LEAD AND FREE CLIMBING IN LAS VEGAS
I was wary of the drive to Nevada—which is to say that I was afraid of Vegas. My mind was filled with images of drunken crowds, the constant hum of traffic, bright lights and their artificial pomp, strip malls and their kitschy offerings. But, lured by the promise of good climbing and a free couch to crash on in between ascents, my three housemates and I packed a car with the absolute bare minimum—climbing shoes; hiking clothes; toiletries; and a few books, being the devoted students that we are.
After a four-hour drive that took us through California traffic; the desert flatland of Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley; remote,
