RED ROCK CLASSICS...

This trip to Red Rocks I sank my teeth into two five star Red Rocks multi-pitch classics: Frogland 5.8, 6 pitches, and Birdland 5.7+, 5 pitches. Given the number of trips I have made to Red Rocks, I am a little ashamed of how few of the moderate multi-pitches I have ticked. For climbers that want easy to moderate multi-pitch routes Red Rocks is the King! On top of that, there is a seemingly endless supply of incredible bouldering and sport climbing. People say, "I'm tired of Red Rocks; been there too many times" but, I don't get it? 

Red Rocks on a moody Feb 27,2017. Rainbow Wall in the back (Juniper Canyon) and Mescalito on the right (Pine Creek).

If you're a sport climber on a rest day, you can have so much fun playing tourist in the desert. Pick an easy multi-pitch and go explore! Most of the 5.6 - 5.8 multi-pitch routes can be comfortably climbed in sticky approach shoes. Theresa and I chose Frogland as our first classic multi-pitch. 

Frogland is fantastic. Your classic desert sandstone jug haul with steep, easy laybacking. The crux of the approach is likely getting your vehicle to the trailhead. The road to Black Velvet Canyon parking lot is totally doable with a regular SUV but, I would take it really slow if you are driving a 2wd car. A little rough here and there. 

Black Velvet parking lot is easy to find and the trail starts off as a wide jeep path used by hikers and mountain bikers. You pretty much continue down the trail for 15 mins until some large boulders on your left, then look for the climbers trail heading uphill towards Whiskey Peak. Took us about 45 mins to get to the base of Frogland moving at a mortals pace. 

We arrived to meet one other party just beginning to rack up for the route. I said to Theresa, "no problem, we are lucky its only one other party and not three!". Along the route, we shared belays with Sarah and Jess, and got to know them. Turns out they freshly moved to Bishop, CA (one of my favourite places) and were keen to explore the Sierra's alpine climbing this summer. In the parking lot we toasted cold beers and exchanged contact information for summer Sierra adventures!

The first pitch is easily distinguished by a large, rectangular, flake perched at the base of a left facing corner. Up the left facing corner you go, plugging gear into the corner crack and clipping three bolts, to a ledge with a tree belay. Super fun! 

Pitch two went up a short, right trending slab then continued back left up the corner to a wide section. From below, the wide section looked intimidating. In Yosemite, such a wide section would send an icy shiver straight to your manhood but, on Frogland, you just stem across it using an abundance of face holds. Capping the offwidth section is the steepest 5.7 layback I have done. Straight up vertical terrain on the most positive of bomber laybacks you could ever desire. This deposited us at another comfy ledge. 

From the comfy ledge, I lead up on the heels of Jess seconding pitch three. A short steep bulge is surmounted then you easily traverse left into the main corner and up to another nice ledge belay. 

The fourth pitch is listed as the crux. Jerry's guidebook says, "place gear high and traverse low", for the 5.8 crux slab traverse. I will admit that this crux would be intimidating for a 5.8 leader. It has some spice. Jess lead this pitch for his team but had difficulties. Turns out he brought two left climbing shoes so, climbed with one left climbing shoe and one right approach shoe. 

Theresa and I were getting a wee bit cold waiting at this point. I mistakingly assumed Frogland would get full sunshine but turns out it stays in the shade. Danm it! Yes, we shivered just a bit. Well, I could not stay still any longer and asked permission to lead through which Sarah obliged. Up the crack I went, clip a bolt, traverse three feet left, clip their gear, crimp, slab move, I was in the easy crack pulling face jugs to the next belay. 

Looking up is a large chockstone wedged into the corner. Pitch five begins with some 5.8 slabby face moves to a bolt then left into a corner. Up the corner you go turning it into a fun stem beneath the chockstone. Wiggle your way up through the chockstone tunnel and belay on top. How cool does that sound! The top of the chockstone makes a luxurious, comfy belay ledge.

The start of the next pitch is not intuitive. Graded 5.6, you look for for an easy, sandstone ladder to the summit but it doesn't exist. Make an uber exposed right step off the chockstone to a small stance with the whole route cascading between your legs. A pull move up gains lower angle, less exposed terrain and the easy 5.6 pitch unfolds to the summit. Scramble, hike, and trail run the last moves to the summit cairn. Belay off a scrawny tree and celebrate big success. 

Overall, I found Frogland to be super fun and enjoyable. There are a few spicy sections that would test the fortitude of new trad leaders. Route finding is fairly straight forward as long as you have a topo handy. 

Jerry's guidebook recommended a single rack to 3" but, I would recommend doubling up from 0.4" - 3" C4 considering 4/6 belays are gear. You can place a 4" cam but it is not required. I climbed the whole route with 6 small nuts, and 8 cams (green alien to blue C4). Worked for me but I was not placing much on each pitch; maybe 3 - 5 pieces. 

Descent is simple. From the summit cairn (register box) follow cairns south east down slabs to the col then scramble down the gully on the east side. Evidence of a climbers trail exists most of the way and cairns mark most of the route down. Stay on the left side of the gully with minor rock steps until the trails curves around left to the approach trail.

The next day (Feb 27th) was grey outside. I recognized clouds like that from my own backyard
(Vancouver, BC) and knew that rain was threatening. The natural reaction and that of Theresa and I was that it never rains in the desert. We were mostly right. Given the conditions and a late start getting our religious fix of morning espresso, we opted for a classic route with easy logistics, Birdland! Why not stick with the animal land named climbs. 

Jerry's guidebook says Birdland has a "30 min approach with all belays bolted".

Mountain Project describes it as perhaps "one of the best 5.7 routes in Red Rocks". 

Woo hoo! Winner winner chicken dinner. That sounds perfect for a day of maybe taking the climbing gear for a walk. Pine Creek approach is not new to me so we bolt around the loop road, weaving through tourists like pylons and arrive at the trailhead. Its 12:30pm now and the sky has been throwing down rogue rain drops so we throw some coal in the fire, put a hop in our step, and beat it down the trail.

Takes about 30 mins to the base with a solid pace. We notice three parties on route already. One party is all ready rappelling and the other two are finishing the last pitch. Perfect! I flake the rope and rack up, "on belay!". I'm moving before Theresa has time to look up. Pitch one is superb 5.6 jugs and I can barely stop to place gear. The first belay ledge comes quickly and sure enough there are two shiny bolts with chains. 

Pitch two goes up a crack to the right of a chimney. More fun jugs and a few hand jams bring me up to the second belay ledge. 

The climbing is so much fun and the belay ledges are massive. 

Pitch three is the crux with a single bolt protecting a traverse left (5.7+). Continue above on the biggest sandstone jugs you have ever grabbed in your life! The top of the pitch is a smaller ledge with another bolt anchor. 

Theresa felt much more comfortable on this crux than the Frogland crux. We both agreed Birdland was a bit better than Frogland to this point.

Looking up pitch four from the belay, it is a sea of holds but optimally you trend rightward as you climb up. It is the 5.6 sandstone ladder that you expect. Really fun climbing way up high on Brass Wall. 

On pitch five we catch up to the last party finishing the route and introduce ourselves. A lovely couple from San Francisco that are happy to share belays with us. The last pitch (pitch 5) goes up more fun jugs to a perfect finger crack. The crack is flanked by good face holds until near the end. The holds get smaller for a short distance then its over and you are at a small triangular belay stance with bolts. 

From here you rappel the route. We rappelled the route with a single 60m rope but you need to be comfortable with a tiny bit of down-climbing. With a single 70m rope you can rappel in comfort. For the rack, I would say a single set of cams from 1/4" - 3" and a handful of nuts is perfectly safe.

Overall, Theresa and I agree that we liked Birdland more than Frogland. The climbing is a little more fun and bolt belays make sharing anchors a breeze. Birdland also gets full sun so it is much warmer in the winter! Despite the differences, both routes are classic and should be on every Red Rocks climbers tick list.