Black Snake  5.11

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Type:  Trad, 8 pitches, 600 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.11 [details] FA:  Coyne, Reynolds? Submitted By:  chris Kalous on Sep 16, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (3) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Topo.

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2013 Raptor Closures MORE INFO >>> Serpent Point and the adjacent walls within one-half mile are closed to public use from March 15 through July 15. This includes the landscape portions above the walls extending 50 feet from the rim edge. This pertains to the following areas: North Rim areas - The Alpine Aretes, Porcelain Arete, and Painted Wall. These climbing routes are closed: Alpine Route, Porcelain Arete, On the Border, Broken Porcelain, Northern Arete, Beyer Route, The Dragon, The Serpent, Forrest-Walker, Stratosfear, Journey Through Mirkwood, and Southern Arete. South Rim areas - Dragon Point and Dragon Point Buttress. These climbing routes are closed: Pilgrimage, Crumb Blunder, Magic Dragon, Black Adder, Black Snake, Black Heathen, Black Dragon Rider, and Silent Rage. 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 

A great, shorter outing on the South Rim. It tops out practically on the road with no chossaneering. Good rock throughout with some nice, continuous, hand cracks on the first pitches. Good, safe climbing. Mostly shaded.

A short approach/solo gets to the real start on some grassy ledges about 15m above the tire mentioned in the location.

P1: Climb up to a short, 5.8 corner to a ledge in a massive corner. Continue up 5.9ish climbing in the corner to a ledge where a splitter shoots out right. 40m.

P2: Climb the splitter through an improbable roof. 5.10. Continue splitter to a leaning stance in a thin crack on the right, or continue and step into the corner on the left to belay on a small foot ledge. 40m.

P3: The only shitty pitch. Continue up now dirty splitter tending to the left past a couple bushes, a roof, and into a corner. 5.10. Belay on chockstones covered in birdshit. 30m.

P4: Long 5.11 O.W. corner. Big hands at times in the back. Two bolt anchor. 30m.

P5: Climb a little down then directly left past three bolts. Belay around arete below a shallow corner. 5.11-. 35m.

P6: Climb up corner, clip a fixed nut, and climb down to a large ledge and another fixed nut to belay. 5.11-. 15m.

P7: Climb right corner, then switch to the left. Tackle roof and pegmatite arch w/ good pro and decent rock. Traverse left out of arch and finish ramp to a belay below final double cracks. 5.11. 35m.

P8: Climb 5.11 fists up double cracks to rim. 20m.

You should be able to see your car from here.

Location 

This is on the north-facing wall in the gully to the south (skier's left) of Dragon Point. The route can easily be scoped from the rim. Descend into gulley just off the parking.

Part 1: Bash down a few hundred feet to a slung thread. Rappel 20m or downclimb (5.5ish).

Part 2: Hike down right side of gully. Locate slung thread above a chockstone. Rappel 15m.

Part 3: Continue down gully to slung thread. Rappel 20m.

Part 4: Hike down ledge system in the middle of the gully. Locate two bolts with slings. Rappel 25m.

Part 5: Hike and scramble down the left side of the gulley to a tire. climb up from here. Same start as Dragon Rider, Black Circus.

Protection 

Set of nuts (including smallish stuff).
Double set of cams to #3.5 Friend size.
#4 and #4.5 Camalot (old).

Bring some webbing to replace rappels if necessary.

Photos of Black Snake Slideshow

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The 4th pitch OW as seen from Dragon Point.	Matt linking the 2nd half of p2 into p3. A fun pit...	Ben on the upper part of p3. Once above the roof (...
Ben pulling onto the bired shit covered chockstone...	Matt topping out the p4. Not quite sure while I'm ...	Ben crusing the short crux of p6. The unmentioned ...
Exciting p5 traverse.