Kayak season is ending and I’m looking to head down to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison this fall. I’m new to aid but I’ve been trad climbing for 8-9 years. I’ve done some long free climbs like Royal Arches and Snake Dike in Yosemite, Fishhook Arête Mt Russell CA, and several routes on Lilly Rock at Tahquitz. I’m looking for someone to hit up some easier aid routes in the Black; I’m willing to climb with other noobs locally (Grand Junction CO) and work up to the Black or a patient experienced aid climber for a multiday. I have a lot of the gear needed including haul bag and homemade single ledge. I’m committed to kayaking for the next two weekends but after that it’s all about the climbing (well, that and the home improvements).

There are no easy aid routes in the Black, unless you aid the free climbs.

Just a recommendation, find a partner and scope out the gullies and faces in free mode...rope, rack, and sack. Then once you are comfortable in this unique playground commit to a bigger route.

Even the Hallucinogen, which is considered the trade route is a big step from similarly graded routes in Yosemite or Zion. Bailing can be epic in the Black.

That's great advice Keven!

If only I had a car...

By easy I meant A1- A2, I’m not looking for the escalator just a little less hardcore. I’m new to aid but not to the game, I’ve been around and climbed a lot of different places and had a good share of “adventures”. I’ve read the warnings about the black and that’s why I don’t want to solo it, the people I climb with either only free climb or are afraid of the Black.

I guess you missed my point completely. Good luck on your adventure, and try not to die.

As Kevin neatly pointed out there are no A1 or A2 walls in the black canyon. The only routes in the guide that carry these ratings are true adventure climbs put up in pushes, in which the first ascentionists aided a few moves in order to get out of the canyon alive. Real "wall climbs" in the black, that involve a lot of aid, hauling and the like, more or less start at mid A3. Hallucinogen is the most traveled and probably "easiest" wall route there, and it is still A3+ with huge and dangerous fall potential.

A better option is Zion. Its five hours from G.J. and definitely has the kind of route your looking for.

The evolution of climbing in the Black is similar to many areas. Many if not most of the new routes in the Black are not aid routes but rather committing and generally above moderate grade free routes. Although, as mentioned you may encounter a few aid moves you'll be better served by not considering them aid climbs. Many/most of the true aid lines are vintage and hard seldom traveled lines which also carries an added inherent risk. To enter the canyon in quest of aid climbing is fine but you'll enjoy it more if you are a well seasoned aid climber to start with. I second the suggestion you visit Zion if you are looking for good intro into aid/wall rtes without going to the Valley.

There are several hard, obscure lines at Unaweep that would be great practice aid routes to prepare for the type of rock you'll encounter in the Black (assuming you do cut your aid teeth on Zion splitters). Rite of Passage would go at C1 or C2, Last Rites would be a step up to tricky C2+, and Ecylias would be a good route to practice going from aid to free climbing. Those are all at Quarry Wall, and were routes I used to train for the longer free stuff in the Black so I recommend them.

But don't underestimate the Black, work your way up to the big stuff nice and slow...

Good suggestion Skyler. The Bachelor Party in Unaweep was put up on aid at maybe C2 with lots of opportunities to do some hook moves, a necessary aid skill in the black.

Hey Matt,
When are we going back in there? Did you get my email about Southern Arete? Or are you cuttin' me off since I forgot a nut tool on our last climb?

Everyone says that the Black is big and scary. That's true, a LOT of good climbers have been hurt, stranded, and had major epics.
But go for it dude, These people on here don't know you. You very well might be man enough to jump on a big bad aid climb there and send in good style. I kinda get tired of nay-sayers on here. If I was in the area, I would go with you, and I will be in the spring so if you still want to get on something let me know. I say go big.
Oh, and I have bailed from the hallucinogen due to dropped gear that we had to have. Humping 2 big wall loads up the walk of shame in one day sucked, but it sure didn't kill me. I bet it even made me stronger.

I'm with Cota. Pat Ament and Larry Dalke jumped a train from Boulder to go do the first ascent of Mirror Wall when they were young teenagers. You gotta have respect for the place, it is serious, but it has a long history of people jumping on stuff that was at their limit, or over, and shining, or not. Either way, you are going to grow as a climber. PM sent.

I didn't mean to be a naysayer. I suppose I should be encouraging here, so how about this. My first route in the black was the Scenic Cruise and all went well even though I didn't necessarily consider myself totally solid on 5.10's at the time. I even lead the run out peg traverse that time.

To be more relevant to this post the Hallucinogen Wall was my first wall route, and only the third time I had aided overall. To be totally honest this was the most terrifying experience in my entire life, and I wouldn't recommend it as a fist wall (one member of our three man team never climbed again). But, having completed it I gained huge amounts of confidence in just about every aspect of climbing, and life in general (everything is easy compared to wall climbing).

So yeah, I should say go for it to all the people out there. I agree that the black canyon is not as bad or intimidating as all the internet posts seem to make it out to be. Just be prepared for true traditional climbing, and you will find success.

Where'd I put that soap box..oh here it is:

I think we have an obligation on this website to set each other up for success and not failure. That means putting up good, reliable beta on the route pages and making conscientious recommendations when when someone asks about serious climbing.

I'd have to disagree with the argument that because Pat Ament and Larry Dalke did some proud climbs in their youth, that we should do the same. There's a lot that those two have done that I would not want to get on (Ex. Ament's Chimney- yikes).

I don't see telling a climber new to the Black to just "go for it" being anything other than irresponsible. Sure, he might send, or he might have a character building epic- but he also might have the kind of epics that make people hate the Black or quit climbing altogether (like Matt's friend). Most importantly, something really bad might happen. Its a risk I personally would not take to encourage someone to try something I had legitimate doubts about.

And with all respect to the OP, I'm not sure climbs like Snake Dike, Royal Arches, and Fishhook Arete are adequate prep for big wall climbing in the Black. Those are very proud climbs for sure, and I don't mean to take away from that, but aid in the Black would be a big step up.

A few years ago, I tried Jesus Built My Hotrod, and it was way beyond my partner and I. We make it back safe, but it was a bitch, and I wished we would've gotten on Wet Denim or something else slightly more realistic.

I think epics should happen due to chance or by our own lightness, not because some internet forum down-played the seriousness of our goal.

I am sticking to what I posted earlier. With what I have seen on this site, most people would have told me to stay away from the Black, without any idea of who I am or my abilities, just because it is a big scary place to climb. If you stand at the overlook, and still WANT to go down in to it and climb back out, then that's when your ready. Some climbs are like deciding when to have a baby, you never can be prepared for it, until you do it. You must realize, some people are in it for the adventure.
Also the OP wasn't asking if the keyboard climbers thought he was ready, he was looking for partners.
Also, OP, I wouldn't climb around Junction if I was you, those towers are kitty litter sandstone, and you will die for sure...

I've done 25 routes down there and I am still a noob! I'll go with you fo sho. I have been out of the game for awhile due to work issues but there are still some routes I wouldn't mind getting on and some i would really enjoy doing again, Aid or whatever. I think the Black is more about having a solid mindset that anything. If you think you can do it, and you have the stones, you probably can! Give me a shout,

(970)216-5481

Oh and GJ dude; It happens to be one of the climbing centers of the universe! The amount of recreation around this town is staggering! And if your afraid of climbing a move or two of choss in a four pitch tower of splitter; well - sweet. We don't want you here anyway.

I believe Cota was speaking ironically about the towers here. Since his whole argument is that people are over blowing the epic nature of the black.

To paraphrase the best piece of climbing advice I've ever gotten:
More than half the battle is just showing up and getting on the route.

As Jeff Achey's essay in the black canyon guidebook points out, success is easy to find in the black, if you have the right mindset.

Thanks Matt, I saw it, but I just get tired of hearing about how chossy things are around here, I felt the need to spray a bit.
Go do that new momument route I posted. It' better than the long dong.

For what its worth, I Love the GJ climbing. I have not been able to do much due to the fact that most of my partners are wankers (you know who you are)
The towers do have some choss one them, sure, but you got to learn how to deal with that early if you want to push your limits in that type of climbing. This aint the sport climbing forum!
(I love sport climbing too)

I'm glad to take part in this level headed debate- though I guess I'm in the minority on this one;) I love climbing in the Black (and GJ's choss...) and appreciate that this discussion has not resorted to a bunch of ego-posturing.

I just hope that when I'm the one posting a thread looking for partners and/or beta for the Dragon that someone will knock some sense into me!

If anything, I've always prefered to over-hype the dangers of the Black so that newcomers a) show up over-prepared and b) top out totally stoked that they overcame the aura of the big scary Black.

And Airbiscuit, is Revolution really better than Long Dong? Thats my favorite route in the Monument. I'll definitely have to check out your route!

I really appreciate all the input and offers; I wanted to say that I am one of the most cautious climbers I know. I also know how to keep my head when the shit hits the fan and I believe in shooting high because if you aim low you’ll never hit any higher. I’ve always liked the longer climbs, the longer the better and I’m looking forward to multiday wall climbs. As far as looking out over the canyon, so far I’ve only looked at two walls and said “I HAVE to get on that”, El Cap and The Black, I live too far to run up to Yosemite for the weekend so… I’m not looking to jump into something nasty right off the bat but I wanted to be clear about my intentions from the start. If there’s nothing easy to start on then I’m open for some training runs in the desert but you’re not going to convince me that Fisher Towers is safer then The Black. I’d also be open for some 5.9 or lower multi pitch free climbs like Casual Route or Russian Arête to start.


I’ve been really busy and haven’t been able to get back to anyone yet but I will over the next couple of days, thanks again.

Has anyone on here ever gone and checked out the Northern Arete?