchored into the slings at the "top". It is a long 3rd and 4th class to the top form there, which we did not do.

The Rappel: Rappel down the side (90 degrees form the face that you just climbed) to the white exposed (yet comfortable) belay. Next rappel goes to the rappeler's left heading towards the back of the Mescalito. You end up at a scrub oak with slings (you have been here before). Continue to rappel down the back. The second to last rappel ends up at three shiny new bolts so you no longer have to down climb between rappels. You just need to be on a long sling so you can step right from the anchor to pull the ropes. That station will then get you to the ground on regular double ropes. (2 rope rappel for all raps) You end up where you started.

Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas is a 4 pitch climb that feels more like a 5.4, though you will want to be a 5.7 leader to lead this climb. This climb can be used as an approach to Solar Slab (5.6 PG)

You will need the Rock Climbing Red Rocks (Swain) guidebook as this is not in the Select book.

For the descent, you can rap the route or rap Solar Gully. We decided to rap the gully since there were a lot of climbers on Johnny Vegas.

The first belay is uncomfortable for several people so you may want to wait until the leader in the party ahead of you has left the anchors before you climb.

We combined the last two pitches so save time for the parties behind us.

The top of the climb is perfect for a picnic lunch.

The Cookie Monster (5.7, 3-4 pitches)

The Cookie Monster is also on the Mescalito. Unlike Cat in the Hat, you can see the beginning of the climb from the parking lot. Unfortunately this climb is not in Swain's current guide book. We made up where the pitches ended, but started and ended properly. Cookie is the second crack from the left on the Mescalito when viewed it from the parking lot. The crack has "running paint streaks" just to the right.

The Approach: The first part of the approach is the same as for Cat in the Hat, but (Do not do what we did from this point on) when we got close to the Mescalito, we cut up towards the tallest white block formation and bushwhacked and scrambled to the left of the largest block.

Once we got to the uneven row of white blocks (the white blocks are like a set of lower teeth for the Mescalito) we had to do miserable bushwhacking and had to traverse some very scary exposed rock

Our approach was awful - maybe you can find a better trail! When we got to the base of the climb, Bill decided it looked too scary to climb because we did not know where pitches when or where they ended. (no guide book).

After considering what we would have to climb and scramble down to get back home, we decided to do the climb anyway, but with the packs on because it would be the easiest way out. (So that is how awful our approach was!)

Bill rappelling to the "first rappel" station from the top of The Cookie Monster

The Climb: Just right of "paint streaks" at a dihedral with visible roofs, you climb the dihedral, stepping around roofs until you want to belay. We belayed (b1) at a slotted cave on the climber's right (which is where you can stash your pack for a few minutes), (b2) at slings about 40 feet higher, (b3) at a huge cave on the left (stash the pack again) with a partially hanging belay (thin ledge), then we climbed the last 40-50' to a tree with slings directly above (small bulge/overhang here as a crux). A lot of huge hueco climbing that was really cool.

The Descent: Here we were told to "climb down and left about 20 feet to the scrub oak with slings on Cat in the Hat". We decided that belaying someone to down climb and then having the second down climb while removing pro to be safer idea. One may try to rap here, but we are not sure if the rope might get stuck. Once you are at the scrub oak with the slings, rappel as if on Cat in the Hat.

Another Option: You can also climb the rest of Cat from the end of Cookie - the first black face is on the climbers left from the end of the Cookie climb, though we saw a guy go straight up, too.

Sport Climbs / Bolted Climbs

Ultraman Wall (Bolted)

We found this wall while looking for the Panty Wall. We selected the Panty Wall because you could see it form the parking lot, it was a short approach, and it had quite a few climbs rated 5.8 and below. The climbs we wanted to do most were Panty Prow (5.6), Silk Panties (5.7), Boxer Rebellion (5.8) and Brief Encounters (5.8). We hope to do these climbs some day.

However, when we came to where the path branched, we were not sure if it was the real branch of the trail so we continued on and found ourselves at the Ultraman Wall. You may ask how someone could actually miss one of these walls and end up at another even though they could both be seen from the parking lot. We have not figured out an answer to that yet. That being said, we made a quick cheat sheet to get to the Ultraman Wall and if we should ever get back and climb the Panty Wall, we will make a cheat sheet for that, too. Not that you may need it, but I know we will!

We climbed Godzilla which was rated 5.7 PG13. We did think that the bolts were very far apart, but the climbing was very solid coming up to the first 3 bolts. Once the third bolt was clipped, we felt safe. The climb features lots of crisp holds and comfortable stances.

The Magic Bus Wall (Sport / Trad)

It doesn't get easier than this. The Magic Bus Wall has some moderate level routes with what some may call "over bolting" - but that is what I thought sport climbing was all about.

My favorite route is the 5.8. There are always good ridges for your feet, and almost always a crisp edge to tuck your fingers behind. There is a bolt every couple of moves.

There are several other climbs worth doing on this wall, though the one on the far left had a relatively long section between two of the bolts near the top.

The approach to the wall is kind of a pain, with some wandering and scrambling. The area does not get shade until the sun is ready to set, so it is best to climb here in the morning, evening, or on a cool day.

We use this place to warm up before we go over to the Dark Corridor, which is a short walk from the Magic Bus Wall.

Black Corridor (Sport)

The Black Corridor is a great place to climb on a hot day because the sun only hits the corridor for a brief time. We find that this is a great area to meet new people and socialize as well as climb.

The Black Corridor has 5.9's and up, but we find some of the climbs to be a bit easier than an East Coast climb at the same rating. Bon EZ is a good climb to start with.

There are several 5.9's next to Bon EZ as well as some at that level in the upper section that are a bit overhanging and pumpy. They offer some pretty exciting moves.

The Upper Corridor also has 5.9 arete with a hard start and an easy finish. There are some nice bolted 5.10's in that area, as well as some more difficult climbing.

The Gallery (Sport)

We really like going to the Gallery. The approach is longer than that for the other places listed here and the climbing is harder. A nice feature of the wall is that you can start on the left climb on the right side of the area with a 5.8 (Sport Climbing is Neither), move right to Buck's Muscle World (5.9), and work right going up in grade. We have only made it to Running Amuck so far. Buck's Muscle World is my favorite on that wall.

Recommended Books

Red Rocks Select by Todd Swain (published by Chockstone Press).
Rock Climbing Red Rocks by Todd Swain (published by Chockstone Press). This book includes climbs not found in the Red Rocks Select book (like Johnny Vegas) and the Ultraman Wall

Last updated: April 15, 2002