PRINT: Rock Climb Creature from the Black Lagoon, Boulder

Creature from the Black Lagoon

5.12a, Sport, 90 ft (27 m),

Avg: 3.1 from 67 votes
FA: Steve Sangdahl, Janet Robinson, and John Baldwin
Colorado > Boulder > Upper Dream Canyon > Oceanic Wall

Description

An easy start leads to the thin and tricky undercling / lieback crux of this route at ~40 feet. The route is distinguished by an obvious black waterstreak, located on the right side of the wall.

Protection

This is fully bolted. You can lower from the anchor with a 60m rope. There are 11 bolts to a 2 bolt anchor.

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Chip leading Creature from the Black Lagoon. Photo: John Baldwin Collection.

Creature From The Black Lagoon - 5.11d.

Creature From The Black Lagoon, 5.11d.

Chip leading Creature from the Black Lagoon. Photo: John Baldwin Collection.

Steve Sangdahl on the Creature. Photo: Bob Horan Collection.

Creature From The Black Lagoon, 5.11d.

Seth Finkelstein on The Creature... 5.11d

Chip leading Creature from the Black Lagoon. Photo: John Baldwin Collection.

Photo of Connor Mason by Adam McClatchie.

This route is waaaay hard. I'll never admit how many attempts this one took me to get. Sargasso, Leviathon, Mud Shark (all on the same wall, and rated the same or harder, are cake in comparison). Fantastic route! Kudos to anyone who onsights this one. Aug 20, 2001

Chris Cavallaro
Lone Tree, CO

TRUE DAT AC! waaaay hard climb! but awesome climbing to be had on the crux. Rossiters's guide shows that once you reach the obvious ledge up high, traverse right and use a piton (or so one would think that is what he meant when looking at the topo) But, just take the obvious line straight past 4 or 5 more bolts to an anchor up top. Also, one might want to place a few TCUs in the bottom section to reach the first bolt- Unless you don't mind climbing 5.8 for 35 feet unroped. Sep 18, 2001

Kristo torgersen

Yo, I onsighted and still haven't redpointed Sargasso Sea! I thought the trick was to press hard with the feet, full on power laybacking. Any recommendations for Sargasso? Apr 23, 2002

Luke Evans

5.11c

We actually saw a creature (Garter Snake) at the bottom of this climb! Watch-out because it guards the starting foothold! Crux is pretty fun, tricky-pump liebacks but I think that the route should've ended after the CRUX......just my opinion* Sep 7, 2005

Robbie the Dog

I thought this climb was a lot better than 2 stars, especially for the area. Had I heeded the quality rating from here, I'd likely not have tried it. Try it!

The lieback/undercling is quite fun. True, the top is relatively easy, but it's kind of pleasant stemming and stepping. Aug 5, 2007

slim

5.12a

Some hateful liebacking on this mother. Aurprisingly micro-sequential also. Probably better to be one of those short, ball-of-muscle types. Jul 27, 2009

Moritz B.

Bring a 0.75 to protect the start. Really fun route! It´s like the little brother of the "Arch Angel" ;-) Mar 16, 2014

Jeremy Jacobsen

5.12c

The crux sequence is solid 12. My two cents are 12c ish. Mar 16, 2015

Mark Rolofson

5.12a

This route requires a 60 meter (200 ft) rope to descend, not a 50 meter (165ft.) rope. Secondly, it is not fully bolted & requires one or two pieces of gear to protect the 5.10 start shared with "Twistin by The Pool". I place a # 1 Camalot or a #2.5 Friend plus a 1.5" cam (side by side).
Great route with a crux that is strenuous for the Oceanic Wall. May 17, 2017

Weston Hamilton
Denver, CO

Difficult, I managed to get through Sargasso and Leviathan with some hangs but could not do this crux. Took me quite a while to dial the beta, and by then I was gassed. My friends who onsights 5.12 quite regularly also had difficulty, but our shorter female friend cruised it easily.

Worth doing all three climbs and comparing. Apr 26, 2023

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Description

Protection

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