It's June and it is starting to get warm in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas "winter" is three months of blazing heat. As far as compromises go, I suppose retreating to electric light and artificial air for three months is better than nine months of hibernation and moss growing in the PNW. Last year at this time, highs in Las Vegas were pushing 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Mere low-triple-digits are a blessing.
In my two-ish years living in Las Vegas, I can say that late-May through September and November through February are my favorite months. The downside of living at a "destination" area is that the crowds gather during peak times of the year. I consider Red Rocks un-climbable during March and April, when essentially everyone I know is visiting the area to get on the classics. During this time of year you should be prepared to wait for a half-dozen parties to siege their way up whatever route you were intended to climb that day. If you wait another month, when "it is too hot" you will find empty crags and tolerable temperatures.
June is that month. Triple digit heat and direct sun make it a choir to reach the wall. However, if you choose a shady wall, you can climb in shorts and a tee-shirt. In addition to the comfortable temperatures in the shade, the crags are absolutely empty.
My buddy Rob visited Las Vegas a couple days ago. During the few days Rob was in Las Vegas we climbed Crimson Chrysalis, Triassic Sands and Inti Watana to Resolution all without even seeing another party. I'm not sure where everyone else is, but it is all happening in Red Rock in June.
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| Rob somewhere on Crimson Chrysalis. |
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| All alone on the most popular route in Red Rocks... |
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| Rob on the first pitch of Triassic Sands. |
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| Rob up high on Mt. Wilson and the Rainbow Enscarpment |
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| Looking down from the 11th pitch of Inti Watana. |
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| Rob up high while desert rockneering on Mt. Wilson. |
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