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Black Elk

5.10a, Sport, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 3.4 from 351 votes
FA: Baldwin, 91
Utah > Northeast Utah > Uinta Mountains > Ruth Lake > Good Medicine Area
Warning Access Issue: Located in a National Forest Fee Area DetailsDrop down

Description

Black Elk is a good enough reason to drive all the way down the Mirror Lake Hwy and take the 20 min hike to the Ruth Lake Crag. It has an interesting, balancy beginning, followed by a bouldery crux, onto an exposed face. The rock has good friction, the holds are positive, and the pro is place a safe, sane distance.

Protection

New, well-placed bolts, spaced about 8 feet apart. Very safe and bomber.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Lisa on Black elk.
[Hide Photo] Lisa on Black elk.
Clay on Black Elk.
[Hide Photo] Clay on Black Elk.
This is where the fun really starts
[Hide Photo] This is where the fun really starts
Steve Clipping Bolts awkward beginning
[Hide Photo] Steve Clipping Bolts awkward beginning
Fun climb!
[Hide Photo] Fun climb!
Black Elk (5.10a) 8/2021
[Hide Photo] Black Elk (5.10a) 8/2021
black elk 5.10a ***
[Hide Photo] black elk 5.10a ***
Ellie on Black Elk.  Great climb!
[Hide Photo] Ellie on Black Elk. Great climb!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tosh Peters
Park City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] fun sustained climbing with a nice "pump crux" from the last bolt to the chains and a good rest before the last 4 bolts. Jun 22, 2008
[Hide Comment] An enjoyable climb. Move up small arete to right of roof. Stem your way through the recess in the wall. Take a break on the middle on a large ledge. Crux is at the top where you follow an off-width slopey crack. There are good holds, but be prepared to make boulder moves to get them. A challenging 5.10a. Great view! Jul 26, 2008
Tristan Higbee
Pocatello, ID
 
[Hide Comment] I agree that this is a challenging 5.10a. Long route! Lots of fun! The headwall that makes up the second half is the best part. Aug 19, 2008
Alex Quitiquit
Salt Lake City
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Good sport route to climb on gear sans bolts. Takes decent smaller cams, 2-3 C3 and .3 to 1, and nuts well. Just to add a little spice to your life. Jul 10, 2012
Brandon Ashby
Kamas, UT
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] An absolute blast, might be my favorite climb. Navigating the mini chimney to the pumpy head wall is just fantastic. Highly recommended! Aug 27, 2013
J Saarela
Park City
  5.10-
[Hide Comment] Some very fun movement on mostly positive holds (although decreasing in size the farther you go).

If you have a wrench, bring it. As of 8/19, 5 of the 9 bolt hangers were spinning--the 1st, 4th, and 7th-9th if I remember right. Aug 20, 2015
Jordan Gilbert
Ogden, UT
 
[Hide Comment] If this route was at the Wall of Tiers there wouldn't be a single bolt on it. Sep 16, 2016
Matty Coles
Salt Lake City
 
[Hide Comment] A really fun route to climb on gear. Protection is all there, if only a little tricky in a few spots. I would take a Standard rack up to maybe #2 or so and a full set of nuts. I made do (with healthy amount of run-out) using a set of peenuts and small cams from .2 - .75. If using only cams, it might be a good idea to double up from .3 - .75. Sep 7, 2018
Andrew Schafer
Salt Lake City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Do it all on gear and add some spice to your life. It's all there! Cams work well, nuts optional. Used nothing bigger than a .5 c4 Jul 20, 2020
Adam Rosenberg
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] climbed it with QUICKDRAWS on BOLTS (call me crazy) with a 70m. great route - the holds arent always obvious which makes the first go more difficult then at 10a IMO. but after you know the beta it does get a lot easier - still a power type of route. alpine for the first bolt, and nothing special after it. not the easiest route to TR b/c the anchor is a bit over to the right of the route. but doable if youre ok with a little swing. Sep 13, 2021
georocks
Evanston WY
[Hide Comment] This is my favorite route in the area. 3D moves in the middle with just enough headwall crimping to feel like a rockstar. Jun 18, 2023