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Black Dog Crack

5.10b, Sport,  Avg: 2.5 from 166 votes
FA: Bradley White, Andy Byerly 10/86
New Hampshire > Rumney > New Wave
Warning Access Issue: Note: New route moratorium area DetailsDrop down

Description

This former trad climb has a crack on it but doesn't climb like one for the most part... Crack technique will help but mostly interesting face climbing on cool rock with the occasional jam or fingerlock...

To the right of Sally's Alley (5.11c) follow bolts along the crack to the left of an arete, move right at the top (a long draw on the bolt to the right of the arete will help with rope drag)...

I found this one felt pretty hard but i've only been on it once...

Location

Right of the corner on Sally's Alley and left of the arete of Valley Daze (5.11d)...

Protection

6 bolts... anchors... long draw on last bolt helps (look around the arete to the right to find it)...

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A- Air and Pleasant Danger 5.8<br> B- Short Wave 5.11b<br> C- Barking Spiders 5.11c<br> D- Weevil Knevil 5.12a<br> E- Roaring Silence 5.13b<br> F- Salley's Alley 5.11c<br> G- Black Dog Crack 5.10b<br> H- Vallee Daze 5.12a
[Hide Photo] A- Air and Pleasant Danger 5.8 B- Short Wave 5.11b C- Barking Spiders 5.11c D- Weevil Knevil 5.12a E- Roaring Silence 5.13b F- Salley's Alley 5.11c G- Black Dog Crack 5.10b H- Vallee Daze 5.12a
One of the very good 10b's in Rumney.<br> Will never become a classic but very good climbing.
[Hide Photo] One of the very good 10b's in Rumney. Will never become a classic but very good climbing.
Jakob styling...
[Hide Photo] Jakob styling...
Levy Desmarais in a 5.10b just like the old days... Admit it Levy, this is a nice climb.
[Hide Photo] Levy Desmarais in a 5.10b just like the old days... Admit it Levy, this is a nice climb.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

M Sprague
New England
 
[Hide Comment] An interesting route that is also a good warm up and way to get to the anchors if you wish to work Dark Star on TR.

For those perturbed by the retrobolting of a route called Black Dog Crack, the bolts replace the same number of fixed pins. Aug 15, 2007
BTodd
 
[Hide Comment] I really liked this climb, especially the wild top section May 26, 2008
bradley white
Bend
 
[Hide Comment] It's original name was Black Sambo and not racist's. It was named after a chain of restaurants called Sambo's, and in the 1980's (because of racial implied profiling) Sambo's changed their name. It was the beginning of the newest image to Americanism. This Americanism spread to Rattlesnake. Climbers started calling Black Sambo, Black Dog Crack that title sounds racist to me. The first ascent of this climb was done with Andy Byerly.
All of the Sam names were related to an old dog I adopted named Sammy. She could climb low angle rock walls because her nails were so long. She could even climb some 1+ ice and snow walls. Her ice climbing would make me nervous. Aug 2, 2009
Annaconda
Seattle, WA
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] A really fun route! The 6th bolt is actually on Vallee Daze - you get a stance below the roof/crack at the top and reach around the arete to the right to clip it. Then you can step around the arete and head for the anchors, a little runout but on easy ground. Alternatively, bring a couple bigger cams to protect the top in the crack. Jun 10, 2010
S. Neoh
5.10b
[Hide Comment] Nice climb; very hard without the 'secret' hold which may not be so easily visible to shorties like me. I give it 2.5 stars.
May appear runout by Rumney standards but it really is not. :) Aug 19, 2010
Nick Grant
Tamworth, NH
  5.10b
[Hide Comment] Gee . . . I guess I missed the secret hold for sure. I was constantly groping awkwardly above my head for the 5.10a buckets that I couldn't find. Aug 25, 2014
S. Neoh
5.10b
[Hide Comment] Nick, you are right; there aren't a lot of buckets on this climb. I like the route and it is a great way to set TR up for the really good Vallee Daze. Aug 26, 2014
Sleyer
 
[Hide Comment] What a great climb! Really thoughtful hand sequence and footwork. And the hidden Jesus bucket is much appreciated. Jul 31, 2017
S. Neoh
5.10b
[Hide Comment] Climbed this today again. Still 2.5 stars. Felt .10b, harder than Masterpiece but easier than Centerpiece. Surprising number of rests to keep it at .10b I felt like. Aug 11, 2019
Owen Tranchemontagne
 
[Hide Comment] Not finding the 6th bolt and thinking I had to mantle over onto the slab to find it made it a lot spookier... I downclimbed... Aug 15, 2019