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thomasribiere
Nov 23, 2005, 10:16 AM
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Registered: Aug 24, 2002
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Everything started a few days before I went to Las Vegas. I was looking for a climbing partner for Red Rock here on rc.com, and a user known as larryd sent me a PM on the 17th of May, 2005. I opened it, and here is what was written :
In reply to: Hi Thomas-- not sure what my plans are for the weekend, but if you need a partner I'll probably be doing something. (Trad most likely- don't do much sport) if you're interested, give me a shout... Larry DeAngelo
And a few days later, on Friday the 20th
In reply to: Current plan is some trad climbing in Black Velvet Canyon. Larry DeAngelo
Followed by this one the same afternoon
In reply to: Sounds good-- I will see you in the morning. I will bring enough gear to keep me happy, but if you have any favorite stuff, feel free to bring it along. (Especially any odd French stuff that we don't get to see over here!) Although don't bring tons of stuff-- there is a half-hour walk to the rock. In case you need to recognize me... I an a tallish fellow, probably wearing a yellow or orange t-shirt and 2-tone blue pants. Larry
OK, so it was going to be some trad… I had only climbed trad with George Hurley on the monzogranite of Joshua Tree for a couple of days, and even if it was not that awful, it was not really what I had expected before my US trip. Anyway, I was definitely happy to find a partner to climb on the Red Rock formations and do a couple of easy routes in the shade. After a very good night, the first real good one under the tent despite the heavy winds of the eve and early night, I woke up around 7:00 am on this Saturday morning. I drove downtown for a while to buy some ice for my cooler and to check my messages at the Public Library.
11:35 am. Meeting along the road SR160 on a dirt parking lot with the indications that Larry emailed me. I first meet a friend of him. Bill Thiry it is, a tall and nice looking young man. We talk a bit, and then come Larry, not a middle age guy, maybe a bit taller than Bill, thin but muscled.
En route for Black Velvet Canyon in my rental white Ford Focus, for 20 minutes of a chaotic drive. I'm focused on the dirt road and don't get everything of the conversation running between my partners though the phrasing of Larry is definitely slow, but I feel like I will have a surprise. Once parked, we walk under the mid-day burning sun, and and it's becoming exhausting soon. My straw hat doesn't really help. After 30 minutes we eventually reach the base of the north (north-east) Face of the Whiskey Peak. And as I feared, Larry and Bill had foreseen a First Ascent! A multi-pitch trad first ascent. Never ever would I have imagined such a thing…
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62145
The Whiskey Peak's N Face. All pictures courtesy of Larry DeAngelo.
We leave the maximum of gear in our packs in the shade of a large rock and reach the very bottom of the future route, on a ledge. Bill starts the crack of the first length, but after a short night, he downclimbs the first feet, and offers the lead to Larry. Well… Larry starts… and climbs this first pitch surely, putting his hands, his feet and his gear in the crack, before anchoring himself. He now stands on the left extremity of the ledge where the second pitch of "Frogland" starts. Larry is sure that this first length had already been climbed before. I go second, once again not really using the crack on a trad climb. Whatever, I do it clean, and manage to get past a small overhanging section onto the ledge. Then Bill joins us quickly on the ledge. And then I notice that Larry belays us with the rope around the hip… and his harness is NOT a harness. It's just some webbing…The day after, sport climbers will tell me that Larry's nickname in Las Vegas is… "Scary Larry"!
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62144
Larry attacking P1.
Bill and me comfortably sitting on the bushy ledge, Larry attacks a thin crack located 10-15 feet right of the beginning ramp of "Frogland's" P2. But too hard for him, he turns back, and first climbs up the ramp for a few feet, before trying another thin crack going up vertically. Large enough or the hands in its lower part, Larry quickly needs some fingerlocks to reach a characteristic hueco. He then traverses towards the right, starts another hand crack, and disappears. "Off belay". After a few minutes (I need to put my shoes on and make the knot), I go up myself. This thin crack might be a trad climber's gem, but some nasty crimpers on its left side are good enough for a fit sport climber on top rope and only for a couple of feet… The end of this second pitch is on a fragile sandstone but the shapes of the holds are wonderful. Once again, we are on a ledge, but standing this time. I belay Bill with my atc-xp while he joins us under the voraceous eye of Larry's digital camera.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62146
Bill in P2.
Bill immediately starts the third pitch by an easy and 20-25 foot high pillar. He climbs quickly and this pitch seems easy. I do it second. It was so easy for Bill that he only used 2 protections in more than 100 feet of ascension. These guys are nuts… The sandstone offers again an amazing amount of holds, with a lot of fragile black flakes, especially when pulled (the forces to be used on them must be directed towards the ground). I broke 3 of them in a row... Bill belays on the hip too… These guys are definitely crazy! We must be more than 300 feet above the ground. Larry joins us, finishing this 3rd pitch by the whitish ramp leading towards the ledge we are on ; an overhang was possible too, for the most motivated trad climbers… The second and third pitches seem original to Larry.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62147
Bill in P3!
Then the 4th pitch is first climbed by Larry. He spends a lot of time in it and we can't see him for the main part of this length. But he finally pulls the rope up, until I am top rope. Seconding, I can test the fragility of the holds : during this long 150-180' pitch, Larry put only a few protections, due to the chossy character of the cracks. The ledge is small and like stairs, but comfortable again. Bill joins us quickly. He looks tired and I am terribly hungry and keep on claiming it. Larry and Bill soon get hungry too ; it must be contagious!
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62148
Me seconding in P4.
Larry swallows the 5th pitch in a few minutes, going right around the rock overhanging over the ledge. This pitch is short, like 60 feet long. I and then Bill follow him soon. Another 60 feet of easy rock (but I admit I felt better with a rope!) make the 6th and last pitch among a bouldery and bushy corridor.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62150
Bill, P5.
Here we are, at the top of this new route, just under the Summit of The Whiskey Peak, after a 5 – 5:30 hours of ascent.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62152
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62154
Summit shots.
Happy, and me very happy, we pack our racks, make a couple of shots and hugs, and walk down on the abrupt trail for 30 minutes towards our big packs, plus 30 more minutes to the car. The desert is wonderful, still green and blooming after a wet spring.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62156
Back to the car in the setting sun.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=62157
Desert flowers.
The temperature is not warm anymore, and we appreciate to have climbed the whole route in the shade. Larry joins his wife home for the dinner, while I invite Bill in an italian restaurant somewhere in the nebulous Las Vegas, before we even take a shower. Bill organises me an appointment the day after with two of his climbing mates, on 7:30 at the gates of the park. I'm back under my tent around 11:00 pm. On the sunday afternoon, I will end up in the emergencies, puking and dehydrated, for an unknown reason. Weird week-end in Las Vegas, NV.
Red Rock, The Whiskey Peak, North Face.
"Canadian Club"
FA Larry DeAngelo, Bill Thiry, Thomas Ribière, Saturday the 21rst of May, 2005. Duration approx. 5 hours.
P1, 100 ft, 5.7/5.9
P2, 100 ft, 5.8/5.10
P3, 120 ft, 5.6
P4, 175 ft, 5.5
P5, 60 ft, 5.5
P6, 60 ft, 2nd and 3rd class?
NB : Larry and all other ascenders, up to you to modify the grading!
(This post was edited by thomasribiere on Apr 20, 2011, 10:29 PM)
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brent_e
Nov 23, 2005, 3:11 PM
Post #2 of 13
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Registered: Dec 15, 2004
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nice report - a good read indeed!
Congrats on the FA!!!! :D
Best
Brent
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larryd
Nov 23, 2005, 3:45 PM
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Registered: Apr 15, 2003
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A good day! A week or so later we worked out the routefinding details and did the climb I REALLY wanted to do: Bourbon Street, which is a really nice route and a worthy companion to Frogland on an excellent piece of rock. details of both routes are here:
http://www.climbingredrocks.com/rock/db/black_velvet_canyon/whiskey_peak/canadian_club.html
Larry
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snakehuntergirl
Nov 23, 2005, 7:00 PM
Post #4 of 13
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Registered: Sep 13, 2005
Posts: 45
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Thanks for the story and pictures! A joy to read on my lunch break on a stressful work day. I needed that! Red Rock is a very special place and I love to get lost in the experience and stories of others. For a brief moment, it made me feel like I'm climbing there today. :)
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snakehuntergirl
Nov 23, 2005, 7:01 PM
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Registered: Sep 13, 2005
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Thanks for the story and pictures! A joy to read on my lunch break on a stressful work day. I needed that! Red Rock is a very special place and I love to get lost in the experience and stories of others.
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thomasribiere
Nov 23, 2005, 7:18 PM
Post #6 of 13
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Registered: Aug 24, 2002
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^ thank you for the nice feedback. The credit is due to Larry DeAngelo, who saw the line and led us to it.
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snakehuntergirl
Nov 24, 2005, 1:00 AM
Post #7 of 13
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Registered: Sep 13, 2005
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Thanks Larry~ I love to hear of your adventures in Red Rock! Makes me :D :!:
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vegastradguy
Nov 24, 2005, 1:11 AM
Post #8 of 13
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Registered: Aug 28, 2002
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nice report, good to finally hear about the day that inspired my trip with Larry on the FA of Bourbon Street. sounds like you had good fun.
btw- the second pitch, although strenuous, is 5.8+ fingers. The saving grace is the abundant footholds- otherwise it would be much more difficult, as it is quite steep.
i recommend either of these routes, that's an excellent chunk of rock, and given the crowds on Frogland, its nice to finally have some alternatives out there!
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raymondjeffrey
Nov 24, 2005, 1:46 AM
Post #9 of 13
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Registered: Mar 2, 2004
Posts: 361
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I absolutely love climbing with Larry and vegastradguy. 'Birthday Party' and 'Laceration Spur' are the routes that I did with Larry and I will always remember those experiences and I can't wait to tackle another route with Larry.
Carry On,
Jefro
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flamer
Nov 26, 2005, 12:19 AM
Post #10 of 13
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Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
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HaHa!! larry sucks in anothervictim...er....partner!!
Larry I'll be in RR in Decemeber....with one day to spare....got any lines for me???
josh
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vegastradguy
Nov 26, 2005, 2:25 AM
Post #11 of 13
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Registered: Aug 28, 2002
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josh--
pm me about your vegas day- i've got a project or two that we could use a ropegun for!
j
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snakehuntergirl
Nov 27, 2005, 4:51 AM
Post #12 of 13
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In reply to: [quote="raymondjeffrey"]I absolutely love climbing with Larry and vegastradguy. |
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thomasribiere
Apr 20, 2011, 10:06 PM
Post #13 of 13
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Registered: Aug 24, 2002
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I "resurrect" this thread after 6 years... I have a few questions to ask to Larry DeAngelo...
I will try the MP but I don't know if Larry comes here that much... If anyone can give me his email (I can't find it) or his facebook ID, thank you.
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