You've already noted Robert's pretty pictures from Red Rocks (http://rzeitham.mitoc.orc/ids, if you missed them), so I suppose I'll throw mine into the mix: http://www.angio.net/photos/index.cgi?mode=album&album=/Mitoc/Red%5fRocks%5f2002 (or just go to www.angio.net/photos/ and click on Mitoc, then Red Rocks 2002). And, a briefish trip report: Flying in to Las Vegas two days ahead of your friends isn't necessarily recommended. After stuffing my travel clothing into a plastic bag to protect them from the stinky ravage of the next week, I wandered over to Calico Basin in search of some bouldering. Unfortunately, the Kraft Boulders are hard, and I'm weak. The only logical solution was a bit of easy soloing at Cannibal Crag, Red Springs, and Moderate Mecca [first three photos]. Nice way to work in five routes in three hours of daylight. Wandered back to a very full 13 mile campground, and started begging for spare car spots in people's sites. First site I tried turned out to be Greg Barnes of the ASCA, who said, "Sure, but it's reserved for people who're helping with the rebolting tomorrow." ... and thus, was I transmuted into an official beast of burden for the next day. Oak Creek is a long, long approach without a bag of bolts and power drills on your back, but the company did wonders to take my mind off of it. Surprisingly fun day, and I learned that 5.8 (the first pitch of Eagle Dance) can be very strenuous when pushing a haulbag ahead of oneself. Afterwords, discovered that the Outside Inn (on West Charleston, nearest pub to Red Rocks) makes a pretty decent burger. Greg et al. finished rebolting Eagle Dance in subsequent days, and it looks like gorgeous fun. Luke arrived that night, in time get battered and beat by the windstorm that moved in around the same time. Luke and I took a recommendation for Healey's Haunted House (5.7 chimneything about 200 yards up canyon from Tunnel Vision), and spent a good two hours trying to find the start. Finally settled in to the HUGE chimney [picture 5], and spent the next few hours scraping our way up some surprisingly fun chimneys. Somehow, I drew the short straw on the last pitch; it featured a terribly improbable-looking roof with a chimney behind it. I inched up and down to the bloody thing about 5 times before finally committing to it and finding the blessed hidden handholds ("I _told_ you it was only 5.7, Dave"). Urgh. Nice climb. Other folk arrived the next night. Hector, Robert, and Colette wandered off before the rain started to climb Solar Slabs; I'll leave that to them to narrate. heh heh. The lazy among us (namely, me) slept in once we realized it was raining, but it stopped, and we managed a groovy cruise up Classic Corner (5.8, definitely recommended) at Red Springs, and Luke and I wandered off for a few pitches of easy sport climbing at Cannibal Crag. Not bad for a rain day. A lesson from years back: Cat in the Hat requires a two-rope rappel. When you're in two parties of two and the other party decides to turn back RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST BLOODY PITCH, you're screwed. I'm not bitter. Nope. So anyway, I had a make-up date with Cat in the Hat, so Paulina and I wandered over there the next day. We were second in line behind a terribly charming british couple who were spending a couple of weeks in the states. Charming, though not too speedy -- but there's no reason to complain on a 5.6 trade route. Paulina snaked up the first pitch, and we recovered a nut for Louis (the leader of the party ahead of us). Had to end the pitch early because they were using 50 meter ropes, but the next 10 meters was trivial enough that I invoked the, "no protection, no pitch" rule and begged the next pitch as well. Heh heh heh, and thus forced Paulina into the trickier lead on the 3rd pitch. Eventually got to the fateful last pitch, and watched as Louis attempted to have a mini-epic, backing off of the top slab section. He decided to bail 25 feet from the top of the climb. A good recipe for a nice cluster fuck, since if you bail from this pitch, you have to reverse a weird traverse to get back on route, and there were two parties around that traverse already.. (trust me, been there). I offered to finish the pitch and drop him a top-rope, which meant that all of his very well placed gear was already in the crack -- three cheers for trad sport climbing! Much fun, nice pitch, and I'm quite glad we did it. Got down with no major incidents. Last day at Red Rocks. Slept in pretty late. Kind of unmotivated. Decided this was a terribly lame attitude for my last day, so I grabbed Luke and said, "Let's go climb... Jubilant Song! (5.8, 7 pitches)" Nevermind the hour and a half approach and dirt roads that would have to be navigated. He reluctantly agreed. With the advantage of our Alpine Start (the sun had only been up for three hours), we hiked to the base of the climb in full-on baking hot sun. At least we didn't have to worry about carrying as much water along on the climb, since we'd finished off a lot of it on the approach. But anyway, great climb! Starts up a groovy deep crack system with a lot of enjoyable, solid 5.7, then heads up under a really, really big roof. A trick move or two gets you over the roof and up a slabby bit into a chimney, where I experienced some of the worst rope drag of my life, and eventually settled into a belay out of necessity. Oof. From there, Luke decided on the "5.7-my-ass" variation up a nasty little corner that gives you the choice between protected harder-than-5.7 corner or unprotected maybe-easier face. Heh. His lead, thankfully. A bit of fun scrambling and one offwidth boulder problem (optional, but fun) gets you to the summit, where a couple of crazy hikers had stashed a summit register. First one of those I'd seen at Red Rocks. Cool. Great views of Vegas, and a big talus-hopping descent back to the car before sundown. Tasty fun trip. -Dave