Vegas, Baby!

My arrival in Las Vegas was greeted with cold and high winds. My car vibrated and swayed at night, like a ship at sea, and it was all I could do to get my stove lit to cook (I set it up inside the metal fire ring for a wind break). I didn't have a partner to climb with, and the weather wasn't inspiring me to climb anyway, so I spent a couple days sitting in the library working on my resume, and responding to calls and emails from recruiters who had contacted me since I put my information up on the web. On my third day there, I woke up to a miracle: sunshine and no wind! Then, as I was finishing up breakfast, Patsy, who I met in Joshua Tree walked up to my campsite. She was there with her friends and Outward Bound co-workers, Ashley and Mary. She said they were going cragging at a place called Panty Wall and I was welcome to join them. I was psyched to have good weather and people to climb with. Awesome!

We got a few climbs in, including a 5.9+/10a trad route called Panty Raid, that Ashley and I both led. It was mostly easier, but slightly pumpy, climbing, with a short crux near the top, then a slightly scary final mantle. I hung at the crux, mainly because I missed the key right foot.

At the crux on Panty Raid, missing the key right foot.

Ashley on Panty Prow

The following day, Patsy and Ashley dropped Mary off at a bus station early in the morning then went to climb Cat In The Hat, and I climbed with a guy named Sunny, who I met through Mountain Project. I had made plans to climb with him before I hooked up with Patsy and Ashley. We climbed Dark Shadows (first 4 pitches), which was a fantastic route, then rappelled down and climbed Cat In The Hat to the 4th belay and finished on a 5.10d bolted arete. Sunny was a good partner, but our personalities didn't really mesh, and when we got down in the dark after a total cluster of rappels with 10 people sharing the same ropes, I was a bit grumpy. Food and a couple beers while hanging out with Patsy and Ashley fixed that, though.

Unknown climber on 2nd pitch of Dark Shadows

The next day was Halloween, and Sunny had plans to go cragging with some friends, so I got off the hook without having to tell him I didn't really want to climb with him again, and went sport cragging with Patsy and Ashley, who were dressed for the occasion. I didn't have a costume, but they let me come along anyway. We went to the Black Corridor and did two climbs, then called it a day.

Ashley belaying on Halloween

Patsy climbing in costume

I went into town and hit up a thrift store for a Halloween costume, then hung out at the library for a little while before meeting up with Patsy and Ashley again. They ended up getting a room at the Tropicana, and I tagged along. We spent the evening wandering around the Strip, people watching. I wish I had pics of some of the great costumes, but I didn't feel like carrying my bulky camera around.

Sunday, Patsy and Ashley headed out for Joshua Tree, and I headed for Moab.

Route List for 10/29-31:

• Brief Encounter (5.8) (Pink-point)
• Panty Raid (5.9+/10a) (Led with a couple hangs)
• Unknown 5.10d (Possibly Totally Clips) (TR)
• Panty Prow (5.6? More like 5.2) (TR clean)
• Dark Shadows to 4th belay (3 pitches, 5.8, Trad) (followed 1 and 3 clean, onsight 2)
• Cat In The Hat to 4th belay (3 pitches, 5.6, Trad) (Onsight 1 and 2, followed 2 clean)
• Unknown 5.10d arete starting from 4th belay of Cat In The Hat (followed with one fall)
• Burros Might Fly (5.10b) (TR clean)
• Bonaire (5.9) (Onsight)