Red Rocks and Death Valley Ride and Climb
Note I first published this on VFRD on October 10, 2005. I’ve republished it here to try out my new site design.
I have a lot of different interests, of which riding is only one, so when I get a chance to mix different activities, I usually jump to do it. When I found out a couple friends of mine were headed out to Red Rocks (near Las Vegas) to do a bit of climbing on the great desert sandstone there, I figured it was a good opportunity to mix riding with another love of mine, rock climbing. I couldn't go for the whole week, but I convinced my friend and fellow VFR rider, Mark, to come along for a 4 day ride and climb trip. We packed up all of our climbing and camping gear onto our bikes and headed out after work on Wednesday night for the ~7 hour trip to Red Rocks.
Stopped for gas in Santa Clarita.
The traffic was light so we turned the usual 40 minute trip up the grapevine (I-5 from Santa Clarita to the CA138 turn-off) into a 25 minute haul. It's the most fun I've ever had on that road. Usually, it's a scary stretch of big rigs two lanes deep and idiot cagers trying to out-stupify each other. We headed out across the desert, had dinner at Primo's in Mojave, then headed out to Barstow and did the long I-15 haul to Red Rocks. We got to the campground about midnight and crashed in our sleeping bags to get ready for some climbing in the morning.
Camp site at the 13 mile campground in Red Rocks.
We woke up with the fresh, dry desert air warming up quickly. The friends we were meeting (Chris and Kimberly) drove into town to get some breakfast fixings and we all enjoyed camping eggs and pastries.
Chris making breakfast.
Then it was time for fun. We picked a nice easy climb to start off with and set off into First Creek Canyon looking for the wall. We ended up hiking around this amazing water formed rim to get to the base of the climb.
Hiking into First Creek Canyon.
A local resident.
Hiking around the rim.
We finally found the climb, roped up and did the easy 3 pitch pull to the top. The views down into the valley were amazing. You could see Vegas in the distance and the Red Rocks are totally intense when the sun starts setting.
Chris topped out.
We ended up rapelling off and hiking out in the dark. Feeling good about the climb we had just pulled off, we headed back to camp to plan a bigger, more challenging climb for the next day. We decided on climbing the classic route "Cat in the Hat" which goes up the south side of the Mescalito, which is a 1000 ft. (vert) peak in the mouth of two large canyons.
The Mescalito from afar.
The Mescalito closer up. Our route took us up the left side to near the top.
We got up early, grabbed some breakfast, and started the hike in. The sun came up fast and it got pretty hot. It was about 80 or so when we started climbing. Luckily, the belay ledges offered a bit of shade as we went up, but some of the rock was really hot. It felt like the rubber on my shoes was going to melt onto my feet at one point.
Chris leading the first pitch.
Mark and I on the first pitch belay ledge.
The views from this climb both up and down canyon were spectacular. The sandstone is warped into so many weathered formations, it boggles the mind sometimes.
Cool rock formation.
Kimberly belaying Chris.
Kimberly leading the last pitch.
We topped out around 3 or 4 in the afternoon and started rapelling off. We ended up hiking out, once again, just as the sun was going down behind the mountains. The desert soundscape lit up with the sounds of frogs, wild burros, crickets, and who knows whatever else. It's hard to explain how amazing the desert can be.
Mark topped out.
Sun going down behind the Mescalito.
After parting with Chris and Kimberly on Saturday morning, Mark and I decided to head out towards Death Valley on our bikes. We rode to Pahrump, NV, then across NV372 (which turns into CA178 at the border) into the southern end of Death Valley. The highway winds across 2 major passes and straightens out into wide desert valleys. We were cruising around 100 mph for miles since there were no other cars and the roads were perfectly straight.
CA172 eventually descends into Death Valley down a giant wash. You would not want to be there during a big rain storm. It looked as though the whole valley would become a river.
Heading into Death Valley on CA172.
When you finally make it to the bottom of the valley, you're at the southern edge of the Badwater dry lake. When I was in DV in April, this was full of water, but not now. It's just a flat baren salt flat.
Lots of salt.
-273 ft!
It's the lowest point in the USA at around -270 ft. (as my GPS was telling me).
Some of the cliff bands in DV are amazing. They are all different colors and when you match them against the blue sky, the colors can't be any brighter.
Cool red rock band.
We stopped at the dunes on the way out of DV, then cruised over CA190 over the pass and out of the valley.
A storm heading over the north end of Death Valley.
Stopped at the dunes.
Same picture I took in April, only $1 more expensive.
Mark's bike in filling up next to a grader.
We headed back down CA172 to Ridgecrest. With the exception of a (pedal) bike race going on, there was no one on the road all the way to Ridgecrest. I think we averaged about 90 mph for about 60 miles. Totally straight, fast roads. At one point, the road goes over a pass into the next valley, so you get a few twisties cutting through some of the weirdest road cuts I've ever seen.
Crazy road cut.
Once we got to Ridgecrest, we stopped for dinner then high-tailed it to the Kern River in Sequoia National Forrest to camp for the night. We found a sweet camp spot right next to the river. We didn't pitch the tent, instead opting to spend the night under the stars listening to the river flow by.
Camp site on the Kern River. Mark is still sealed in his bag.
Sun coming up next to the river.
The next day, we cruised down the rest of CA178 over to CA33 near taft for another great section through the Sespe Gorge then on back home.
This was a great trip. We got to ride amazing roads and climb amazing rock. Now, if I could only figure out how to strap my skiis on my bike in the winter….
