Black Velvet 5.9
| 1,760 page views
Good page?   |
Unknown climber at the crux section
Add Photo  Printer View
Description Start at a gnarly oak growing out of a ledge 10m up the cliff, under a large left facing crack system. A huge roof caps off the final pitch and makes an excellent landmark.
Pitch 1 climbs into the corner/crack system up to a small belay stance just below a hand traverse left. Pitch 2 goes out the hand traverse and up a steep layback. Yucca plants make pulling out of the crack system sticky. Belay on a broad shrub covered ledge underneath the huge roof. This is the crux pitch. Pitch 3 traverses underneath the roof, some spectacular and exposed 5.7 climbing. After turning the side of the roof, follow a short crack system to the summit.
To descend, scramble east down past a yucca and oak to a chain anchor at the top of the route, Five Easy Steps. 165' to the ground. A mid-point rap-anchor allows one to descend with a single 60m rope. Keep an eye out for these bolts to your left, on a nice ledge.
Protection Standard rack. The belay ledge under the roof has a single bolt.
Just before battle of the bush
Black Velvet (5.9)
| | |
By George Perkins
From: Los Alamos, NM
Feb 11, 2008
rating: 5.9
| The K.Kiser bolted face variation for pitch 3, left of the left-angling roof traverse, is fun, and about 5.9. One of the 2 bolts had a modern one (right next to the old one), the other had just the original 1/4" bolt. |
By Aaron Miller
Jan 21, 2013
| Start the first pitch right of the oak, face climbing up the bulge/arete. There is surprisingly good gear(including a magic purple camalot pocket!) and the 5.8 moves are fun. The corner looked loose and dirty. A new bolt provides a good anchor at 2nd belay.
Overall, a much better climb than it looked from the ground. The crux corner is brilliant and the finishing traverse under the roof is actually spectacular. Bring a camera. |
|
RSS Feed
26 more...
Slideshow