Matthew Holliman - Apr 13, 2006 1:47 am Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2006
Cat In The Hat
Headed out to Vegas just for one day to catch the Sisters of Mercy, and squeezed in a climb with Donnie before the show. A bit chilly in the shade, but nice in the sun... and consistently excellent rock and wonderful views. Steep, but good holds everywhere. Great fun.
Ran out of time to tag the summit, so we ended up rapping the route.
BranchWhitney - Mar 12, 2006 5:27 am Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2005
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat
This was a fun climb. Lot of people on the route that day. Have some video of a climber at the crux on the last pitch. I took it from the trail. Looks scary!
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat 5.6, 6 pitches Date Climbed: OCtober 21, 2005
Climbed the standard six pitch route. Great day climbing with Johanna. Unfortunately, we got stuck behind a very slow moving group. Ended up rapping and hiking out in the dark. So much for those plans to climb Dark Shadows.
Outstanding technical climbing on the first few pitches, leading to classic "desert peak" scrambling for the final half of the climb. Unique position. With Tom Scott.
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: December 26, 2004
A fun "classic." The hike is fairly straightforward, especially for Red Rocks. We enjoyed the fun climbing on an overcast, but dry, December day. The "hiking" sections were interesting; complete with a cairn on the first main ledge. Upper pitches very pleasant. We finally bumped into some fellow climbers--two couples were behind us. All in all, a good day of climbing.
Route Climbed: Dark Shadows (5.8, IV) up, Cat in the Hat (5.6+, II) down Date Climbed: January 18, 2003
Free-soloed the full 14 pitch version of Dark Shadows to the summit of Mescalito. It took about an hour from the base to the summit. I downclimbed horrendous chimneys and bushes to the top of Cat in the Hat, then I downclimbed Cat in the Hat.
Route Climbed: "Dark Shadows" Date Climbed: May 1999
My son Luke Tipton and I climbed this route to the top. We did the route in 11 pitches with a 200m rope. The decent is the crux, we headed west at least a 1/2 mile then north and found a rap route down a chimney system back to pine creek. The route was enjoyable ,getting the summit was great, climbing with my son was priceless.
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: April 2002
What a great climb. A little easier than we expected after some other Red Rocks routes. The easier the rating, the more awkward the climbing seems to be!
We actually beat most of the crowds to this popular route, but it was hard to rappel with all the people coming up.
Didn't climb to the true summit, just rapped from the standard end of the climb.
Route Climbed: The complete Dark Shadows IV, 5.8, 14 pitches Date Climbed: April 25th, 1987
Robert Somoano and I climbed the 14 pitches of Dark Shadows with Robert leading the 1st pitch (10a-b) variation start, which is now called Sandstone Sandwich. We thoroughly enjoyed climbing over the roof at the start of the fifth pitch (5.8) and following the buttress up for some ten more pitches to the top of Mescalito. The complete 14 pitch climb (IV, 5.8) was one of the early classics at Red Rocks. If you can find the old Guide Books that describe the descent, try the complete route. You will be glad you did.
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat and Dark Shadows Date Climbed: Many
A great little pyramid of rock. I've climbed a couple different routes on Mescalito many times -- always free solo. I've only visited the summit once, but it was worthwhile.
Matthew Holliman - Apr 13, 2006 1:47 am Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2006
Cat In The HatHeaded out to Vegas just for one day to catch the Sisters of Mercy, and squeezed in a climb with Donnie before the show. A bit chilly in the shade, but nice in the sun... and consistently excellent rock and wonderful views. Steep, but good holds everywhere. Great fun.
Ran out of time to tag the summit, so we ended up rapping the route.
BranchWhitney - Mar 12, 2006 5:27 am Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2005
Route Climbed: Cat in the HatThis was a fun climb. Lot of people on the route that day. Have some video of a climber at the crux on the last pitch. I took it from the trail. Looks scary!
SusanM - Nov 13, 2005 8:49 pm
Route Climbed: Via Pine Creek Canyon Date Climbed: November 13, 2005An awesome peak with a wonderful group of hikers.
mekwise - Oct 26, 2005 2:50 pm
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat 5.6, 6 pitches Date Climbed: OCtober 21, 2005Climbed the standard six pitch route. Great day climbing with Johanna. Unfortunately, we got stuck behind a very slow moving group. Ended up rapping and hiking out in the dark. So much for those plans to climb Dark Shadows.
tdoughty - Sep 5, 2005 1:10 pm
Route Climbed: Dark Shadows Date Climbed: May '92Outstanding technical climbing on the first few pitches, leading to classic "desert peak" scrambling for the final half of the climb. Unique position. With Tom Scott.
birdhead - May 10, 2005 11:26 am
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: April 2003Great route on nice rock. Lots of people on the rock that day. Had to rap in the dark.
DesertAdventures - Apr 18, 2005 11:36 am
Route Climbed: Hiked in. Date Climbed: 3-28-05Hiked in via Fern Canyon. Very windy on top but yet still a beautifull day!
Don
M and N Denyer - Jan 4, 2005 12:13 pm
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: December 26, 2004A fun "classic." The hike is fairly straightforward, especially for Red Rocks. We enjoyed the fun climbing on an overcast, but dry, December day. The "hiking" sections were interesting; complete with a cairn on the first main ledge. Upper pitches very pleasant. We finally bumped into some fellow climbers--two couples were behind us. All in all, a good day of climbing.
Shaase - Jun 22, 2004 4:16 pm
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: Fall 1998Loved the 5.6 hands on the last pitch....
cp0915 - Mar 22, 2004 10:31 am
Route Climbed: up Fern Canyon down Pine Creek Canyon Date Climbed: Mar21,04Nice class 4 route. Beautiful views of the Red Rock backcountry.
rpc - Mar 17, 2004 4:17 pm
Route Climbed: multiple Date Climbed: multipleClimbed the following routes:
Cat in the Hat (5.6). Thanksgiving 2002.
Dark Shadows (1st two pitches; rained off). January 2004.
Dark Shadows (1st four pitches). March 2004.
bc44caesar - Feb 16, 2004 1:08 pm
Route Climbed: Pine Creek Trail Date Climbed: 4 Dec 2003Incredibly difficult route finding up 3rd class trail on the west side of Mescalito
Josh - Jan 23, 2003 11:25 am
Route Climbed: Dark Shadows (5.8, IV) up, Cat in the Hat (5.6+, II) down Date Climbed: January 18, 2003Free-soloed the full 14 pitch version of Dark Shadows to the summit of Mescalito. It took about an hour from the base to the summit. I downclimbed horrendous chimneys and bushes to the top of Cat in the Hat, then I downclimbed Cat in the Hat.
Eric Tipton - Dec 11, 2002 11:09 pm
Route Climbed: "Dark Shadows" Date Climbed: May 1999My son Luke Tipton and I climbed this route to the top. We did the route in 11 pitches with a 200m rope. The decent is the crux, we headed west at least a 1/2 mile then north and found a rap route down a chimney system back to pine creek. The route was enjoyable ,getting the summit was great, climbing with my son was priceless.
darinchadwick - Dec 8, 2002 7:36 am
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat Date Climbed: April 2002What a great climb. A little easier than we expected after some other Red Rocks routes. The easier the rating, the more awkward the climbing seems to be!
We actually beat most of the crowds to this popular route, but it was hard to rappel with all the people coming up.
Didn't climb to the true summit, just rapped from the standard end of the climb.
asmrz - Dec 7, 2002 1:47 pm
Route Climbed: The complete Dark Shadows IV, 5.8, 14 pitches Date Climbed: April 25th, 1987Robert Somoano and I climbed the 14 pitches of Dark Shadows with Robert leading the 1st pitch (10a-b) variation start, which is now called Sandstone Sandwich. We thoroughly enjoyed climbing over the roof at the start of the fifth pitch (5.8) and following the buttress up for some ten more pitches to the top of Mescalito. The complete 14 pitch climb (IV, 5.8) was one of the early classics at Red Rocks. If you can find the old Guide Books that describe the descent, try the complete route. You will be glad you did.
Josh - Dec 6, 2002 6:13 pm
Route Climbed: Cat in the Hat and Dark Shadows Date Climbed: ManyA great little pyramid of rock. I've climbed a couple different routes on Mescalito many times -- always free solo. I've only visited the summit once, but it was worthwhile.