Cat in the Hat - 5.6
Shane and Jayna Swenson made the drive up to Vegas for a visit, so Shane and I took the opportunity to head up a 650ft crack system on the Mescalito Buttress, called the Cat in the Hat. This is a remarkably popular route, and we were lucky enough to be the first ones in the parking lot at 7:30AM.
Outside temperatures were in the 30’s, and we came prepared. Much more bundled up than my usual Redrocks attire! After a bit of bushwacking, we found our crack system, and up we went. The first pitch was COLD. Our hands were barely functional, and the first few moves were pretty ‘exciting’, to say the least.
This climb is traditionally done in 4-6 pitches, and I stretched it out and made it in four. Great continuous crack climbing, with good exposure throughout the route, super fun.
Shane did quite well, and showed no signs of being spooked, as we gained more and more altitude. The climb went smoothly with the exception of jamming a small TCU in too tight, effectively wedging it into the rock, never to be removed. Shane made great attempts to remove it, but it wasn’t to be.
We climbed all morning in solitude. It took us a bit less than four hours to reach the summit. The final pitch is a classic, a striking straight in crack, splitting a clean varnished face. Plenty of face holds and features keep the rating down to 5.6 though, awesome climb. As we descended, we passed a total of 4 other parties on the route. Eleven people in all would top out the climb this day. Amazing the amount of traffic the ‘classics’ of Redrocks get.
Shane and I did four uneventful (whew!) rappels down the face, and hoofed back to the car by 3pm. We headed home for a quick nap, then off to a fantastic dinner and a Circus du Soleil show! It made for a fun, but very long day!
Awesome climbing Shane, and thanks for trusting him with me Jayna! I can’t wait for the next time!
Jayna on 23 Jan 2007 at 4:39 pm #
In case you simply cannot live without a hat just like Shane’s, you’re in luck. A pink version of the exact same hat is on ebay.
Marshall on 23 Jan 2007 at 4:42 pm #
Notice the title of it…and the obvious gender reference. Shane, seriously. You need to get a new hat. Another new hat.
Shane on 23 Jan 2007 at 4:46 pm #
Mock all you want. If my hands had been as warm as my ears on the first pitch, I would have been a very happy man. Maybe I should have worn the matching gloves.