Johnny Vegas is an extremely popular, extremely cool little route that
can be found on the lower
tier of the Solar Slab Wall in the Red Rock Canyon National
Conservation Area. This phenomenal 5.6 or 5.7 route (depending on
who you talk to) climbs up through three enjoyable pitches, all of which
are in a spectacular position.
In 1999, I was climbing Beulah’s
Book, a classic 5.9 found just to the left, when I saw a rock jock
leading a 5.10 variation to Johnny Vegas. I looked down to see an older
man with a very small frame encouraging his much younger partner on.
The belayer was none-other than the iconic Red Rock climber, George
Uriosite.
It was also cool to see those guys on a
route that I knew nothing about. So I thought it was important as a
Vegas local to get on that thing as soon as possible. The very next day
my partner and I returned to the Solar Slab area to make an ascent of
Johnny Vegas. And we were incredibly happy that we did.
- Purists
will say that the route is four pitches, not three. Indeed, super
purists might even call it five pitches. It is three real pitches.
Sometimes people make a tiny pitch to attain the base of the route. And
there is a long stretch of 5.0 climbing at the top of the route. - Some
guidebooks say to rappel this route. It is a rope eating nightmare.
It is far better to rappel the nearby Solar Slab Gully. - There
are two starts to the bottom of the route. If a party is going very
slow on the right hand start, some may elect to pass them on the left. - The
bottom of the route goes into the shade in the winter from
approximately 10am to noon. When it’s cold in the shade, this can make
the route very very chilly. - This has become a super popular
route. Make sure to get up early!
–Jason D. Martin