A Midsummer's Night Dream is an excellent, short climb which lies left of Leisure Climb. The climbing is varied and sustained at the 5.9 level, with a short section of low-end 5.11 on P2. With the "Sex Comedy" finish, a great pitch of 5.10 can be done instead of trending right into the very mediocre exit pitches of the Leisure Climb. Afternoon shade, a short "approach", and fast, well-protected climbing add up to a nice afternoon romp, something to do if you arrive at the Black in mid-morning and feel compelled to leave the beer cooler and campground. It is far better climbing then either Leisure Climb or Musical Partners (it's neighbor to the left).
Locate the middle of 3 obvious crack systems just below the 2nd rap in Cruise Gully. Scramble 30 feet 3rd Class to a ledge to start. Pitch 1 is nice 5.8/5.9 corner and crack climbing. Belay on a small ledge. Pitch 2 climbs the crack and bulge, tricky, strenuous, but good pro, moving up and slightly right past a fixed pin to a belay stance. Pitch 3 climbs excellent 5.8/5.9 up a wall right of the prominent R-facing corner (some interesting fixed stuff, including a beak!), into the corner past some overhangs, then steps left to belay (with a 70m rope you can keep going to next belay). Pitch 4 climbs 5.6 rock, clean and fun, up the buttress- do not trend right into Leisure Climb- to a "green" wall below a steep, sharp, hand-sized crack formed by a flake splitting the vertical gray wall above (this is "fresh" stone, i.e. somewhat newly fractured). Pitch 5 climbs the splitter, a bit of jamming, liebacking, etc., stepping R around a small pinnacle, then up to a short, 5.10- face move to finish on the large terrace. Have doubles to 3.5", and perhaps a 4" cam, for this pitch...great exit pitch of 5.10. Exit: Walk left 150', around the corner to the exit slab to the actual rim.
Whereas Leisure Climb and Musical Partners are forgettable, mediocre routes, this one is very worthwhile- even worth repeating (a distinction in the Black).
Protection
Doubles to 3". Bring up to 3.5 or 4" cams if you do the "Sex Comedy" finish.
Climbed this a couple weeks ago. Found the second pitch (the crux) real strenuous, solid 5.11b/c_real glad I was following! Rather like the crux of Center Route in Eldo (another longtime sandbag, if compared to what goes for 5.11a on recently developed local cliffs), but perhaps more sustained. Next pitch was a gem. We opted not to do the direct finish up the flake crack. A party above us did this pitch and commented it was around 5.10+ and slightly friable rock. The rock is great, there are very few bushes to wrestle with, and, as stated by Steve Levin above, the route is certainly worth doing.
This is a great route. I found the crux to be kind of light for .11a it has great gear with fun moves and relatively simple route finding with a fixed beak (wow!).
OK, since this route is so much better than Leisure Climb, I have 2 questions. First, how easy would it be to french-free the crux, for those who don't climb 5.11 (and certainly not .11b/c), and second, P3 sounds (and looks) really cool--would it be easy to access that from atop P2 of Leisure Climb, thereby upgrading the quality of that route? (you also could easily do P1 of MND instead of LC's 1st pitch)
The 2nd pitch would be very easy to aid through- the crux is short and protects well. But you should go for it free and see what happens. I assume that the P3 you mean is the "Sex Comedy" hand crack finish. This is probably a more burly pitch than the crux pitch...the rock is sharp and it's sustained and pumpy 5.9/5.10 climbing, and to sew it up you would need at least doubles to 4" cams.
The 2nd & 3rd pitches are excellent. The route description given here is very good. Don't be put off by the rating, as the 11a is a single move with good gear.
Great route. Definitely bring a few extra finger sized pieces for the 3rd (two roofs pitch). Other than that standard Black rack. The climbing is rather moderate despite the rating, short crux. Enjoy.
Good, but not great with three good pitches, one so-so pitch and one pile. SL's description is quite helpful but I found its description of the transition from P3 to Sex Comedy finish confusing -- there is another pitch between those two which consists of more than 100' of vague, infrequently protected climbing on dirty, vegetated and occasionally loose rock; the path we chose for this section was harder than 5.6.
I also take issue with several people's contention that the crux pitch has one move of 5.11. I found two hard moves, one exiting the slot near the beginning of the pitch and another little while later which seemed slightly easier than the first and is probably the Center Route like move Crusher referred to. For the record, my partner and I both found this pitch to be slightly harder than the Lightning Bolt Crack.
Very good route for those days when you drive up to the Black in the morning and are looking for a shady afternoon route. It's in shade by around 2 p.m. or so. You can do it in 4 pitches by stretching the 3rd and 4th, and except for the 100 feet or so of crappy 5.7 in the middle the climbing is all excellent. I thought the crux second pitch was around 5.11a, but I got some beta by watching my partner lead it. (He thought it was 5.9+, but what the hell does he know.)
Answering Charles' question (about 4 years too late),
Yes, you can climb pitch 1/2 of Leisure Climb and then easy traverse over to Midsummer. Maybe 5.4 on the traverse, 20 feet. We belayed on Leisure and a 60m rope was sufficient to cover the traverse plus pitch 3 of Midsummer.
By Jesse Zacher From: Grand Junction, Co Apr 28, 2007
Link the 1st and second pitch together to make things go faster. Besides the 2nd and third pitch I didn't think it was that great. I regret not knowing about Sex Comedy variation to the ledge walking crap.
Don't miss the Sex Comedy finish, it's great, perhaps the Outer Limits of the Black, mirror image. After 100 feet of low angle terrain on Pitch 3/4, it is straight ahead at the toe of the next butress. DON'T go right on the easy ramp.
Now we just need a good direct finish to the rim....
This was a really good route. The above description is accurate. The approach is short and the climb goes quickly. Definitely do the "Sex Comedy" finish, it's quality, don't bother moving into Leisure Climb. Posted a TOPO that I hope will help. Enjoy!
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