A Bit of Sport in Red Rocks

The desert is hot. Damn hot. However, to get away from the blazing sun, climbers sometimes head to the deep canyons. Here is the Black Corridoor which boasts over 30 sport routes. It receives almost no direct sun and is an oasis of darkness and moderate temperatures when the surroundings burn. I climbed several of the routes here. The routes vary from steep slabs to overhangs and the holds from small crimps on desert varnish to obsenely extravagant huecos that dwarf even the most ridiculous climbing wall hold. Next time I'm at a climbing wall and there is a blue handle bolted on the wall, I won't say the usual "well you'd never see something like that outside", but instead, "that's almost a Red Rock hold". I also climbed the most overhanging route I've ever attempted. I hope that I'll get the chance to lead it clean and post photos, it was close to 45 degrees and elsewhere would be the ground only of climbers like Simon. But as Red Rocks seems to be the home of improbably easy climbing, mere mortals like me can be Simon Bell for a day.