On Sunday June 28th, 2026, I rope-soloed the ultra-classic Dark Shadows to the summit of Mescalito Dome – my longest lead rope solo to date. I completed the route in 12.5 hours car-to-car, including 23 pitches and 2,300 feet of fifth class climbing.
Over the last year I’ve dabbled in the dark arts of lead rope soloing. Despite hundreds of pitches and dozens of routes accompanied solely by a Gri-Gri and my own lonesome thoughts, I’m still identifying where rope soloing fits into my climbing. If the route is too easy the shenanigans of self-belayed rockcraft isn’t justified. Conversely, falling while rope-soloing really isn’t advisable for a multitude of nuanced reasons. For now, rope-soloing inhabits the murky void between free-soloing and limit climbing – reserved for adventurous outings just beyond the grade I would feel comfortable cordless. In May I rope-soloed my longest route to date, The Long Climb (5.8, III, 800’) on Tahquitz Rock. That experience went swimmingly, and today I wanted to up the ante – significantly.
Bobbi and I’s newest work project is in Needles California, two hours south of Las Vegas in the epicenter of absolutely nowhere. Would we prefer work closer to Vegas or Idyllwild? Certainly. But we play with the cards we’re dealt, and a two hour weekend commute for world class climbing is reasonable. As a summer climbing destination Red Rocks is misunderstood. Even when city temperatures soar in excess of 100 degrees, satisfactory conditions can be found in deep shade, especially if you have margin at the given difficulty. You’ll be sweating your ass off on the approach while simultaneously shlepping over one gallon of water, but the reward is a nearly empty Red Rocks, and all the other splendors of this magical place.
My rope-soloing escapade du jour would be Chasing Shadows, a two pitch 5.9 variation to Dark Shadows, with continuation to the top of Mescalito Dome. Almost every party that climbs Dark Shadows, one of the more popular moderates in the park, rappels after the first four excellent pitches. But above pitch four, six to nine more pitches through adventurous alpine terrain lead to the true summit. Bobbi and I climbed the abbreviated Dark Shadows last summer, but today I sought the full package.
I reached the base of the Dark Shadows Wall at 8:30am, free soloed the first pitch 5.5 slab, and set a belay at the bolted anchor for pitch two. My original plan for Chasing Shadows, which branches right up a steep varnished handcrack above pitch two, was instantly thwarted by a sinister sun reluctant to disappear behind Mescalito’s north face. Fortunately, the original third and fourth pitches of Dark Shadows, tucked neatly into a northwest facing corner, were just beginning to shade. These last two pitches provided a perfect challenge for my current rope-soloing proficiency, with terrain much steeper, technical and sustained than a typical Red Rocks 5.8. Bolted anchors made changeovers quick, and within three hours I had led, cleaned, rappelled and followed the abbreviated route. On paper I was making excellent time, but due to unexpected sun exposure, and two rope snags that required rappelling and re-climbing to negotiate, I was more tired than I wished to admit. I was only 400 feet off the ground, but already logged 800 feet of mileage. Craning outward from the pitch four anchor was a dizzying degree of steep mountain, and my current fixed anchor was the last opportunity for retreat. Above this point rappel hardware disappears, and Dark Shadows assumes alpine character. Continuation would usher full commitment to Mescalito. But who was I kidding – we came to Red Rocks for adversity, so adversity we would pursue.
As I labored up the next six pitches of steep, sustained and at times inobvious 5.7 and 5.8 terrain, I became progressively fatigued. The route never quite went into full shade, so save for a few dark chimneys and secluded belays I spent the remainder of my day withering like a spring cactus bloom. The constant movement of rope soloing provided no chance for physical regeneration. I was always racing father time – climbing, setting anchors, resetting anchors, managing systems, rappelling, cleaning or seconding. Heat induced foot pain forced several approach shoe pitches. Dehydration became crippling. On pitch ten, 1,000 feet off the deck, the crux of the entire route provided a testing battle. While 5.8 is a grade I typically waltz with a light rack, seventeen pitches and hours of continuous climbing left me depleted, pumped and pawing desperately over a bulbous roof on heroic, albeit taxingly powerful, holds. From a gigantic ledge 300 feet below the summit of Mescalito I splayed shirtless, airing my damaged toes beneath a lone piñon pine, toasting my final four ounces of water to success. As told in the Handren guidebook and Mountain Project, only 300 feet of scrambling remained. Unfortunately, scrambling was an understatement.
Reaching the summit from pitch ten took nearly an hour. I climbed up and down at least three weaknesses, following occasional splotches of chalk along various ledge systems linked by exposed, dirty and precarious difficulties up to 5.7. At one particularly nervy slab I switched back to climbing shoes and tagged my pack, but never formally belayed. If there is a true scrambling route to the summit of Mescalito, I certainly didn’t find it. I reached the true summit at 5:30pm, and onsighted the notoriously devious descent into the South Fork of Pine Creek Canyon, complete with three rappels, in two hours. One hour later I was at the car – 23 pitches, 2,300 vertical feet of fifth class climbing, 12.5 hours on the move, and my biggest rope-soloing feat bagged.
Appreciate Ten Thousand Too Far? Support independent mountain journalism with $5.10 per month through Patreon (and receive extra bonus content), or with a one-time donation. Any and all support is wonderful.
Having now climbed the abbreviated and full versions of Dark Shadows, I can resoundingly say both have their place. 95% of the best climbing is concentrated in pitches two, three and four, making retreat from pitch four a logical low commitment outing. But for the adventure inclined, continuation to the top of Mescalito is classic. Pitches five through ten remain remarkably steep and engaging for the grade, rarely devolving into the mindless jug hauling of standard Red Rocks 5.7. The 5.8 roof on pitch ten, with 1,000 feet of direct exposure, is spectacular. A seldom visited summit is always a true cherry, and the descent isn’t nearly as bad or illogical as Mountain Project suggests. I was bleary eyed and busted for the start of another 60 hour work week in the Southeast California desert. Between systemic dehydration, 12.5 hours of desert raging, two hours commute each way, and a 4:00AM wake up for work Monday morning, I felt more cactus than human. But my soul was overflowing, and that’s exactly why I climb.
Bonus Beta
South Fork Descent Notes
There are two descents into the South Fork of Pine Creek, one with rappels (rappel route) and one without (scrambling route). I never found the scrambling route, but the rappel route was intuitive and painless. From the summit, head directly west to the obvious saddle/notch where continuing west would require significant uphill scrambling, and you could dive north or south. Head south, following cairns and trails, down the broad “South Gully”. Follow cairns skier’s left onto a rocky bench. At a particularly large cairn and exposed ledge with a viewpoint of low angle slabs leading back to the south gully below, downclimb a short 4th class step to another broad ledge. Head skier’s left to a huge right facing corner where you will find a hidden rappel anchor (slung pinch and one nut), and rappel 25 meters to easier slabs. Shuffle into the gully and cut downhill skier’s right to the right wall of the gully. Follow cairns down a white sandstone rib towards what appears a dead end cliff. At the end of the rib, scramble into the rightmost and tight gully which will present another rib. Follow this rib to a bolted anchor. Let faith and intuition guide you over these ribs, as they all seem unlikely. One short rappel leads to another bolt anchor, and one last 25 meter rappel through a huge chimney reaches the ground. Easy bushwhacking directly into the South Fork of Pine Creek. Follow the creek bed to freedom. This descent took about one hour from summit to creek.
Pitch Six Routefinding
The only place I veered off route was pitch six. After clipping a single bolt and heading into a big chimney gully system, move improbably left onto the face as the gully tightens to a low angle huecoed chimney. On the face you’ll find a finger crack, which is followed to a single bolt anchor backed up by small gear.
Time Stamps
if using a to plan a normal partnered climb, remember I had to climb every pitch twice and rappel each pitch once!
- Departed Pine Creek Parking Lot: 7:50AM
- Began Climbing: 8:30AM
- Top of Pitch Four: 11:30AM
- Top of Pitch Ten: 4:30PM
- Mescalito Summit: 5:40PM
- South Fork Pine Creek: 7:00PM
- Arrived at Car: 8:20PM
Want to support? Consider a donation, subscribe, check out my Patreon page, or simply support our sponsors listed below.
Ten Thousand Too Far is generously supported by Icelantic Skis from Golden Colorado, Range Meal Bars, The High Route, Black Diamond Equipment and Barrels & Bins Natural Market.
enter your email to subscribe to new article updates
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.
Ten Thousand Too Far 
Leave a comment