Not a lot of people know this, so Ephman's coming out here...  he's a rock climber.  Please don't judge him because of it.  It's just something that makes him who he is.  So when he headed out to Vegas (for work), there was no way he was going to miss out on climbing something in Red Rocks Canyon.

To find a guide in Red Rocks is easy.  To find a special guide, not so easy.  After a bit of research, and talking to guding companies, Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, made him feel the most comfortable.  And when you're high up on the rock comfort is what you need.  OK fine, they're based out of Jackson Hole, but they have an office in Vegas, out of Desert Rock Sports.

He met up with his guide Gary Falk, who Ephman knew must have been a major guide.  His hands were as big as a baseball mits.  Anyways, it was this grizzeled old man that said "if you've never climbed out here in Red Rocks, you've gotta do Dark Shadows".  Ephman thought "Dark Shadows eh?  Has a cool name".  Plus it was on the Mescalito, which had some other great routes.

Dark Shawdows is this awesome 5.8 climb.  Just seems light on the grade, or maybe out in The Gunks, where he usually climbs things are rated harder.  Anyways lore has it The Gunks is rated pretty hard.  Dark Shawdows is supposed to be a 4 pitch climb, but easily can be done in 3.

There are a couple of  great cracks, and dihedrals.  One of the nice things is that there' this one move you need make a chicken wing move with your left arm in a crack, as your knee is up by your chest.  And BLAM you stand up.  Kapow, what a feeling.  Plus there are points on that climb where the rock is slick, so slick it looks wet.  And you think there's no way to catch grip.  The only way up is to stem it, and let the pressure bring ya up one step at a time.

The climbing god's must have been looking down on Ephman and Gary.  Because for such a classic Red Rocks route on a Saturday, there was nobody there.  Which was awesome.  Becuase they were able to chill at the bottom of the rock for a bit and get ready.

It's so beautiful down there too, because snuck up right against the rock is a small stream with a waterfall that leads to a pool.  Oh yeah, you better figure a way so that your ropes don't get wet.  The trick on the way down is on the last pitch down, have the lead rapel you down.  There's a bolt near the bottom, and clip the rope in there.  And pull it down through there.  Or else your rope is going into the drink.  And we all know how great that is for your nice rope.