When I received the email about RRR, it sounded like the perfect weekend to dig a little deeper into climbing and see what it was all about. I searched for reviews on the weekend and all I could find were critiques on the clothing people were wearing....Prana vs. Patagonia vs. thrift store.....so, if you are looking for that kind of review, google some more. This is a quick summary of my experience at a three day weekend in 2014 at Red Rock Rendezvous, as a beginner.
I arrived late Thursday evening at the Las Vegas airport, rented my car (make sure you have your confirmation and total with you, Vegas always seems to try to overcharge) and stopped at a grocery store on the outskirts of town.
It was a super easy 30 minute drive, west of Las Vegas, to the ranch we would call home for the weekend. I didn't want to wake anyone up by setting up my tent, so I slept in the back seat of the car in the parking lot.
In the morning I awoke early and went to sign in and get beta for the classes I signed up for online. There was no line and the volunteers were very helpful. I would begin with UClimb, which would be an all day course for beginners starting today, Friday. I got the camping wrist band, and set up my tent. At the front of the parking lot there is an area for buses to pull through and pick up climbers. Each is marked with a number or number/letter and our class print out has the bus info on it.
I headed to the parking lot and waited around while Paul, the owner of Mountain Gear and the founder of this festival, circled the lot checking to make sure everyone was okay and where they needed to be.
The cluster of class leaders was mostly comprised of lanky young men who had just rolled out of bed. Groups were divided and I was in the last group to be assigned our two guides. They were the only short stocky guys in the group and they appeared to be middle aged. Funny. We loaded the bus and drove the short distance (10 minutes or so) to the area where we would spend the day on Calico Basin Rd.
It was a super short hike to our spot and they immediately started reviewing equipment, knots, tie-ins, anchors and belays. They didn't move to slow or too fast and we all caught on quickly. We geared up and tied our knots over and over and over, until it was ingrained in our memory. By this time, one of our leaders had secured the top ropes and we were ready to climb. They reviewed climbing technique and ways to conserve energy. It all made sense and they showed us while they taught. The leaders constantly checked our equipment and gave us encouragement and correction along the way. In the end we had 6 different routes set up that we could/would climb as many times as our bodies would allow. It was a full day of climbing and we ended with rappelling.
In our group we had two brothers in their 20's, two solo men in their 50-60's, a father and his teenage daughter and her friend and me, a 40-something female. The other groups ranged from mostly women, to mostly young people, to couples, it really varied. I had a great partner, Jim, and felt secure. Our instructors were Paul Rosser and Kai Girard. They were clear and concise with their instruction and I was super pleased. I hope to take a weekend class with Paul in the future.
Just before it was time to go, we hiked to the top ropes where they gave an overview of setting up top-rope anchors. It was apparent to me that I could spend days learning to tie top-rope anchors. Very interesting.
We headed out to the bus and headed back to the ranch. Dinner could be found at the Skratch Labs food truck. They serve a full meal in a bowl for a decent price. Very yummy! Vendor canopies were set up around the commons area and goods deals were to be had. I got the chance to hang out with a couple mountain bikers we know who were instructing mtb classes over the weekend.
Brownies were baked....
Saturday morning, I got up semi-early to avoid lines at breakfast. There were winds at approx. 65 mph the night before and the two young girls behind me had continued to sleep in their tent even after it had collapsed. I felt comfortable in my old Mountain Hardwear tent, but still woke up in the night, half asleep, and braced the walls with my hands....which does nothing, but made me laugh when I woke up completely. Volunteers were walking around the camp suggesting people lay their tents down for the day due to a prediction of continued high winds. They said high winds are typical at the RRR each year, so bring a sturdy tent. The meal was great and the blueberry pancakes were awesome. I grabbed my shoes and headed to Red Rock Canyon park to go for a trail run. I hit the entrance before the crowds and had no problem finding a great trail to pound. RR Park gets very crowded on the weekends and it is best to go early, if you can. Or just have patience.
The I drove back to the ranch to grab my gear and catch the bus to my next class at noon. Jim was in this class again with me, so I had an instant partner and I met another couple who were great to work with, Stephen and Dianne Sperry. This class was Beginner Technique with Marcus Garcia and we drove into the Red Rock park entrance this time. We headed straight out to our climbing location and got tips on footwork and technique. Then we started climbing again. I was tired from the day before, but did as much as I could and the height was quite a rush.
I had a bouldering class in the morning and we headed back down Calico Basin rd. We had four instructors and they were awesome! We headed straight out and hit the boulders early enough for us to have our pick. All four instructors worked intensively with us on our technique and hand and foot placement. The class was very small (maybe 6 people) so there was a ton of one on one. The class was Intro to Bouldering with Chris Schulte.
I could tell this would be something I could easily do at home, without traveling far, and was eager to learn. I didn't have much strength left in my forearms (lack of forearm use in mountain biking was very apparent), but soaked up all the footwork info and did as much as I could. They set us up on three boulders and we climbed consistently. They stayed focused on us the entire time and gave us tips and told funny stories. Each one of the four took turns showing us a technique or line, then we would practice. Lots of time on the boulders and again, I was extremely pleased with these instructors.
Jackie Hueftle, Shannon Joslin, Christopher Schulte, Flannery Shay-Nemirow
Another great morning outside, but I was toast. When I got back to camp, I packed up and made a last minute decision to hang out and nab one of the Bluewater Ropes. They were being sold at a great discount and I had high hopes of squeezing one into my duffle bag. Most of the camp was gone and all the vendors had packed up, so I hung out watching people try to climb the blow up Mammut mascot and various rocks and trees around the commons area. Then the ropes arrived and someone helped me pick one out. To get these ropes, they had a board at the checkout area of the Mountain Gear canopy all weekend that showed the prices for the different used ropes that would be for sale at the end of the weekend. You pay in advance and wait for the last classes to end. It makes for a long day, but my Bluewater Rope was 1/2 of the retail price
I packed it up and headed into downtown Las Vegas.
I had reservations at the El Cortez Cabana Suites. It was very easy to find and I was keeping my fingers crossed it would not be super smoky, like all the other hotels I have stayed at in Vegas. It wasn't! It's across the street from the casino, so the smoke doesn't drift through the building. Clean spacious and under $50 for the night! I showered and walked to the cafe in the casino. The waitress recommended the burger and fries for $5. Great choice and I was a happy camper. I was the only one not wearing some form of sequin on my clothing and my skin wasn't pasty white or tanning booth orange, but I felt that I blended well enough. On to a great nights sleep and catching an early morning flight on Monday.
RRR wristband. I had a great experience as a new climber. What I have read online and what I heard on the bus from others; a guy had his course cut very short due to confusion on the bus pick-up time. I heard there were instructors more into talking than instructing his group and there was very little climbing. I didn't come across any of that, but there were so many instructors that it could easily happen. If it had happened to me, it would have soured the weekend, for sure. Paul was very open to any information you are willing to give and he was there literally asking how things were going, every time I turned around.
Loaded up and heading home. I can't believe I fit an extra rope in there....heavy bags for sure.
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