Cloak & Dagger takes an independent line right of
Comic Relief and Perfect Art, but starts on the same ledge as
Comic or
Escape Artist.
It's highly probably that some of these pitches have been climbed before. However, it's unclear if anyone has done this exact line. While talking with a few of the more seasoned veterians of the Black, it appears that at least a few pitches were new territory. Thumbing through the binder of original topos provided no descriptions of this area right of
Comic Relief. Any additional info would be welcomed.
One thing is for certain though, despite who climbed what and when... this is a hidden gem of a route, worthy of more traffic and a great alternative to
Comic Relief or
Escape Artist.
P1 (5.6ish). Start on the
Comic/
Escape ledge and traverse right around the corner to an obvious pegmatite slab/gully. Follow this rib of peg to a ledge below a chimney and a fist crack on the left. Some parties may choose to free solo.
P2 (5.9+). Climb the fist crack and continue through the chimney to another small ledge below a nice looking, thin fingers dihedral.
P3 (5.10+). Climb the dihedral, leading through a small bulge and continue up a 5.9 crack system to a belay beneath an obvious, crescent-shaped roof with black streaks on the wall.
P4 (5.10). Move left under the roof on good hand jams and continue up a 5.9 crack until you can move left into a lower angle weakness. Follow this to a large ledge with a massive, right-facing corner.
Beware of the rope wanting to get sucked into the corner of the roof as you climb above it. Try and place a piece out left to keep the rope out of the constriction.P5 (5.9). Climb 5.7 face up to a steep 5.9 hand crack. Trend left through a giant flake feature, then pull steep moves through a second flake above (left). End at a stance near 60 meters.
P6 (5.9). Continue up somewhat nondescript crack and face climbing. At about 40 meters or so, start trending left until you intersect the top of
Comic/
Escape's final pitch. End on the unroping ledge for these two route. Scramble up to the rap stations and complete the exact same "descent" as
Comic Relief or
Escape Artist.
It is also well worth it to do "The Escape" pitches back to the rim, instead of hiking out the gully. After rappelling from the top of the Comic Buttress, climb from the notch, up a slab and onto a ridge line type feature for 2 or 3 pitches (up to 5.8) to top out near the overlook trail by the campground. You get awesome views of South Chasm Wall.
A few small TCUs, standard double rack to #3 Camalot, and (1 or 2) #4s.
Note: almost all of the pitches on this route are in the 60 meter range, give or take a little. Pitch 2 is about 40m.
Ouray, CO
moab, ut
Flagstaff
manitou springs
Carbondale, CO
Ridgway, CO
Around Boulder, CO
Also, if you stay right on the flakes on P5, it is protectable and is also about 10b.
Similar in quality to Comic Relief or Escape Artist and honestly not much harder but for a few moves if at all. Jul 30, 2018
(Currently on hiatus, new b…
Gunnison, CO
I brought a triple rack from tips - 0.75 and most of it on the 'mega'/crux pitch and didn't have to worry about gear for an anchor etc. We brought a 4 used it but never felt like we needed it, 2 are unnecessary.
We brought a 70m and ran pitch 6 the full length with maybe 8 feet to spare for unroping a stone's throw from the rap station.
To each their own - just climb this. Oct 19, 2020
SW Colorado
I think the crux earns .10+ on length if nothing else, but I've only climbed a handful of routes in the Black, so maybe it is soft for the area. Space out the gear, and remember the belay takes finger-size pieces too! Long pitches all around, having a 70m rope and a lot of slings is advantageous.
I kind of expected the last 5.9 pitches to be kind of non-descript and forgettable, like the Comic finish slabs, but dang, the flakes pitch is some of the most fun climbing on the route! Jun 7, 2021
Lakewood, CO
I dropped a 0.5 with a purple biner on P4. I think it went all the way down to the SOB. Let me know if anyone finds it, so I can return to my partner! Oct 17, 2022
Colorado Springs. Co