A route overlay of Russian Arete.

All Locations > Colorado > Gunnison > Black Canyon of… > N Rim Routes > Aretes > Russian Arete (5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a)

A route overlay of Russian Arete.

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A photo I took of Earl Wiggins minutes before he made the first free solo ascent of the Russian Arete. We shared a bite to eat and had a few chuckles, then he took off. He beat me to the top! Circa 1975.
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Photo: Larry Hazlett.

Frosty on The Russian Arete. '87.

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4.9 from 8 votes

Steph Abegg

Oct 14, 2019

“A route overlay of Russian Arete.”

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This is a beautiful place to climb! Looking up canyon from midway up the route.

Rock vs. face in "The Black".
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Photo by Erik Wellborn.

A photo I took of Earl Wiggins minutes before he made the first free solo ascent of the Russian Arete. We shared a bite to eat and had a few chuckles, then he took off. He beat me to the top! Circa 1975.
<br>

<br>
Photo: Larry Hazlett.

A route overlay of Russian Arete.

Frosty on The Russian Arete. '87.

Maybe too much info for an adventurous place like the Black. But this is how we approached and climbed the Russian Arete. Belays are approximate!

Erik Wellborn taking in the view up on the Russian Arete, climbed on April 29th 08. (pitch 2/3) Photo taken by Trask Bradbury.

Ryan Deppen looking upstream from high on the Russian Arete.

Phil Wortman Leading the crux pitch.

A route overlay of Russian Arete.

Another river shot.

Annotated route.

Wyatt starts up the final wide pitch.

The Russian Arete starts just about 20-30 feet to the right of the obvious, detached pillar.

Looking up river when we got to bottom of SOB Gully.

Gibney pulling through the 5.9 rail road tracks.

The arete is left of center and just right of the bright wall on the left of the photo. Despite the "The Russian Arete, you know, like Russian roulette." story, this may have been named, perhaps in part, due to the red rock.

Pitch 1 start.

Beta photo for the approach to Russian Arete.

Pitch 3/4.

Russian Arete. Bailing off of this in the rain is not fun.

Death cookie near belay 4.

The upper arete. 600-800 feet of exposed 3rd/4th scrambling to the rim.

Stacked block pillar at the end of the roped climbing (the top of pitch 8).

An exposed section just below the rim. This might be the low 5th mentioned in some route descriptions.

Pitch 5.

Pitch 2. Fun stuff.

SOB Gully.

P3 (we linked this with 4).

Stephen on P1.

The route looking up from the river. You can see the small tower to the left

Gunnison River.

Erik leading up the last real pitch of Russian Arete.<br>
This pitch had some wide flared sections but a great one nonetheless. Photo by Trask Bradbury.

Final pile (class 3-4).

P7 (easier climbing to the right).

Top of P6.

Dreaded pegmatite.

Looking at the Russian from the bottom of the SOB. The route follows the corner-chimney system out near the prow of the buttress.

Russian Arete, from the thankfully shady belay at approximately pitch 4-5. I'm just about visible at the top of the chimney near the skyline.

Looking up P2.

Approach gully downstream from SOB.