Sin City conjures up images of high-stakes gambling, neon lights, and hedonistic partying. But on a recent visit, after speaking to a group of HR professionals at the glamorous Cosmopolitan Hotel, I was ready to get outside and climb in the gorgeous Red Rocks, just outside the city. “Crimson Chrysalis” goes 1,000 feet straight up the north face of the Cloud Tower, featuring engaging 5.8 climbing, beautiful sandstone edges, and lots of desert air under your feet.
I tried the route nearly 20 years ago, but bailed due to crowds. This time I was with my teammate, Connor Koch, also known as, “Squirrel,” for his quick, spritely movements on and off the rock. We pulled a dawn patrol start, beginning with a surreal walk across the loud casino floor before finding our way out into the desert, where the hoots of a hidden owl bounced off looming canyon walls. After the arduous approach (the “blind crux” was avoiding the cacti and potentially ankle-breaking rocks), we were the first party at the base of the climb!
We cast up, mixing sharp cracks with epic face climbing – reach, high step, pull hard, repeat. We saved time by linking a few of the long pitches, and quickly found ourselves nearing the top as wind ripped across the valley, chilling us at the hanging belays. The final few pitches featured exposed face moves, culminating with a short scramble to the summit, where we soaked up the sun and Connor described the view to me; looking out across the valley at the Las Vegas strip – so close, yet so very far away from our little desert perch.
The desert sun was dropping low, so we reversed course, with some thrilling rappel shenanigans occurring when our rope got chucked into a crack system by the relentless wind. With some patience and ingenuity, we freed the rope and continued downward, and soon found ourselves on the ground, with only the loose desert trail still waiting. Bonus: on the hike back out, two Air Force guys shuttled us to our car saving us the last few miles of walking!
This climb was bittersweet, because despite the fun, it was the last expedition with Connor by my side as an employee on our team. Over his four years with Touch the Top, he traveled with me around the country managing numerous speaking events, led several high profile hikes, took on huge education initiatives at the office, and, most importantly, provided humor and energy to our small tight-knit team.
It was also tremendous to witness his climbing growth on this trip. When he started working for me, I taught him how to climb, and now he is handling big routes with a cool head and solid skillset.
It has been a pleasure to get to know Connor and watch his professional and personal growth over the years. Our team will miss his presence but I know this won’t be our last adventure together. I am looking forward to more fun climbs with him in the future and can’t wait to see where he goes next. Thanks for roping up with me, buddy!
