The Velveteen Rabbit
5.12a,
Trad, 270 ft (82 m), 3 pitches,
Avg: 3.5 from 6
votes
FA: FA: Unknown (possibly Dave Wonderly?)FFA: Josh Janes
Nevada
> Southern Nevada
> Red Rocks
> (16) Black Velv…
> Texas Wall / W Velvet…
Access Issue: Red Rock RAIN AND WET ROCK: The sandstone is fragile and is very easily damaged when wet.
Details
Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm, the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN RED ROCKS during or after rain. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby.
HUMAN WASTE Human waste is one of the major issues plaguing Red Rocks. The Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council and the AAC provides free "wag bags" in several locations (Black Velvet, First Pullout, Kraft Mtn/Bouldering, The Gallery, and The Black Corridor). These bags are designed so that you can pack your waste out - consider bringing one to be part of your kit (just like your rope and shoes and lunch) no matter where you go. Once used, please dispose of them properly (do not throw them in the toilets at the parking area).
Description
The Velveteen Rabbit is the free version of an old abandoned aid project deep in Black Velvet Canyon. It has three pitches of excellent and varied climbing that build in difficulty to a climactic finish - all played out on great rock.
P1 (5.11c, 70’): Climb the face passing 5 bolts, stepping right to a perfect belay ledge at the base of a long, leaning, left-facing corner.
P2 (5.11b, 110’): Climb the corner passing a bolt, a run out on easy ground, and then a long, technical section protected by wires and shallow cams. At the top of the corner step right onto the arête and romp up to a comfortable belay on a sloping ledge.
P3 (5.12a, 90’): Move up off the belay passing three bolts before stepping left to a beautiful shallow crack in a black streak. Follow this to a stance below the massive roof. Two bolts protect bouldery climbing out the roof to an anchor just above. Be very careful not to break holds through the roof!
Rap the route. Pull the rope outside of the corner on P2 as the corner itself is a rope-eater.
Location
Just past the start of Epinephrine and the Texas Wall routes lies a long terrace 100’ above the canyon floor. The Velveteen Rabbit starts from the center of this terrace.
The east end of the terrace can be accessed by climbing the first (5.7) pitch of Twixt Cradle and Stone which is an obvious wide crack in the unmistakeable left-facing corner just past Epinephrine. Once on the terrace, scramble west 500’, looking for an attractive, varnished right-facing wide crack (Black Mamba); to the right of this is the bolted face of the first pitch of The Velveteen Rabbit. Note: reversing this approach and rapping is the fastest way out at the end of the day.
An alternative and faster approach is by way of the far (west) end of this terrace: Continue in the wash for another five minutes past Epinephrine to the point where Corduroy Ridge splits the canyon into two forks. The south fork (left) is followed to access the Western Spaces Wall and the north fork (right) is followed to reach Sick for Toys. Scramble 60’ up the toe of Corduroy Ridge via an exposed and slippery 4th class rib of rock sandwiched between an occasionally wet slide to the left and a bolted slab to the right. Once on the level spot above (this is the very bottom of the south fork of BV Canyon) immediately turn left and scramble 30’ up a 5.0 chimney which deposits you at the west end of the same long terrace described previously. Pass underneath the start of Great Expectations and follow the terrace back east for 300’ to the start of the route.
Approach time is 40-45 minutes (10 minutes past Epinephrine).
Protection
2x from small to 1” (Aliens or other flexible-stem cams work best).
Optional #1 Camalot.
Double set of wires.
70m rope.
Nut tool for the leader is helpful for cleaning out placements on P2 which can sometimes collect little scrub oak leaves after spring storms.
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Las Vegas
Every pitch is 4 stars but since it's so short, it's hard to give the route as a whole 4 stars.
Don't let the first pitch lull you into thinking it's a rinky-dink sport route...but its crux may be more stout for under 5'8" climbers, plus a hard clip.
Pitch 2 will keep your attention. Say shallow nut placement 10 times in a row.
The 3rd pitch starts out on cool plates and the black seam is like limestone pocket climbing with trad pro. The roof has a brief but burly sequence to the lip. The middle is a little dirty but will be super clean with regular ascents.
If I did the route again (I probably will), I'd only bring 1 of EACH size cams from #00 C3 - 1 Camalot (or similar cams) and definitely a full set of nuts (double #4 - 11 Stoppers or similar nuts). HB aluminum offsets might fit better in the multiple shallow placements of pitch 2...hard to say, but in general I found wired nuts worked better than cams.
Nice work Josh!