Black Water Rising

This is a good route for strong folks that don't have much endurance as the hard sections are short and fun but punctuated by generous stances. It also has one of each characteristic section of the classic basalt features that BRW has to offer: the light red patina of vertical face climbing; then some buff-colored patina of the stem corner; a brief section of the dark matrix basalt with red phenocryst-bubbles pulling through the first roof; and finally the rippled, laminar, black patina headwall, like water flowing uphill, providing a wild and awesome bit of pulling and dancing to the anchor.

To start, scramble easily up a black streaked corner/chimney system to wide perch atop the pillar as for Mississippi Moon. The first bolt should be easily reached from atop the pillar block so you are well protected when you step off. Taking the left line of bolts, arcing delicately up and left through three bolts of thin and perfect face-climbing. Then step left again and into the corner using some generous solid blocks, easily avoiding crumbly rock well below you, to some casual stances. Stem up a fun corner, tackle the short roof overlap, and gain a generous stance below the flawless upper headwall with an evil thin crack running trough it. Take a good look at the feet here, clip the high bolt (reachable for short people too), look at the feet again, maybe a third time, and go for it to the anchor!

Right side of the Los Rios sector, start up an easy 3rd class corner in black lichen-coated rock, just left of the scramble ramp for Mississippi Moon. Alternatively, you could start on the right side too, it doesn't really make much difference so long as your belayer has a comfy spot.

11 bolts, one fixed draw.