Ooan Kongsingh Climbs Vegas

Time flies! It has been 3 year since my first trip to the USA with an exchange program with Colorado Mountain School. This year I come back to follow my climbing career goals. My US climbing adventures this year started in Vegas!

I have heard many stories about this town via my friend who lived here and the movies I’ve watched. Most people come here for gambling, partying, eloping and that’s the image we all have of this city! But for me, I’m here to climb! And Red Rock Canyon is one of the climbing areas I've always wanted to visit.

I arrived here in late April, and I was so lucky to have escaped the pollution and burning season from Chiang Mai. My goal here was to enjoy the climb as much as possible, and get myself in the right mind set before my rock guide course started in May.

First day climbing here with Add and Ethan, we jumped on a multi-pitch route; "Fiddler on the Roof 5.10.” I was kind of nervous for my first day of climbing in a new terrain, plus I was still tired from the jet lag. During this climb I felt very run out and by the end of the day I was exhausted; but I had a lot of fun!

Red Rocks is also famous for bouldering; there are tons of Kraft boulders and it’s so gorgeous. We had a little session for a couple of hours there. We climbed the classic "The Pearl V4.” I think that's the hardest bouldering outside I’ve ever done!(-:

After Add left, Ethan and I did some limestone sport climbing here and it was so fun! It’s about an hour hike following the creek to the promise land wall. It was so cold that day, that every time I grabbed the rock I just felt pain on the tip of my fingers. Of course we both tried "Fistfull of Dreadlocks 5.13a” Ho boy! It was an amazing climb and we got our butt kicked. I highly recommend this climb and definitely want to do it again!

On the last day of my trip, we woke up early to climb along the multi-pitch route "Challenger 5.10d” 6 pitches; in my opinion, it’s one of the best routes I've climbed in my life. After this long day, we both wanted to send our project "The gift 12d” Boone Speed’s classics route. We were so close to finishing, but it didn’t happen this time...so guess what! I have to come back and send it one day.