Stop 4: Las Vegas/AZ

I didn't know what to expect from Vegas, but I can tell you it was definitely not love at first sight when I arrived and made my way through the maze of casinos, fast food joints, and 'obscure establishments'! I had heard the climbing in the nearby Red Rock National Park was good though so I kept my hopes up; there had to be a reason the pro rock climber Alex Honnold lived nearby, right?

It did not take long for me to determine that the best thing about Vegas was how easy it was to get out of Vegas! It takes a mere 15 minute drive to feel completely disconnected from the city and out in the desert again. The first evening I met a couple from Washington near the climbing store who were also living in a van (birds of a feather flock together?) and we made plans to meet up at the Red Rock Scenic Loop the next day. The climbing was completely different than what I had spent the last month doing so it took some mental effort to adjust, but good fun nonetheless.

The real prize of the area though is the stunning multi-pitch throughout the big walls in the sprawling canyons. My friend, Dan, drove down to join for a long weekend and we started eyeing the classic lines that run up the sun-tarnished faces. Beaming smiles after some pitches could be quickly contrasted with me muttering obscenities under my breath as I pushed through some more heady sections and battled the occasional bout of Elvis legs - such is desert climbing I guess!

I drove from Las Vegas and planned on spending a few nights up in The Grand Canyon before eventually making my way further South. I didn't bother checking the weather forecast as there wasn't a cloud in sight and the lack of moisture in the atmosphere seemed to keep the sun exceptionally bright (if not annoyingly so after losing both pairs of sun glasses the week before). As I approached The Grand Canyon near evening it started to get a tad more brisk and I started dialing up the heating, but not to worry I thought, as I had done fine in cooler temps and the occasional snow blizzard up in Utah. I settled into an amazing camp spot just outside of the National Park and retreated inside to make a cup of soup and read. I awoke around 6am to a sensation of being utterly chilled as if locked in an industrial freezer. I dared not move as it seemed every time I turned I lost all the body heat and was once again shivering. I laid there for quite some time observing the slow fog of my exhales, knowing I would only have to last until the sun rose and pierced the frosty veil. Around thirty minutes of helplessly lying in bed I worked up the courage to get up in hopes of making some tea and finding my winter jacket. I gingerly arose and stood by my sink, but as I pressed down on the foot pump nothing came out. The whole thing was frozen solid. I took out my phone to see what the hell I had missed. Between the elevation gain (Grand Canyon is at almost 7,000 feet) and a cold snap that was coming in, temperatures had dropped to 10F(-12C) -- well beyond what the insulation in my van was apparently capable of! I jumped in the front seat and immediately cranked the heat as I drove to the National Park, figuring I would make breakfast when I wasn't shivering enough to make using a knife a dangerous venture!

The Grand Canyon itself is spectacular. It is truly hard to convey the scale of it all. I went on a decent run/hike down to the to enjoy a late lunch on the rim overlooking the layered rock. After making it back to the van I decided to pivot and begin my journey down South ASAP to avoid tempting fate another night.

I swung by a college friend's (and couple that got me into climbing in the first place) apartment in Phoenix where I enjoyed a dunk in the hot tub before arriving in Tucson where Stu was on a multi-week work assignment. I spent the week jetting out for day adventures. Mt. Lemmon for some hiking and climbing, Tombstone for the classic Western movie set, Saguaro NP to check out the surreal cacti that litters the landscape, the Airplane exhibit, and most importantly multiple trips to the amazing Mexican food trucks! A week of hotel life was enough to rejuvenate and get excited for the long drive back to Seattle for the holidays.