Red Rock Rendezvous 2009 Dates Announced

The sixth annual Mountain Gear Presents: Red Rock Rendezvous rock climbing festival has again improved its annual event to cater to climbers and outdoor enthusiast. The festival will return to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas on March 20-22, 2009, to benefit The Access Fund, a climbing and environmentally focus organization, and other local and national non-profit organizations. Due to the growing popularity of the festival, this year event is limited to the first 1,000 registrants. Registration is now open at www.RedRockRendezvous.com and interested climbers are urged to sign-up quickly. The 2009 Red Rock Rendezvous event will also increase its number of clinics with a new format consisting of two full days of clinics on Saturday and Sunday. Attendees will be able to select one day to participate in full days clinics the other for a half day of clinics. The types of clinics have also expanded and evolved with feedback from 2008 attendees. The festival will feature more traditional, sport and aid climbing sites and routes, as well as the addition of short ground school clinics such as avalanche awareness and gear cleaning. Also, back by popularity will be mountain biking and yoga opportunities for attendees. Meet the experts Red Rock Rendezvous has also announced its initial list of expert climbing guides to lead the event scheduled clinics. Clinic guides include internationally renown athletes such as: Tommy Caldwell, Peter Croft, Brittney Griffith, Sean Isaac, Brett Jensen, Joe Kinder, Chris Linder, Dead Lords, Casey Newman, Ethan Pringle, Alli Raney, Beth Rodden, Chris Schulte, Margo Talbot, Don Welsh, Kevin Wilkinson and Justin Woods. Climbing clinics galore The festival will offer clinics for advanced, intermediate and beginning climbers on Saturday and Sunday. Registration is $89 per person for the Saturday and Sunday events, and $179 per person for the Friday Intro day (detailed below) and Saturday and Sunday clinic combo (without the gear package). Registration includes the Friday night opening celebration, a dinner buffet on Saturday night, demos, comps and mini-seminars by event sponsors, slide show and movie on Friday night, a blow-out party on Saturday night, pancake breakfast Sunday morning and service projects to assist in the environmental conservation of the Red Rock Canyon and Spring Mountain. All of the festival activities, outside of the climbing clinics, will take place at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park located approximately 10 minutes from the entrance to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The climbing festival will also feature climber and comedian, Timmy ONeil as the event emcee with Solar Scottie serving as the events DJ. The festival will again offer Friday UClimb Intro to Climbing at the Red Rocks clinic day for less experienced climbers and those who have never attempted the difficulty levels of the Red Rock Canyon. UClimb is an organization designed to teach all ages how to rock climb in a comfortable small-group setting with other amateur climbers. The full-day introduction clinics will teach climbing fundamentals to succeed at the Red Rocks and other outdoor settings. The clinics will take place in an intimate clinic setting by professional guides who are also some of the world most accomplished climbers. Intro participants will then be able to enjoy one full day and one half day throughout the weekend. There will also be an optional gear package that will include harness, helmet, shoes, belay device, carabineer, chalk bag and a membership to the Access Fund. The gear package with the Intro day and the weekend climbing clinics is $349. Also new to 2009 Red Rock Rendezvous is that participant camping will be at Bonnie Springs, one mile south of Spring Mountain Ranch. The festival will be running a shuttle bus between the campground and the festival locations throughout the event. Proceeds go to good causes Event proceeds will benefit The Access Fund, a national non-profit organization dedicated to keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment. Other benefiting organizations include the American Safe Climbing Association, the American Alpine Club, Friends of Red Rocks and the Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council. How do I register? To register for the event or for additional information, call 800.829.2009 or visit www.RedRockRendezvous.com.