climber.me

Today was the first full day of the First Annual Yanshuo Climbing Festival, sponsored by The North Face and Black Diamond. There were hundreds of climbers, volunteers, and spectators out for the event, which was spread across three crags. We were at White Mountain, the main venue, for the whole day.

Yangshuo Climbing Festival at White Mountain

The redpoint climbing competition was today and saw some great redpoints (up to 5.13a) as well as some big whippers. Everyone had a great time and luckily it didn’t start to rain until late in the afternoon.

Chinese climber, A Bon, on a 5.12b at White Mountain

In addition to the climbing competition, the sponsored athletes gave some intro climbing clinics to help educate interested spectators about advanced climbing techniques. Cedar Wright gave a great intro to big wall climbing clinic, going over the basics of aid climbing, ascending ropes, and how to sleep on the side of a cliff. Black Diamond even brought a portaledge that he hung on the cliff and jumared up to. Afterwards, we were lucky enough to chat a bit more with Cedar about more advanced techniques, like the choice to use two aiders versus four and whether to clip in short to pieces using fifi hooks vs. Petzl Spirit quickdraws. Cedar says that 2 aiders is the way to go and that he experimented with Petzl Spirit quickdraws, but eventually moved to using a fifi.

Cedar Wright explaining the nuances of flip flop jumaring

Later in the day, James Pearson ran a clinic on sport climbing techniques, covering quick clipping, lead climbing safety, lead belaying techniques and much more. James got Cedar to help demonstrate a quick lead climb up the bottom of a 12b and the crowd loved it. Here’s a clip from the climb:

The day finished with slideshows from the pro athletes and a huge dinner with 300 barbecued chickens. Everyone there got to have an entire one! Unfortunately, the power went out so the presentations got cut short, but hopefully they will get to finish sometime tomorrow. Overall, it was a great day and we feel very lucky to be in Yangshuo for the festival. Thanks to the guys from China Climb and the other local climbers who organized this amazing event. We’re hoping that the rain doesn’t interfere with the hardest climb competition tomorrow!

Updated: Here’s our coverage of day 2 of the climbing festival.

Maria and I just arrived in Yangshuo, China today and were surprised to find out that there is a climbing festival here this weekend! Talk about great timing! A few pro climbers will be here, including Cedar Wright, James Pearson, Kate Rutherford, and a few pro Chinese climbers. BTW, Cedar, what is up with your MySpace page being the top result on Google? Get a real homepage! Anyways, there will be a competition at a few of the crags and it sounds like at least 300 climbers are in town for the event.

It seems like the climbing scene in Yangshuo is growing and developing well. The festival is supposed to be held annually from now on and there are plenty of climbers in town who are staying for long periods of time. With this kind of traction, it’s well on it’s way to becoming the center of rock climbing in China. It’s a little nicer here than on the Phra Nang Peninsula in Thailand in that there aren’t tons of pricey resorts constantly encroaching on the climber hangouts. However, it doesn’t have the beaches and deep water soloing, so it’s a trade off The rock feels like a mix of the limestone found at Potrero Chico, Mexico and on the Phra Nang Peninsula, with many, small sharp features and giant tufas on overhanging walls. The Yangshuo Climbing Festival looks to be a great time and we’ll report back on how it goes!

This morning we went to the Lizard Lounge to pick up a guide book, but they were out of them because of the festival. Apparently, there’s a new version of the guide book coming out later this week, so I’m excited to get my hands on that. The guy at Lizard Lounge was really nice and actually let us borrow the lounge copy until the new books come in. Thanks!

Since we have only climbed two days (in Pakistan) in the past two months, we did some warm up climbs today. Here’s Maria leading at the Wine Bottle crag, a great afternoon wall:

Maria warming up on Summit No. 1 (5.9) at Wine Bottle Crag

Overview

The Karakoram Highway stretches about 1300 kilometers from near Islamabad, Pakistan to Kashgar, China. It curls through amazing terrain along the way with views of many 7000 meter peaks and glaciers reaching nearly to the road. Many tourists travel the entire length, stopping at villages along the way to take in the sights, trek and meet the locals. One of the common stops is at Passu, in the Upper Hunza Valley in Pakistan. The Passu Glacier is visible from the road and the town is a starting point for a number of other treks. When we stopped at Passu and met the Glacier Breeze Restaurant owner Ahmed Ali Khan, we discovered that the Hot Rocks Global Challenge team was in Passu in 2004. They stayed at his campsite for a week, rock climbing and bouldering during the days. During that time, they bolted 3 sport routes close to the Glacier Breeze Restaurant and also did some bouldering at a nearby plateau. Thankfully, the team left some beta in Ahmed’s guestbook, so we took a look at that, climbed the climbs and put this guide together to spread the word about the sport climbing and bouldering we found in Passu! There is so much rock along the Karakoram Highway that the potential is high for a climbing circuit down its entire length. Let us know if you have any other information on rock climbing along the KKH. The only other place we have heard of climbing at is Karakul Lake, where you can boulder on granite rocks. For more information about the Karakoram Highway, take a look at our travel blog.

View Larger Map

The Sport Routes

Location
The three routes are located on the left hand side of the KKH, about 100 yards north of the Glacier Breeze Restaurant sign. They are only 25 feet off the road and the start of one is clearly marked by graffiti, saying ‘PSA’ (for Pakistani Students’ Association).

The Cliff

Passu Sport Climbing Routes

The Bouldering

If you continue walking north down the KKH from the sport climbs, then the road will curve right and in a few minutes there will be a rocky slope up to a plateau on the left hand side of the road. If you see a trail up that, then, good. Otherwise, scramble up and you will find yourself on a long plateau overlooking the town of Passu. You’ll also find a ton of boulders perfect for bouldering!

Bouldering Plateau

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a crashpad so we kept our bouldering to V0 and V1. Here are a few pictures of some boulders we climbed. These ones are all a little north of the cricket field on the plateau.

Here’s a bit of beta for some of our favorites (with locally inspired names):

1: KKH Stretch (V1)

This one involves a lower start, quickly moving left to a far-reaching and sharp but solid hold. A few easier moves complete the route.

2: Drying Hay (V0), 3: Drying More Hay (V0)

Good warmup climbs with decent holds throughout. High top out but easy descent via the backside, labeled in the photo.

4: Hunza Hat (V1+ going either way)

A great traverse along the hat’s 3/4 section. When traversing from right to left, the feet holds are a little trickier to find. Good crimpers gets you through it. You can also top out at multiple points along the traverse for a nice view.

There are a slew of other great routes and you could easily spend an afternoon or early evening bouldering up in this area.

If you put up any interesting routes and want them listed here, let us know.

Other Climbing Opportunities in the Area

Between the bouldering plateau and the sport climbs there is good quality rock at the top of the scree fields. It looks like there are many more potential sport routes as well as trad climbing opportunities. If you’re feeling bold and establish new routes in Passu, please email us!

In addition, there are a few areas where the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Pakistan Adventure Club, and even the army come to train. Most of the routes no longer have bolts in them or are bolted with loose pitons and tough wires…not recommended in the state they are in, but it would be great to see them cleaned up! We met a few guys from the PSA and they were eager to learn, so we took them up the PSA route on TR!

Red Rocks, Nevada is one of my favorite climbing destinations. Located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, the combination of Sin City + fantastic climbing can make for an interesting vacation, if you’re so inclined. Like my Beginner’s Guide To Rock Climbing in Thailand, I focus on sport climbs in the 5.6 to 5.10d range.

The Guidebooks
Before you go, make sure to pick up one or two of the guidebooks for the area. The
Red Rocks Climbing book by Supertopo is best for the trad climbing but it has information on a few of the sport crags (the Gallery and Magic Bus). The Red Rock Canyon climbing guide by Roxanna Brock and Jared McMillen is a great guide for all the climbing in the area and is a bit more comprehensive than the Falcon climbing guide by Todd Swain. However, there are a number of errors in the Brock/McMillen book that can get you in trouble - Under the Boardwalk at the Pier is actually 5.11b and Nightmare on Crude Street in the Black Corrider is 5.10d.

Area Overview
Red Rock Canyon has amazing sport climbing on beautiful red, white and black sandstone. The climbs tend to be very gym-like, with positive handholds on steep walls. Make sure to inspect the bolts as much as possible before getting on a climb, as sandstone is a soft rock and I have seen bad bolts on climbs occasionally. Also, never climb on sandstone for a few days after it rains, since it becomes fragile when it is wet.

View Larger Map

How to get there
You can fly in to Las Vegas, but you will definitely need a car since Red Rock Canyon is about 30 minutes from the Las Vegas airport and you will need to be able to drive from your campground or hotel to the climbs. Las Vegas is a 4 hour drive from Los Angeles and 9 hours from San Francisco.

When to go

Las Vegas is in the desert, so the climbing is best in the spring and fall. Winter can be okay, but you’ll want to climb in the sun. October and March are my favorite months there, but I routinely go there for Thanksgiving in November and President’s Day Weekend in February. If you get there and it’s too cold, then Joshua Tree is only a few hours drive away and can be warmer.

The Walls

The Scenic Drive around Red Rock Canyon is a thirteen mile one way road, so plan your climbing day carefully. For this reason, I have arranged this guide by pullout, starting with the first and ending with the third (Sandstone Quarry). There are also other pullouts that lead to great trad climbing, but they aren’t covered in this guide.

• The First Pullout - The Panty Wall at the first pullout is an excellent beginner wall with a number of climbs from 5.5 to 5.8. It is a great place to learn how to lead and the Panty Prow (5.6) gets you to anchors where you can toprope a few 5.10’s from the anchor. Ultraman Wall is another good beginner wall with climbs in the 5.7 to 5.8+ range. However, bring another rope to Ultraman Wall, as some of the climbs are over 100 feet long. Also those climbs are in general a little more runout than those at the Panty Wall.

  

  Climbers at Panty Wall

• The Second Pullout - This pullout has the largest concentration of beginner sport climbs. The walls are close together and you can easily climb here for a few days. Magic Bus has one classic, well-bolted 5.8, Neon Sunset, and a few other more runout climbs in the 5.8 to 5.10a range. The Gallery is a popular cliff that is seemingly ready-made for sport climbing. It amazingly has a 5.8, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b and 5.10c all in a row from left to right. There is also a short pumpy 5.10d and a number of other harder classic climbs. The Wall of Confusion is a few minutes walk from the Gallery and has a 10b and 10c that are worth doing. Stone Wall is a nice, slightly less trafficked wall with a bunch of solid 5.10b-d climbs. It has one memorable 5.10c that makes for a good onsight. Finally, the Black Corridor is a narrow corridor with sport climbs on both sides. If it’s hot, then the Black Corridor will be cool and crowded. There are more than enough climbs in the corridor for a day, with classic climbs from 5.9 to 5.10d. If you’re ready for a solid 5.11a pump, the short Rebel without a Pause in the back of the corridor is a great climb to challenge yourself on. Also, Nightmare on Crude Street, is a steep 5.10d (not 10b as in the Brock/McMillen guidebook) that must be done.
  

  A Quiet Day at The Gallery

• The Third Pullout (Sandstone Quarry) - There are more cliffs on white sandstone here than at the other pullouts. Personally, I prefer climbing on the striking red sandstone and I find the climbs on white sandstone to be slabbier and more difficult. However, Mass Production Wall has some good challenging climbs on white sandstone from 5.8 to 5.10c and it’s possible to set up a toprope on the stout 11b. Although it is a more difficult crag, I really like the Pier, which only has a 5.9+ for beginners, but there is also an amazing juggy 5.11b, Under the Boardwalk, which is a great project on beautiful red rock. Another good project wall is the Holiday Wall, with some classic 5.11a’s and 5.11b’s on steep red rock. Overall, the third pullout is better for a challenge, but is worth checking out.
  

  Cranking on Mass Production Wall

Conclusion
If you get a chance to sport climb at Red Rocks, don’t miss the opportunity! It is a great place to bring beginning climbers and improve your own skills in a beautiful setting. With its proximity to Las Vegas, it’s easy to get to and the weather is fantastic in the spring and fall.

This is a short guide to beginner/intermediate rock climbing on the Phra Nang Peninsula in Thailand. It contains what I think are some of the best walls for climbing in the 5.8 to 5.10d range. The Phra Nang Peninsula is located about an hour from Krabi in southern Thailand. There is also good climbing in northern Thailand, but this area is more densely packed with climbs right on an exotic beach-lined peninsula. For more info on how to get to the peninsula and a more complete climbing route list, get Sam Lightner Jr.’s book. You can also pick up Wee’s climbing guide when you get there.

Note: The info here could get out of date as new climbs are put up, holds break, etc. Make sure to get fully informed before you get on any climbs. In general, I also only mention climbs that get 2+ stars in the guide books, so all numbers should be considered a lower bound of what’s actually at the wall.

Btw, if you don’t lead or only lead 5.8/5.9 then I would definitely recommend taking a climbing course on the peninsula and hiring a rope gun guide to put up routes for you. It’s sort of pricey, but also an effective way to top rope harder routes safely. Remember, a trip to the hospital in Thailand is _not_ recommended! If you lead 10a/b then just start out easy to get used to the limestone. Also, it’s not hard to find solid climbers who need a belay, just make sure they have decent belay skills for when you’re on the rock.

Map of the peninsula:

View Larger Map

Staying there
If you’re going to the peninsula primarily to climb, then definitely try to stay on Tonsai beach. West Railay is expensive and Easy Railay is a bit far away from the walls. Tonsai is also where most of the other climbers stay, so it’s the place to find climbing partners and get all your beta. You can also find accommodations online, check Krabi Hotels for more information.

Gear
If you bring your own sport climbing gear then it will be much easier to find a belay partner (if you need one). You’ll need shoes, a harness with chalk bag, 15-20 quickdraws, belay/rappel device on a locking biner, a 60m rope and a helmet. If you don’t have a rope and quickdraws then you’ll be able to climb, but might have to wait longer on Tonsai in the morning to meet someone.

The Walls:

• Diamond Cave has the biggest collection of 5.8’s on the peninsula (~4). As such, the guides often come to this wall and dominate all the easy climbs. The wall doesn’t get much sun, though, so showing up at lunch while the classes are breaking works well. There are also at least 2 10a’s, 2 10b’s, 2 10c’s and a 10d
• Muay Thai and 1-2-3 Walls are so close together that they’re really just one place. The guides also come to these walls, so plan accordingly. No much sun hits here either, so climb whenever. There are at least 2 5.8’s, 4 5.9’s, 1 10a, 4 10b’s and 4 10c’s, not to mention a ton of harder climbs. Don’t miss the classic Massage Secret (10b). I also enjoyed We Sad (10b) which has a tough but fun no feet start up a tufa hanging down from above.
  
  Climbers at 1-2-3 Wall
• Fire Wall has a climb that everyone must do: Groove Tube. It’s an amazing 10a up a vertical half pipe full of jugs. The optional tunnelling start is unique and adds to the experience. The wall gets morning sun and doesn’t have too many easy climbs (2 10a’s, 2 10c’s, 1 10d), but is close to the Melting Wall.
  
  
  Me tunnelling up Groove Tube (5.10a) on the Fire Wall
• Thaiwand Wall has a bunch of great single pitch climbs at the base of this impressive monolith. It doesn’t get much sun either. There is 1 5.8, 2 10bs, 2 10c’s, and 2 10d’s. The routes on the far right have you traverse out over the water for some great exposure from the get-go. Also, make sure to make your way through the Thaiwand itself - it’s hollow! If you come from the other side, then you rappel down the 5.8 on your way out.
  
  Nick and Morris anchoring in at the base of Thaiwand Wall - instant exposure above the water!
• Melting Wall is close to the Fire Wall and also only gets morning sun. It has 1 5.9, 1 10a, and 2 10c’s. Combined with Fire Wall, it makes for a good outing.
• Cobra Wall is primarily a low tide wall unless you’re up for wading a good distance. It gets morning sun and has a bunch of low 10s - 1 10a, and 3 10b’s. The climbs here are generally really good and there’s also a 5-star 11a if you’re feeling strong.
• Eagle Wall is a nice wall close to a small secluded beach on the peninsula. There is 1 10a, 1 10b, and 2 10c’s along with a bunch of harder climbs, including a few high quality 11a’s.

This guide should last you about a week on the peninsula. Deep water soloing for a day is great too. If you’re there for longer, then take a look in the guide books. They’re great and will point the way to many more high quality climbs in the 5.8 to 10d range and up. Have fun!