The gymnastics of this climb are nice, and it is well-protected and fun, but is not a standout at red rocks. It's slightly dirty and sharp nature, as well as it's one-move-wonderness prevent this from being a destination climb. 

  To find Scalawag, starting from the left end of Moderate Mecca's Left side, then walk back to the right to find an obvious roof crack with hands-to-off-hands jams and a few holds above the lip. Climb up under a large roof and work out on the left side wall, stemming and protecting overhead all the while, before launching into the roof moves, which go horizontal. Pull the lip and pro again, then wander up the lower angle face on a shallow crack system.  

  The anchors at the top are for rapping, but if you protected before the roof, lowing off might trash your rope. As well, if your second hang-dogs before cleaning under the roof, it will hack your rope.

Scalawag

Start: stick clip bolt above choss arete; Climb arete to glorious overhanging fingercrack; CRUX - small roof; OW to top.

Small Claims

This climb is simply the free version of ‘Not so Smart’, start at the base of the upside triangle and end up on the face beneath the obvious dyno. Easier climbing above. Pre placing draws will make this route much safer. The bolt ladder 

The Distance

Thirty or forty feet left of the corner on Soupy Sales, climb a dirty crack out of an alcove.

Singing Love Pen

Overhanging crux start pulls up to a crumbly ledge, then traverse 4 feet right and climb straight up the face (5.9) staying a few feet to the left of the crack.  Avoid the lip of the crack on the right.

Fly From Soup to Nuts

This is a good top rope to do from the anchor of Carpetbagger. It climbs the pink/red slightly overhanging  bulge to easier climb. The start is from the big boulder located at the base.

Mugwump

Start to the right of the Fleet Street slab, but to the left of the corner/gully.  Cracks lead up the low angle face.  This is a good route to bring a new climber on.

Abbey Road

This climb is the major deep dihedral closest to the parking area.  Climb up the obvious dihedral to the top.  The climbing is quite good, but awkward because the right face of the dihedral always seems to be in the way! 

  Set up a gear anchor, then the base can be reached by a walk off to the right.

Chicken Gumbo

Sir Climbalot sits at the far left side of Moderate Mecca between The Road to Mecca on the left and The Haj on the right, above an acacia tree. Start at the same spot as for The Haj, and bear up and left along the angling crack and corner system. At about sixty feet up, on easier ground, bear right to the communal anchor, a pair of bolts with chains on a vertical face. Watch for scree toward the top. Rappel with a 60m rope.

Sir Climbalot

This climb is the crack 30 feet to the left of the major deep dihedral closest to the parking area (Chicken Gumbo).  Climb up the length of the crack, the crux being the first 10 feet.  The crux area is also fairly difficult to protect, so be careful. 

  Set up a gear anchor, then the base can be reached by a walk off to the right.

From Soup to Nuts

Bad Soup

This climb is so-so, but at least it's engaging. Not something you'll likely forget if you are pushing 5.8 leads from the low end. This may be one of the better routes at Moderate Mecca, but is not a destination climb for Red Rocks. 

  To find Fleet Street, first locate Scalawag. Starting from the left end of Moderate Mecca's Left side, walk back to the right to find an obvious roof crack with hands-to-off-hands jams and a few holds above the lip; this is Scalawag. Perhaps 2-3 meters still further right is a second crack system that climbs out and round the roof's right side, which is Muckraker. 

  Fleet Street is the relatively low-angle face just right of Muckraker. Some distance up there is a bolt, and some distance above that one, a second bolt. The climbing continues on small sloping holds, and although not difficult, is insecure. As well, the sparse protection reminds you that it's best to be careful here. Climb upward and onward, occasionally encountering a shallow crack until a ledge is reached. Rap from an anchor on that ledge 90' back to the ground. A 60M rope may be necessary unless you go to a different anchor. Take care.

Fleet Street

This is one of the most obvious routes at the crag and perhaps the first one done.  It is a huge left facing corner around the corner from the first few routes you come to. 

  I'd recommend taping up.  The crack is somewhat awkward but has some great jams and stem rests.  Two bolt anchor at the top on the left.

Valentine's Day

A fun route to hop on, if you are already planning on heading out to the area. The more popular climb "The Haj"(5.9),shares an anchor with this route. "The route to Mecca" starts 10 feet or so left of "Sir Climbalot"(5.7PG)and"The Haj"(5.9).  Climb the short,left facing corner,then pull up over the well protected bulge(crux)continuing to climb the fun,  left facing corner/crack that will exit onto a couple of ledges. Scramble up the ledges(watch out for the barrel cactus)to a bolted communal anchor on a nice sized ledge. Rappel with one 60 meter rope.

The Route to Mecca

Immoral

The start of this route is marked by a bolt with a homemade hanger just above a varnished overhang. This climb is just to the right of The route's "Is it Soup yet?" and "Chicken soup for the soul".Mantle to a stance above the overhang, then move right towards the second bolt. Apparently there is a spot for a cam in between the bolts, but it is not critical as the climbing between the 2 bolts is very moderate.

Stew on This

This climb is so-so, not only is it not a destination climb for Red Rocks, it isn't really even a must-do at Moderate Mecca. It is slightly dirty and somewhat uninteresting. 

  To find Muckraker first locate Scalawag. Starting from the left end of Moderate Mecca's Left side, walk back to the right to find an obvious roof crack with hands-to-off-hands jams and a few holds above the lip; this is Scalawag.  

  Perhaps 2-3 meters still further right is a second crack system that climbs out and round the roof's right side, then up a fist crack towards the top. At the top of this climb, you can step left to rap from the Scalawag anchors or right from the anchors shared with Fleet Street. I don't recall an independent anchor there.

Muckraker

This route is squeezed into the  left facing corner to the right of Soupy Sales and to the left of another left facing corner named Chicken Gumbo.  

  At the bottom is a scrambly broken section followed by multiple cracks running up its right face 

  Starts out with a fist crack (optional #4) for a couple feet before narrowing down into the tips cracks that go to the top. Stay tightly to the corner and use the right wall if need be staying fully out of Soupy Sales to your left. 

  A good beginner lead

Crackers for my Soup

This route is a fun top rope and a bold lead. Technical and powerful moves get you off the ground and into the fun face section before the crux traverse. Fun steep climbing gets you to the anchor. As always in Red Rock pull down not out. Don't blow it on lead...!!

Not So Moderate

Although Valentine's Day gets all the traffic, this is definitely a not to be missed line if you're in the area. The Haj starts out in a left leaning dihedral and works up to an interesting exit move from the dihedral. From there, easy terrain leads up and right to a communal rap anchor. 

  Start left of Scalawag and Carpetbagger on the ledge system. Look for an acacia bush and then look up for the steep, varnished corner that is this fine route.

The Haj

This route is the face climb between From Soup to Nuts and Soupy Sales.  For the full grade, do not use either of those cracks or edges.  Face climb only.  Must construct a top rope anchor at the top of the crag, no chains or bolts exist.  The crux is the first 15 feet of bouldery moves. Rest of the climb is 5.7ish. Fun climb.

Mamma Mia

Carpetbagger is located on the far west side of the Moderate Mecca formation.  Traverse the shelf past the obvious dihedrals Chicken Gumbo and Valentine's Day.  Keep traverseing the shelf past a huge overhang with a boulder at the base (Scalawag), and you'll see a large open book. 

  Climb the open book past several miniature overhangs.  The climbing is very easy between each little bulge.  Look for fixed anchors off to the left, which are hidden until you get near them. 

  Rap the route, as the anchors are not at the top of the cliff.

Carpetbagger

Right at the VERY beginning is a deceiving move off the deck that looks easy and then is hard to get your feet up high to the holds.  After the original boulder move the route is actually VERY good following some small flakes and face holds.  Good route!

Is It Soup Yet

"Soup Nazi" can be found between "Is it Soup Yet" and "Chicken Gumbo for your Dumbo."  Climb out of the cave and send steep slightly overhung terrain to a double-bolt anchor on top of the tower.

[Redacted]

This is the next left facing corner to the left of Route to Mecca.  Climbs the steep loose corner to a low angle hand crack.  Eventually join Route to Mecca and rappel from the "99-cent store" chain anchor. 

  As the name implies, a loose outing that's hard to recommend as a lead climb, but an ok TR if you're in the area.

Treacherous Journey

Climbs a beautiful steep corner with hand cracks toward a small window.

You Who Jim

Fantastic thin route just left of Valentine's Day corner!  Takes VERY thin gear and leading would only be for the seasoned trad climber IMHO.  Great movement and easily toproped from the Valentine's Day anchors.

Ace of Hearts

This route is only a toprope route.  It is a steep jug haul up sometimes sharp holds.  This is one of the first climbs encountered when approaching from the parking lot.  It is on a steep face just right of a deep dihedral (Chicken Gumbo for Your Dumbo 5.6).  Start up the dihderal, then traverse right soon after using the obvious hueco holds.  Finish with a direct line up the face.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Fun route, be sure you are solid on 5.8+ if you intend to lead - gear can be spacey.

Boodler

This climb is just to the left of the major deep dihedral closest to the parking area.  Climb up a shallow corner only a 5 feet left of Chicken Gumbo (the major dihedral).  This route barely feels like a unique route due to its close proximity to its neighbor. 

  Set up a gear anchor, then the base can be reached by a walk off to the right.

Soupy Sales

The route climbs up Penny lane to a big ledge where you traverse right under the roof. Pull the roof and follow the the juggy crack to the top of the cliff band.

Goose Poop Roof

Climb the crack system in the huge corner/gully to the right of the Fleet Street slab.

Penny Lane

The Swain Book calls this 'one of the better routes at the crag.' As it were, it might be one of the few deserving of 2 stars. This climb is nice, and is fun, but is not a standout at Red Rocks.  

  Starting from the left end of Moderate Mecca's Left side, find the obvious roof crack of Scalawag, then facing the cliff, look to the right to the large arête split by cracks. Large splotches of white calcite pepper the area. Climb a left-leaning crack up to a crack system that has a tricky move or two, then upward and onward to a fixed anchor above.  

  Rap back to the junky, but adequate ledge system from the anchor up top.

Pending Disaster

An extra level of categorization would be helpful, as there are two tiers of climbs. Adding "Lower Tier" and "Upper Tier" would be better than having Feelin' Groovy and Baby Swiss (both lower tier) to be in between Crackers for my Soup and Chicken Gumbo for Your Dumbo (both upper tier).

Description

Protection

Routes in Upper Tier