A great 2 1/4 day trip back to Red Rock with Andre and coworker from London Matteo Rossi.
Another fun experience and a little more relaxed climbing with a 3rd to give me time to rest between routes. Andre really wanted to leave Friday night so that we could start early, so we picked Matteo up in downtown then headed NE for the long night drive to Vegas. Campground was completely full, so we had to find last minute hotel rooms. Got a deal with the Tuscany Casino/Hotel on the strip where we all shared a suite. Up early next morning to eat then headed to Calico I for the Panty Wall for a few 5.8s then to the 5.6 arrete followed by the hard 5.10d, which was quite challenging, even on toprope.
Afterwards back to Panty Wall for Matteo's first outdoor lead climb, which he aced. After that to the 2-pitch that we had aborted due to cold last time. Wrapped that up just as the sun was setting and desert night temps approaching.
They thought an AirBnb would be cheaper so we ended up at a real weird house where the owner & roommate were still hanging out. We got a tiny room with room for 2 mattresses with kids blankets. Negotiated for an air mattress in the owner's "studio". Regardless, hot shower then sleep so no complaints.
Next morning to Calico Basin outside of the actual park and made our way up to popular Riding Hood Wall. Arrived early enough to be the 2nd on Big Bad Wolf, a 220 ft 3-pitch route with a 5.9 and 2 5.8s. Andre lead tied to 2 thinner ropes with Matteo and I belaying simultaneously. Once at anchor, Andre then toprope belayed us so that we could climb at the same time (one staying a few bolts below the other.) This sped up the whole process but lead to serious rope management issues while at anchor. Still quite enjoyable and somewhat leisurely 1st real multipitch (I guess 2 pitches doesn't count!) Learned more about rope management than anything else. At the top I was able to help out climbers nearby who had lead without a belay device with which to bring up his partner! Since I had a spare grisgris they were able to use that without resorting to Munter hitching. We walked up the 4th pitch and followed the friendly couple we had helped back down a trail to the base, where we celebrated Matteo's birthday with some Whole Foods tirramissu!
Tried driving back into the park but they were full and closed the entrance so we returned to the Basin (Cannial Crag) and toproped a 5.9 or so. We decided to call it a day after it started drizzling and we calculated return ETA around 11pm. Stopped for pizza dinner on Route 66 in Barstow then home for a good sleep.