Trip Report
Wimps in Red Rocks!

by Ezra Ellis
Monday November 8, 2010 6:54pm
It had been since July since I had a dedicated climbing trip. My last trip to the Elephants perch was, mixed to say the least. Great climbing was had by one and all but I ended up totaling my frigging car when we were headed home and a wayward ELK jumped in front of us when we were running 60 miles an hour!

Here is a link if you interested

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Elephants-perch-EPIC-PHOTO-TR-ON-TOPIC/t10719n.html

I'm a married father of two, so you see I've made it trad climbing around 8 days so far this year, including my 3 day climbing trip to red rocks!

Any ways I forgave my partner for totaling my car (it wasn't his fault, but I will continue to give him crap for the rest of his life...:)) And we booked a trip to red rocks for an extravaganza of trad climbing!

The first day our plan was to do Birdland 5.7+ and call it good. The approach was uneventful and we were first at the Base.





We flew up the first two pitches and on the third pich went 20 feet to far right. Not to worry we corrected and then had a strong group of women from colorado on our tails.

Looking down P4





A couple of pics of the strong Colorado Girls!





The Colorado women were very pleasant and polite, and we didn't slow them up at all I think.


Any ways here is our last pitch P5



My partner at the bleay, not many have what it takes to sport a mullet any more y'a know?


Down P5


We rapped through 4 or 5 parties and had a good time, making it to the base at 12:45 pm.

We still had all day, so we decided to do Dark shadows. We got to dark shadows and there were 5 parties on route, we linked the first two pitches which brought about some whining from my partner scott.

I got P3 here is my only pic



Most people were nice, some not so nice what can I say?

When we rapped using one rope a single 70meter it was possible to rap to the right and miss the final belay. It was also just possible to rap from the top of p2 to the ground with some minimal down climbing.

I guess we were just shocked at how crowded the routes were. 5 parties on each route, darn. Thats mass busy in Ideeho!

Scott at dinner





More to follow tomorow!


  Trip Report Views: 3,136
Ezra Ellis 		About the Author
Ezra Ellis is a trad climber from WA, & NC & Idaho.

Comments
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Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Nov 8, 2010 - 07:22pm PT
Dude! Please-----share more great beta on fighting through the mobs: to climb "way-cool" sandstone.
rhyang

climber
SJC
  Nov 9, 2010 - 05:03pm PT
One of these days I need to climb at RR ! Great pics .. well, the climbing pics anyway :)
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Nov 9, 2010 - 06:53pm PT
Ryang, you should hit Red rocks, you won't be disappointed!

Well Our next day wasn't so successful.

I've wanted to climb crimson chrysalis for a number of years, we got there at 5 am and started the hike in from the road at 5 am.

There were several parties chasing us by 5:30 so we really upped the pace and made it to the base of crimson by 6:40 am, after a false start we finally started up 'round 7 am or so. I lead the first pitch fast and efficient. When my partner got to the belay he said "every bone in my body says to go down right now. I tell him well I'll lead the next pitch but I can't lead every pich. Most of the problem was our pack which had a full size 10.2mm 60 meter rope in it and weighed 30 pounds with water.

We decided to go down.

Looking down on p1 crimson





Gargabe some one left in a wilderness area at the base of the route.



The route from the ground!




WHY would some one trash up a climbing route?

we ended up hiking out and climbing sport routes in the black corridor.

Does any one know if you can rap crimson with a single 70 meter rope?
You can certainly rap the first pitch with a single 70 meter rope!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2010 - 06:55pm PT
Ok back to the TR.

The next day we decided to climb Frogland, cause it was in the shade and it was still 84 degrees there! Way to hot to be in the sun.

The black velevet canyon road was a bear in our nissan sentra rental at 6 am in the dark. The rocks looked huge in our head lamps. The road is WAAAAY worse then in 2002 when I was last in black velvet.

Black velvet at sunrise! gorgeous!






Our first pitch


We didn't take our guide book as I had climbed the route in 2002 and ended up doing a variation that I thought was off route, no bother The nicest climber who I've ever me happened to be guiding his girlfriends father up the route and let us have a peak at his guide book. His girl friends dad was a hell of a gentle men and was 71 years old and had been climbing for something like 55 years. He actually survived World war 2 in england and later moved to australia and then canada. He had even climbed in the blue mountains of australia. His name is Cullen, and is a heck of a gentlemen!

Here he is at 71 years old still cranking 5.8!






The P4 belay!





Cullen at 71 YEARS OLD at the chock stone chimney pitch


vegas again


my partner chock stone chimney



The AWESOME GUIDE named Conrad.
He guides in Squamish and canada, if you ever need a guide there you couldn't ask for a nicer or more competent guy!



cullen chillin at the base


Conrad even got our packs for us, we didn't ask. The best part is conrad gave me a frigging ICE COLD New Castle beer in the parking lot. These guys are first class!

Best Y'all!
-e
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Nov 10, 2010 - 08:50pm PT
Great Stories Elias!

Glad you are nice to the old folks with beta and style.

I've got nuclear-radiation, and first-hand Hemmingway, & Sun Valley stories from the 60's.





Looking forward to you being: a "rope-rocket" for Heidi & me next year.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Nov 10, 2010 - 08:58pm PT
Looking forward to meeting you when the snow thaws Fritz.
The most important beta for red rocks is to be there at 6 am, and be first on the route.

Cullen was also missing half of his index finger and thumb! Amazing!
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Nov 10, 2010 - 09:09pm PT
The smiles on your faces in the last two pics say it all.
thedogfather

Trad climber
Somewhere near Red Rocks
  Nov 10, 2010 - 09:13pm PT
As I mentioned in my TR, Conrad is first class. If you happened to get his email, could you please sent it so I can shoot him an note. Getting to the gate at 6am won't cut it on routes like Crimson unless you are really lucky. We parked outside the exit gate at 5am and hiked in via Oak Creek. That got us up almost two pitches of Crimson before the first team showed up that was there when the gate opened and came in via Pine Creek.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
  Nov 10, 2010 - 09:56pm PT
...and I was the one snuggling with you on pitch 3 of Dark Shadows. LOL! Ran into you folks later at the taco place.
Tradmedic

Ice climber
Thunder Bay, Ontario
  Nov 11, 2010 - 02:33am PT
Thanks for the TR, I particularly enjoyed the Frogland section. The older gent is an inspiration for sure.
Ezra

Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
  Nov 11, 2010 - 08:24am PT
I enjoyed meet you Couchmaster! Old dudes rule....:)

Dog father, unfortunately, I didn't get conrads e-mail, but will send it to you If I happen on it!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Nov 12, 2010 - 06:55pm PT
Conrad if you're reading this, send me a PM if you're interested in hitting the elephant's perch or finger of fate next summer!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Jan 14, 2011 - 05:23pm PT
Any body have any good red rocks pics to add?
philo

Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
  Jan 14, 2011 - 11:25pm PT
Thanks so much for posting thie TR. What a fun romp. I agree with Jin Donini, your smiles say it all.
Prod

Trad climber
  Jan 15, 2011 - 08:01am PT
Great TR. I have yet to get on Birdland. I thought that one topped out?

Prod.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jan 17, 2011 - 10:03pm PT
Great stuff Ezra. Damn I'd like to get back to Red Rocks.

wimps? I'd say not.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jan 17, 2011 - 10:27pm PT
ANTI LEB BUMP
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
  Jan 22, 2011 - 08:39pm PT
good stuff.

pics of colorado women - really good
pics of scott - not so good
;)
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Jan 22, 2011 - 09:04pm PT
Prod, Birdland went up another pitch, but I don't think toped out and was 3 of 5 stars by my thinking. Frogland tops out with a walk off and is 5 stars in my opinion!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
  Jan 22, 2011 - 10:14pm PT
Conrad is actually Connie - aka Cornelius Amelunxen. His father-in-law's name ("Cullen") is Colin Oloman. Send me a PM if you want their contact info.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Jan 23, 2011 - 07:25am PT
Anders,
Connie and Colen were two of the classiest gentlemen I've ever met!
If you see Connie, just let him know this thread exists, and I he wants to climb in the sawtooths some time to PM me.

Canadians sure seem to be a very considerate bunch, maybe it's because y'alls politics aren't so angry!
-Ezra
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Jan 23, 2011 - 11:17pm PT
VUnderbar!!!
Captain...or Skully

climber
  Jan 24, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
Hey, Ezra....Good stuff, Maynard.
Dig it.
If you head for the Perch or whatnot, give me a call. If & when matters but I'd go. It's close. And beautiful. Cheers!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
  Jan 24, 2011 - 07:25pm PT
Ezra: I sent Colin (aka Cullen) a link to the thread, and he says:

Thanks. I have sent that on to Conny. Ezra is kind to us. The next day Conny & I were benighted on the Mescalito after climbing "Dark Shadows". Cheers, Colin (A.K.A. Cullen).
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
Author's Reply  Jan 25, 2011 - 06:38pm PT
Thanks Anders, I would love to hear their story about being benighted on Dark Shadwows!
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