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Sensuous Mortician
5.9,
Trad, 120 ft (36 m),
Avg: 3.1 from 218
votes
FA: Nick Nordblom and Jon Martinet, 1979
Nevada
> Southern Nevada
> Red Rocks
> (09) Icebox Canyon
> Necromancer Wall
Access Issue: Red Rock RAIN AND WET ROCK: The sandstone is fragile and is very easily damaged when wet.
Details
Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm, the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN RED ROCKS during or after rain. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby.
HUMAN WASTE Human waste is one of the major issues plaguing Red Rocks. The Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council and the AAC provides free "wag bags" in several locations (Black Velvet, First Pullout, Kraft Mtn/Bouldering, The Gallery, and The Black Corridor). These bags are designed so that you can pack your waste out - consider bringing one to be part of your kit (just like your rope and shoes and lunch) no matter where you go. Once used, please dispose of them properly (do not throw them in the toilets at the parking area).
Description
This is route "C" in the photo.
Swain book says this is "one of the best moderate routes at Red Rocks". I would change that to "best moderate single-pitch routes", but it's still a very nice route. Very nice climbing. Starts in a fracture about 25 feet left of Fold Out. The fracture peters out about halfway up, follow it up and right onto a black streak where face climbing (small nuts in seams and slots) leads to the roof above - sort of wander for the easiest path. Juggy moves through the roof to the anchor. Rap with two ropes.
Protection
Small to medium cams, lots of small to medium wires, 2 bolt anchor w/chains.
[Hide Photo] J.U. clearing the OH on Sens. Mortician
[Hide Photo] A bit more than halfway up Sensuous Mortician probably, where the pro starts to get a little thinner/smaller. The climber at right is at the first pitch belay of Fold Out.
[Hide Photo] View of the Necromancer Wall from the main trail in Ice Box Canyon. See the little climbers on Sensuous Mortician?
[Hide Comment] An interesting 5.7-ish second pitch exists, starting up and left from the belay. Climb steep, featured rock past small overlaps to a white slab with old bolt, then continue to the summit of the formation. Descend by mixed downclimbing and a tree rappel in the exposed gully behind the left side of the formation (nontrivial).
May 13, 2004
[Hide Comment] I believe swain gives this an R rating, This is not the case. There is plenty of gear, like alot of RR route's on varnished faces the gear doesn't become apparent until you are almost on top of it.Very fun route!
May 5, 2005
[Hide Comment] Loved this climb! I felt there were some tricky pro placements(pockets and some funky, chossy horizontal cracks),at the start of the sections of varnished, somewhat blank face climbing. The entire Necromancer wall was shaded in the morning ,up until about noon when the sun started to show itself at the top of the route and at the base.
May 27, 2005
[Hide Comment] the guidebook says 5.9, but low angled slab + tons of jugs does not = 5.9. if you compared this to similar pitches at old, established, baseline areas the pitch would probably get 5.7.
just trying to inject some reality into the 'consensus' driven (ie inflated) grading that seems so prevalent these days.
Oct 10, 2008
[Hide Comment] I followed this route last weekend and IMHO it deserves at least a PG13 rating. Definitely a great route, but not for beginning 5.9 leaders.
Apr 20, 2011
[Hide Comment] Replaced the anchor on this one a while ago and forgot to mention it. This route is pretty damn great and is probably PG13/R or close to it by most people's estimation. That's not taking away from the great rock and interesting, mentally challenging climbing. The old anchors were rusted, featuring the largest chain I've ever seen on an anchor in Red Rock. We called this anchor "the Rime Of the Ancient Mariner" station while we were chopping it. Thanks to both of my lovely assistants-
Jul 22, 2011
[Hide Comment] Billcoe: "It's 5.9 ... I'd even say it's a heady one at that. I really enjoy this route or that reason."
+1
For info, a rap with a 70 meter rope won't reach the deck. But it will get you to the big horizontal ledge that runs across much of the base of the crag. From there, we traversed left and then downclimbed eventually using a strenuous undercling. Maybe one can instead traverse to the far right of the crag? ... or rap with two ropes.
Oct 16, 2011
[Hide Comment] Not the hardest nine in the world, given, but I thought Amazing Grace was kick-you-in-the-dick old school hard for the grade, and Epi's such different climbing that it's kinda ridick to bother comparing them. I mean, Freerider on El Cap is only .12d, that's exactly like busting out Straight Outta Compton at Chiselton, right?
The heady aspect is more challenging for most than the "extreme crimping and offwidthing". That said, it's got more meat to it than Fold Out, which is Herbst .8. Thus, =9*ish*.
Jul 31, 2012
[Hide Comment] Great face climbing with a roof at the end with gear spaced enough to give a little spice. Tons of fun. Did it after Fold Out and they felt about the same to me in terms of difficulty
Apr 23, 2014
[Hide Comment] i am tall so i would come close to giving it Slim's 5.7 rating but can see that the roof could be harder for shorter people and those not from the Gunks. Fun climbing although a bit wandering. Gear was all there but a little funky at times. The gear was the most thoughtful part of the climb. The roof was easy and super fun
May 7, 2014
[Hide Comment] Really really good, albeit soft at 5.9. Fantastic rock, good gear when you need it, and no real crux to speak of. A stellar pitch.
Oct 5, 2014
[Hide Comment] I agree this is soft for a 5.9 and I say so from the perspective of typically leading trad 5.9 as my limit. As others have said the leader needs to be good at placing gear. I found good placements including tricams all the way to the anchors. If you are solid at gear placements you shouldn't feel this to be any more than a PG rating. If you want to compare it to other climbs of like grades in Red Rock, compare it to face climbs, not chimneys and off widths which are a whole different ballgame at the same grade. Super fun climbing from bottom to top!
Apr 22, 2015
[Hide Comment] Protection was never further than 15' apart. It did require patience, an eye, and creativity. This can be protected JUST FINE by a crafty and experienced leader, but is not for the beginning trad climber.
May 29, 2015
[Hide Comment] Tons of good or decent pro. Thin nuts are key. Only maybe 2 small run outs: getting to leftward facing flake below roof and halfway up right after the traverse where it gets thinner and the jugs above can be a little hard to see immediately from below.
Feb 21, 2016
[Hide Comment] Great route. Bla bla bla 5.7 or 5.9. If you only have a 60 meter you can rap to the easy climbing and down climb the first 30 feet or so cuz its easy.
Mar 21, 2017
[Hide Comment] My non-chopped 80m x 9.1 Blue Water Icon was not long enough to lower with. If you want to TR with an 80m rope, you have to put about 7 feet of cord on the anchor. I did not and belayed off the ledge about 7' off the ground. Was perfectly comfortable, so not a big deal.
Oct 26, 2020
[Hide Comment] This is a really awesome route that if you are solid at the grade is well worth leading. Having done a lot of other classic 9's in RR, it does feel a bit soft at 5.9 and my partner agreed. Single rack from BD 0.1 to #3 with offset stoppers and the smaller half of a regular stopper set worked PERFECT for protection and an 80m rope easily gets you down to the ground. Bring a lot of slings as you need to extend every piece since the route wanders so much. Feel free to use your bigger cams 0.75 and up right off the bat in the initial crack system. It's all small gear past that, so no need to have those weighing you down.
I think it is fair to say the route is PG-13. The run-out sections are where the climbing is the hardest and you would definitely get hurt if you fell there, but the runouts aren't huge and where you get gear it is really good. The spots where gear shows up have amazing stances so you can really take the time to find the best gear and place as much as you need.
Sep 19, 2021
[Hide Comment] I've led this a couple times now. Truth is, you can make this a 5.8 or a 5.9 depending on which line you take after the obvious arching crack. You could even make a 10a move if you tried. Definitely some spice above small gear but nothing too crazy. The roof is way easier than it looks. My 80 meter (Bluewater Xenon 9.2) reaches the ground with a couple feet to spare.
Apr 4, 2022
[Hide Comment] Fun route with a little bit of everything. Gear is a bit finicky so not a great route for a new leader at the grade. The PG13 rating also comes from the fact that there are probably 10-12 ft spans where no gear is available, but the climbing isn't terribly hard through these spots. The roof protects well and I thought only went at 5.8. We rapped down with a 70M which got us to the ledge and then we downclimbed the last easy 8 ft.
Aug 6, 2023
[Hide Comment] 5.7 and super well protected to halfway. Once your out on the face the gear gets small and less straight forward....no more than 10-15ft between pieces. . Although I wouldn't have wanted to fall on half of them. I didn't use any nuts, but a .1 and .2 z4 came in handy. LOTS of alpine draws, I extended almost every piece, some with a 120cm sling. Maybe 10ft of thoughtful 5.8 face climbing, to me the rest of the route was 5.7.. Roof is well protected and easy once you grab the jugs. Just bring a 70m and down climb from the ledge thats about 10ft from the ground. No need for two ropes or an 80m.
Sep 28, 2024
Access Issue: Red Rock RAIN AND WET ROCK: The sandstone is fragile and is very easily damaged when wet.
Details
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denver, co
Vegas
city, state
Boulder, CO
just trying to inject some reality into the 'consensus' driven (ie inflated) grading that seems so prevalent these days. Oct 10, 2008
NH
Pacific Northwet
Boulder, CO
Albuquerque, NM
+1
For info, a rap with a 70 meter rope won't reach the deck. But it will get you to the big horizontal ledge that runs across much of the base of the crag. From there, we traversed left and then downclimbed eventually using a strenuous undercling. Maybe one can instead traverse to the far right of the crag? ... or rap with two ropes. Oct 16, 2011
The heady aspect is more challenging for most than the "extreme crimping and offwidthing". That said, it's got more meat to it than Fold Out, which is Herbst .8. Thus, =9*ish*. Jul 31, 2012
Las Vegas, NV
Gunks
Free Soil, MI
Reno, NV
Reading, VT
Around Boulder, CO
Costa Mesa, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Lagunitas, Ca
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV
I think it is fair to say the route is PG-13. The run-out sections are where the climbing is the hardest and you would definitely get hurt if you fell there, but the runouts aren't huge and where you get gear it is really good. The spots where gear shows up have amazing stances so you can really take the time to find the best gear and place as much as you need. Sep 19, 2021
Lexington, KY
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV