On Tuesday November 10th, 2025, Bobbi Clemmer, Joy Seward and I climbed Edge Dressing via Chasing Shadows on Mescalito Dome. Woah – what a final pitch!
After my overdramatic odyssey of an article on Rock Warrior (5.10b R, 6p, 800′), we’re back to time efficient shorties. Here’s some shots from Edge Dressing, a fabulous two pitch variation to the classic Dark Shadows. From the second pitch belay of Dark Shadows, an intimidating 5.8+ hand, fist and off-width crack splits right towards the prominent varnished arete of the Dark Shadows corner. This is the third pitch of Chasing Shadows, and climbs better than it looks. From a scenic hanging belay begins Edge Dressing, a stout, thin and slippery 5.10b/c sport pitch with excitingly spaced bolts 300 feet off the deck. If Edge Dressing was in the Dark Corridor, it would have more chalk than a Kindergarten sidewalk. This is a totally brilliant piece of climbing, which can also be climbed on the way down from Dark Shadows and Chasing Shadows. A slick and punchy 5.10 layback on Planet Earth’s glassiest sandstone leads to a sneaky crux of stretching sequences on matchstick crimps. Rare for Red Rocks, I thought Edge Dressing was a fairly decent sandbag, and several others agree. Anywho, she’s a gem. If you’re in the market, I hope the attached topo and photos serve you well.
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DISCLAIMER
Ski mountaineering, rock climbing, ice climbing and all other forms of mountain recreation are inherently dangerous. Should you decide to attempt anything you read about in this article, you are doing so at your own risk! This article is written to the best possible level of accuracy and detail, but I am only human – information could be presented wrong. Furthermore, conditions in the mountains are subject to change at any time. Ten Thousand Too Far and Brandon Wanthal are not liable for any actions or repercussions acted upon or suffered from the result of this article’s reading.
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