*Photo Disclaimer – My phone dropped out of my pocket on Dream of Wild Turkey’s (SO SAD!) so none of the following pictures are mine and some are from previous trips!
Last year, Lee turned 29 years old and it was basically a flop of a birthday.. We spent the day in Leavenworth, Lee ran a 10 mile race and then it continued to dump rain and all we did was bar hop for Octoberfest.. Now, don’t get wrong, it was a good day and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, but this would certainly not fly for Lee’s next birthday – the big ‘ol 3-0!
This is when I started scheming for next year, his DIRTY THIRTY… I would surprise him with a climbing trip! Staying in the PNW during the month of October was going to be a toss-up, rain or sun.. who really knows what the weather is going to do during shoulder season! So I decided we’d head to the desert where the chances of rain were slim.
The months passed and tried to plan out a few details but didn’t think too much about it until we got home from our Bugaboo’s trip. His birthday was 2 months away at that point.. I needed to get some things booked! I decided on Red Rocks for the destination as there were relatively cheap flights, cheap car rentals, and easy access to both the rocks and grocery stores.
Originally I had wanted it to be a surprise trip for just him and I, but I decided to invite friends to join! The more the merrier and Lee really values time with his friends!
Well the weekend finally arrived! I got Lee all the way to the airport gate before he found out where we were going – Surprise #1 SUCCESS! He was psyched to be headed to RR after having not climbed there in almost 5 years!
We landed in Vegas Thursday evening, picked up the rental car and headed to the Air B&B – it was a big house and this stumped Lee – were we staying in a room in someone’s house!? We walked inside and SURPRISE! Colin, Kristin, and Jen were all waiting for us! Surprise #2 SUCCESS! He was psyched to see the familiar faces!
The next morning, surprise #3 walked in – Bob had flown in from Denver for the weekend to celebrate! SUCCESS! Unfortunately, I had accidentally ruined surprise #4, but Mike was able to squeeze a weekend in Vegas between all his other work travel plans to celebrate! Surprise FAIL on my part. Surprise #5 would not get in until late Friday evening so Lee would find out who it was the next morning!
Surprise #5, SUCCESS! Friday night, Brianne, a college friend of Lee’s from the East Coast was able to fly in for 48 hours of climbing and birthday shenanigans!
With everyone rolling in for trip, all we had left to do was climb! I love Red Rocks – the grades are fair, the climbs are fun, and there is just so much quality rock to get on! Lee was able to spend a day climbing Levitation 29 with Bob and I was able to get on a goal climb Dream of Wild Turkey’s in Black Velvet Canyon!
Here’s a break down of my part of the trip – with the larger group, everyone was able to decide what they wanted to do!
Day 1 – The Gallery/Wall of Confusion/Yin and Yang Crag
Fun day of cragging and I was able to one-fall an 11c, Yaak Crack! Lots of 10’s, sun bathing, and taking fun pictures! Psych was high for all of us – we loved the sun and the good company!
Day 2 – Dream of Wild Turkey’s, 10a
Best climb of the weekend! This is a great moderate climb in Black Velvet Canyon. Colin and I, Jen and Kristin climbed it as 2 teams of 2 so that we could easily wrap the route without carrying extra ropes. It was here that my phone unfortunately dropped out of my chest pocket. It might have been the saddest day to watch it explode down the blank face of Black Velvet wall.
Not the first time I’ve lost a phone out of a pocket, to mother nature.. and probably won’t be the last. RIP Phone…
Day 3 – Calico Basin Craggin’
Exhausted fro the day before it was a random day of cragging – Bri, Mike and I climbed Big Bad Wolf, and then joined the rest of the group to get on Risk Brother’s Roof (Awesome!!) and finished out the day on Cannibal Crag for a couple pitches!
Day 4 – Black Cooridor
With tired bodies and short day before traveling, Bob, Lee, Colin and I went to Black Corridor to escape the desert sun (it was HOT!) and get in some last climbs!
Overall the trip was a HUGE success! Lee was surprise and everyone had a great time! (Except for my lost phone… all the wonderful pictures… AHH! I’m still getting over it..) We’re hoping to plan a trip for next fall to get everyone together again since this was just way too much fun!
Jen on the Run 