The Black Sheep  5.13

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Type:  Trad, 7 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  5.13 [details] FA:  Mike Pennings and Josh Wharton, 4/07, FFA Josh Wharton, 5/07 Season:  Fall and Spring Submitted By:  j wharton on Oct 12, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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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 

This is one of my favorite climbs in the Black. It has a difficult crux pitch in the V8/5.13 range and lots of good climbing throughout. It's worthy even if you A0 the crux, in which case the route is 12-. It's a relatively short route, but it's nice to catch the crux in the shade, so an early start on warm days is recommended.

P1: There are three options: climb the wide crack on the right side of a pillar, 10+; climb the left-facing, slicer flake just right of the open book, 11; or stem up the open book, 10+ (my favorite option). Belay at some fixed gear on a nice stance below a small roof, 60 meters.

P2: Awesome pitch. Climb easy rock to some techy stems. Avoid the chimney on the left, and transition into a left-facing flake then a right-facing corner above--super fun 5.10+. Belay at a small stance 11+, 55 meters.

P3: Another nice pitch. Head out onto the left wall of the book past a steep bit of wide crack, which eventually fades into a seam and some face moves. Stop at an uncomfortable hanging belay at some bolts, 55 meters, 11+.

P4: The crux. A piece or two leads to into a steep, fading corner, and bolts through a black bulge--awesome, devious, crimpy climbing! (This pitch can be easily french freed at 12- A0.) Belay at a nice ledge, just 20 meters above.

P5: Spicy face climbing past a few bolts eventually leads left into right-facing corner with a fixed nut. Belay atop a small pillar, 30 meters, 10+ R. This is the last truly cool pitch, but hey it's the Black, so 5 out of 7 makes it a classic!

P6: Tricky route finding. Head up the fading corner above, and then traverse straight left across two flakes to a large, right-facing feature. Climb up this corner to a pegmatite flake, now traverse right to a seam on a subtle arete, and find a belay stance just above, below a steep, right-facing flake that's a bit chossy looking. 35 meters, 5.10 with a bit of spice.

P7: Pull the bulge/flake above, and meander to the top, 60 meters, 10-.

From here, the easiest way off is to traverse across a bushy ledge and scramble to the rim via a 4th class chimney.

Location 

The route starts in a large open book to the left of the Plunge Pillar. Head up the gully (hint of 3rd class) left of the start of the Stoned Oven for approximately 10 minutes.

Protection 

1 #00 TCU.
2 each #0 TCU to #1 Camalot.
1 each #2 to #4 Camalot.
1 set RPs and wires.