Red Rock Rendezvous

March 19 - 21, 2010

      The Red Rock Rendezvous is a Mountain Gear sponsored event that takes place in Nevada's Red Rock canyon. They provide events and clinics for a weekend of fun. Last year 3,000 participants signed up to attend. The weather go the best of the event on Sunday pushing clinics to the nearby climbing gyms, but this year, the weather was perfect. The clinics seemed to go well and the attendees looked like they were having fun. All of the proceeds from the event went to the Access Fund.

     For the third year in a row, I've helped my friend Ali Rainey with her clinic. She has taught a variety of different topics with this year's topic being 'Climb like a Girl.' Her sponsors were very generous, giving her goody bags of product to give out to her clinic attendees. Native Eyewear for example, provided her with a pair of polarized sunglasses for each paraticipant in each of her 2 clinics.  Thanks, Native Eyewear!  Prana provided some clothes.

     Alli's clinic was held at the Sandstone Quarry parking where she set the group up on a climb called 'Man's Best Friend.' This was a beautiful 2 pitch climb and perfect for her clinic. The belay zone was small and there was a scramble descent approach. This meant help with the clinic was more about getting people in and out of the crag more than helping manage the people. After getting all of the kinks sorted the first day, the second day, I skipped out during Alli's lesson to get in some climbing of my own.

     My cousin Galen and his girlfriend Mary were in town and fortunately we could meet up this day and climb together. We stayed near Alli's clinic and climbed some slabs near the Trophy wall that were in the shade. By early afternoon, we moved to the Trophy wall itself. We had just enough time to try 1 climb but the climb we wanted to try was taken. We stepped right a bit and tried something else. The guide had joined me in this climbing excursion and was attempting his first 5.12. He was awesome, fearless and very strong.

    My cousin also tried the route, even though he had done his first 5.10a lead a few days before (he'd started climbing around the Holidays this past winter). He was awesome on the route as well. I was suprised how quickly hesorted out the movemnets and managed the opening crux. He didn't stick the last move in the crux, but he got on it exclaiming as he fell away "ah, it was a good hold, too!"

    It was a short but very full trip. From an athlete's perspective, I love attending because it's a great way to see all of my friends in one place. Now that I have participated in this the last few yesrs, I'm even recognizing some of the attendees. The rendezvous is a good time and I recommend checking it out if you've never done so. The caliber of athletes is high and it's your chance to learn something from teh pros. :) It's a great way for the athletes to help out for a good cause and give back to the community by making themselves available to you.