WMSC employee on Vacation!!! 4/30/25

After a winter of ski touring and ski mountaineering, I decided I wanted to test my skills and see if I made a leap forward. No better place to test them then…… Red Rocks Las Vegas!!! 

Southie Joe and myself set off at 530am for an epic day. Our plan was Inti Watana (1500 feet 5.10C) and linking it to Upper Resolution Arete (800 feet 5.8). This would bring us to the summit of Mt Wilson and the highest peak in the area. After 1:45 approach and a short break at the base, we stepped off. Linking pitches and swapping leads we enjoyed beautiful face climbing on steep Red Rocks patina. It was glorious. We stood on top of Inti Watana only a couple hours after we set off. A little before noon, counting our chickens before they hatched… Joe and I made plans for dinner.

Upper Resolution Arete was a vastly different type of climbing. Inti was well protected and straight forward, with our light rack, Resolution was runout, chossy and a little too exciting. We quested up on chimneys, loose flakes and very adventurous terrain. Stumbling onto the summit at almost 5pm. After a short break we set off for the descent. 

The descend was an epic, bouldering hopping, dead ends and a dwindling supply of water. After 3.5 hours of hiking and damn near 9pm at night, Joe and I arrived at the car. An incredible adventure with a one of a kind partner. 

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the spring skiing and sorry in advance to Andrew…. This is a ski conditions blog after all!!! 

 The approach in! 

The top of Inti Watana!! 

A unique feature on the upper pitches of Resolution, a catwalk. 

It’s not the summit sign of Mt. Washington…. But it will do.