View of Wake up wall looking back toward the trail/approach.

Red Rock Canyon Climbing Areas

On our recent trip to Red Rock Canyon, we went. . . wait for it. . . . WITHOUT KIDS.  Yes, it was our first climbing trip together without kids in six years.  Throughout the seven days of climbing, we hit every remote sport crag we hadn’t yet hit (or so it seemed at the time).  It was quite liberating to pick an area with no regard to the length or difficulty of the approach.  Nor did we look at the exposure/cliffside drop offs that would be typical “no no’s” with kids.

That being said, we do have some idea of what would be the better crags for kids.  Of course, unless you are hauling the extra 20-40 lbs of kid and the extra 15 lbs of gear, you don’t quite understand how long an approach really seems with kids in tow.

As usual, our “kid friendly” suggestions have nothing to do with the quality or ratings of the climbs so much as the approach difficulty, length, and the kid friendly nature of the landing/staging area. These suggestions are all sport climbing areas specific to the first three pullouts of Red Rock Canyon Park and Calico Basin (combing from Vegas, the turn before the entrance to Red Rocks).  Note: we do not review any area that we did not visit, so if an area is not on this list, it may well be great. . . we just didn’t get there!

Best Crag with Kids:

1. Cannibal Crag – in Calico Basin. Short approach from the car. Bathrooms just down the hill. Relatively flat boulders at the landing area.  A small toddler might need hands on supervision but a young child would be fine.  Relative high density of climbs with various ratings.

2.  The Black Corridor – Second Pullout.  The lower area is flat and shaded with little room for kids to find trouble.  Great density of climbs with various ratings.  Approach on this is a bit of a challenge, but with an assist for kids, it is doable.  Only issue is the traffic (if high traffic day, too many people will make this area less appealing with kids).

3.  The Pier – Sandstone Quarry.  Caveat: There are bees in this area during certain seasons/times.  If you go via the correct approach, the approach is pretty basic.  High density of climbs in the 5.11/5.12 range.  The area, like the Black Corridor, is self contained and relatively flat.  Important: stay inside the Pier as there is a large fall at the downhill side.

4. Wake up Wall – Sandstone Quarry.  Relatively short, flat approach (easy).  Landing/Staging area is large and flat – great place for kids to explore.  Near the actual wall, there is a small “trough” between the wall and the landing area.  This drop is probably 5-8 feet deep, but would not pose a serious concern for most parents/kids.  Relative high density of climbs in a wide range from 5.8-5.12.

Worst Crags with Kids:

1. Panty Wall – Steep Drop off

2. Cut your Teeth Crag – Long LONG hike in, uphill.

Others Red Rock Canyon Areas Reviewed

Areas that will work with kids but may not be perfect, or good for non toddlers, or kids with moderate supervision.

1. Coco Wall – Calico Basin. Short approach, boulders and uneven landing/staging area.

2. Gallery/Wall of Confusion – Second Pullout.  Bouldery, somewhat long and bouldery approach. Some areas are flat and enclosed, some have a large drop off. Depends mainly on the kid. . .and where you are planning to climb (far left is better).

3. Mass Production – Sandstone Quarry.  Easy hike in with a bit of scrambling up hill at the very end.  The last 15 feet up are in the boulders against the rock. Toddlers and young children would have some trouble as there is limited flat ground and mostly larger scree and boulders at the landing.  The wall is completely on a hill, so all landing areas are also hilly/steep.  Fine for our five year old but our 3 year old might have been a danger to herself.

4. Sunny and Steep Wall – Craft Mountain, Calico Basin. Long hike in and some scrambling to get there.  If you can live with the approach the area surrounding the rock was flat and good for kids.  Numerous climbs of various ratings including some great routes from 5.8 – 5.12.

5. Conundrum Wall – Craft Mountain, Calico Basin.  Shorter approach than Sunny and Steep, moderate distance, mostly flat. Landing area is uneven and bouldery but there were some good places to hang out and no drop offs.

Remember that this is just a guide and in no way replaces your own reconnaissance, instinct, and decision making.

• Tweet
• 

You may have noticed that we usually take our kids everywhere.  When it comes to vacationing, we’re firm believers that there’s nothing as valuable as spending time as a family doing something that we love in the outdoors.  But. . . . Well, even those of us who take our kids everywhere, occasionally need to spend time on a vacation without kids.

So after six years, my husband and I are taking off to parts unknown (i.e. Las Vegas) to go climbing in Red Rock Canyon.  Without our two kids.  It will be quite the reminder of days gone past, as we plan to do the many things that having kids in tow does not allow.

1. We’ll climb from sun up to sun down.

2. We’ll share gear evenly (and without extra packs/gear for kids).

3. We will plan out some challenging projects that we can work for hours at a time.

4. We will be taking a day to go canyoneering (weather permitting).

5. We can use the jacuzzi after a hard day of climbing.

6. We’ll eat dinner late and at non kid friendly restaurants.

7. We will only be responsible for ourselves, so we can relax and go “off duty”. . .

The kids are extremely excited to spend the week at their grandparent’s.  I’m the only one stressing. Perhaps someone should have told me that a week is a long time. . .but my son has already reminded me that he can always call me on the ipad.

In the 2012 issue of the recently revived “Ascent” newly under the Rock & Ice publication umbrella, one particular article provided the perfect combination of literary strength and personal relevance.  It was beautiful, poignant, and real all at the same time.  The following excerpt from an article (“The Ones Who Go High”) by John Long made me think of the many ascent photos I have with my husband both before and after kids (much more in the former than the latter category).

Plain as day. We were five days clawing up El Capitan.  I put the camera on timer and set it on a rock for a summit photo, an age-old tradition in climbing.  We both were lighter, emptied out by the adventure.  Moby Dick, the great white pig (haulbag), weighed more than Jill did. I fell 30 feet on the final headwall.  Whether we smiled from joy or relief is an excellent question, but an action shot could never show us like this.  Later that year we got married.  Then came jobs, titles, fights, barbecues, miscarriages, beer, mortgages, ski trips, twin girls, wine, flings, separations, bankruptcy, reconciliation, windfalls, awards and commendations, graduations, funerals, bourbon and those desolate times stuck in traffic, wondering what if and how come, moments when we struggled to recognize our own lives.  But in two or 20 years, or whenever we dig out this old summit photo, we know one thing immediately and for sure: That’s us, plain as day.

Thank you, Ascent, (and Rock and Ice), for reminding me that our experience, as a climbing couple living in the real world with jobs, and kids, houses and more is not a solitary existence.  This is not an experience for the masses, but there are others like us.  When we travel to Red Rock Canyon this week – without the kids (for the first childless vacation in 6 years),  I’ll be sure to get a photo of the two of us. . . showing that we can do some really great things together, both on and off the ground.

I was recently interviewed by the Access Fund’s Laura Snider about taking kids to the crag.  Click here to view the entire Access Fund Vertical Times (Spring) issue.

Cala at Yosemite

There were three main points that I think that Snider ddressed quite well, in a limited amount of time.
1. Children’s Safety
2. Love of Climbing
3. Methods/Best Practices for Success

In particular, I believe that there were a few points worth discussing in further detail. Snider mentioned (though not explicitly,) two methods to climbing with kids. One method – climb in groups with atleast 3 adults. One adult is then always available to monitor, assist, and entertain the child. Method two – lower expectations for a “long” day of climbing. Since child safety, entertainment, & assistance is the priority and climbing is the secondary goal, parents climbing with only two adults must adjust expectations for their day.

Both of these methods can be successful and enjoyable and neither (or both) are the “correct” way to take kids climbing. I’ll address other points from Laura’s article in upcoming posts.

What did you think of her article and the different approaches to kids at the crag? Would you add anything?