All Locations > Colorado > Canon City > Shelf Rd > Great Black North

Bete Noir

Name: Bete Noir
Rating: 3.9

5.12 YDS 7b+ French 27 Ewbanks VIII+ UIAA 26 ZA E6 6b British

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Routes in The Great Black North

L › R R › L A › Z

	Bete Noir S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Black Toe Arete S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Borg, The S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Bureau of Land Management (BLM) S 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Burnt Toast, The S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Capital Outlay S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Chuana Chavaria S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Cold Feet S 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Datura S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Delilah S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Don't Eat Stuff on the Sidewalk S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Don't Make Me Shave You S 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Hang a Louie S 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	It's All Gone S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
	Laugh the Past Away S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Locutus S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Magus, The S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
	Pincher S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Resistance is Futile S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Skank to Crank S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	Three Doubles S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Torch & Twang S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
	Tout Tout de Suite S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
	Tower of Power S 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Triage S 5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
	Where Paradise Ain't So Crowded (aka "Reamer") S 5.14a 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a

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Type:	Sport, 70 ft (21 m)
GPS:	38.65239, -105.22439
FA:	Mark Van Horn
Page Views:	2,231 total · 11/month
Shared By:	Monomaniac on Jun 30, 2009
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Explore this route in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Access Issue: This crag may be on Private Property! Details

The access situation here is a bit murky. According to "Shelf Road Rock", the crag is likely located on state land that is leased to a local rancher. Climbers should treat this area as though it were private property. Keep a low profile, leave your dogs at home, and keep the noise down.

Per Brandon Schirm: you need a fishing or hunting license to use this crag. It's part of a trust land, so therefore if you don't pay the fee potentially you could receive a fine. On 9-12-20, the cost of a fishing license was $33.42.

Description

The best route at the cliff, and one of the best 5.12s at Shelf, Bete Noir tackles the intimidating three-foot roof before launching up the amazing pocketed arete above. The line is long, sustained, and the upper arete is steeper and more difficult than it looks. This must-do route would be a 4-star classic at any crag in the country, though at Shelf, it's just another on a long list of world-class routes authored by the prolific Mark Van Horn.

Begin at the right end of the wall below the obvious roof. Climb easily up to a long reach up to the crook of the roof. Take a deep breath, and launch out to the lip with difficulty. Grope up over the hang, work the feet, and set up for a low-percentage crux move to get established over the lip. Milk a good rest, then proceed up the mind-blowing arete with long, technical moves between good, hidden pockets.

Location

Immediately right of "The Burnt Toast" lies a beautiful black wall, hanging above an impressive, tan, 3' deep horizontal roof. Bete Noir climbs the right line on this wall, beginning just left of the arete.