Silly Snake

Silly Snake is another good multipitch sport climb on the Black Wall with fun moves, comfortable belays, and a great vantage point. This route is just left of Soulshine and climbs very similarly to that route except for the first pitch. As this route was put up relatively recently, be wary of fragile rock in many places, though it appeared to have been cleaned relatively well.

Approach as for Soulshine, but before going up and right to the ledge, stay left and scramble the low angle dihedral corner that leads to the massive right facing flake/corner on the bottom portion of the wall. The first pitch of Silly Snake starts above and left of the first pitch of Soulshine.

Pitch 1 (11 bolts, ~30m):

Climb the right facing corner with bolts on the face. A third of the way up, mantle onto the flake pillar. Confront what might be the crux of this pitch leaving this ledge with a layback up the smooth varnished slab and corner. This is about as well protected as it could be, but your belayer can't see you and you have a ledge below you so tread carefully. Keep climbing on this corner and slab interface, sometimes committing more to one or the other. Pull around the last ledge of the corner and scramble up another bolt to a belay at sloped ledges. 

This ledge has space for multiple people, but there is only one anchor and the ledge has some large loose blocks on the left side.

Ensure that the second to last bolt on this pitch has a regular length quickdraw for the follower(s) as it keeps the rope from getting pinched in the top of the corner flake ledge. Alpine draws can be useful in other spots on this pitch to reduce rope drag.

Pitch 2 (8 bolts, ~20m):

From the sloped ledges, climb the left facing flake just right of the belay to a break. From there, head straight up some nice varnished patina for a few vertical bolts (crux of this pitch). At the lip, step left for a bolt and left again to the anchor on a nice low angle varnished scoop to belay.

This ledge has enough space for two, but would not have room for multiple parties.

This pitch feels short, but linking it with the first pitch would be tricky since your belayer wouldn't be able to see you and give you an attentive belay above the ledges. Linking with the third pitch could also be possible but has similar issues with belay view and rope drag.

Pitch 3 (15 bolts, ~37m):

From the varnished scoop belay of the second pitch anchors, climb straight up to a sloped ledge below the third bolt. Pull a big move up the vertical section (likely the crux on this pitch) and the wander up and left, eventually curving back right. Slab, to vertical, to a break with mini roof pull; repeat a few times. Some nice quality varnished patina on this pitch! Pull the final lip and clip another bolt or two straight up on the lower angled rock before arriving at the anchor on the bulge of rock above the ledge.

Alpine draws can certainly be useful on this pitch to mitigate rope drag issues. There is some unavoidable rope drag while belaying the second due to the rounded nature of the top out, but it can be managed effectively with a good anchor belay set up. Communication with your follower(s) from the top of this pitch to the belay below is very difficult.

Descent is the same as for other routes that top out the Black Wall: walk off or rappel Tres Hombres.

Approach as for all Black Wall routes; follow social trails while aiming for the large right facing corner feature on the bottom portion of the middle of the wall. Scramble up the lower angled dihedral to access the beginning of the climb.

~13 quickdraws minimum; ~4 of them as alpine draws is useful to mitigate rope drag