Black Crack  5.10

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Consensus:  5.10 [details] FA:  ???Lee Marsh, 70s. Submitted By:  Ben F on Sep 28, 2002 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Closed: Private Property - Sphinx Rock is on private property MORE INFO >>> 6/3/06 -- Sphinx Rock (aka Elephant Rock) in Pinegrove, Colorado, is located on private property. Trespassing for any reason is illegal. Trespassing will now be enforced with the assistance of the local sheriff's office. Violators will be held accountable for towed vehicles, citations, and any legal actions. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

As you view the left side of Sphinx Rock from the road, there are 2 obvious right-leaning cracks. The one on the left with a face start and 2 bolts to access the crack is Talus Food Crack. About 50 or so feet to the right of TFC is Black Crack. Black Crack is identifiable by its lower overhanging section that leads to a right-leaning, lower angled chimney slot (probably mostly 5.3 S with maybe a 5.6 or 7 move on it).

Scramble up onto the left side of a boulder leading to the base of the crack. You may want to place a piece (I used a blue Metolius) in the large boulder/block. Also be wary of some not so great rock in this section of the climb. Stem out to the left and place gear as you access the 15 ft. (thank God it wasn't longer) of overhanging hand and fist crack. Stick with it and enter into the easy, fun, but runout low-angled chimney slot. The crux is in the overhanging section with lots of good gear in good rock, so don't worry about taking a whooper.

Protection 

Medium to large nuts, blue (#1) Metolius cam to at least a 4 Friend. A 4 Camalot is also handy. Double on #3 and #4 Friends. There is a solid tree at the top of this climb to use as an anchor. Walk off the back (obvious).