Black Velvet Canyon

Climbing in Red Rocks has to be one of the most fun experiences one can have in the United States, with its easy access, (mostly) solid rock and (sometimes) well protected climbing. Black Velvet Canyon, outside of the state park and its silly hours, offers some of the best lines in the entire region, especially on the Velvet Wall. Epinephrine, Dream of Wild Turkeys, Prince of Darkness and Fiddler on the Roof are all classics for good reasons!

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Route List

1: Shaken, not Stirred, 5.9, Crosby, DeAngelo, 2005
2: Microbrew, 5.6
3: Lazy Buttress, 5.7, Borche, Herbst, Herbst, McMackin, 1973
4: Schaeffer’s Delight, 5.8, Petrilak, Urioste, Ward, 1984
5: Ballantine Blast, 5.7
6: Gentle Ben’s Afternoon Delight, 5.8+, Arens, Wilder, 2005
7: Crown Royal, 5.8
8: Bourbon Street, 5.8+, DeAngelo, Wilder, 2005
9: Rain Dance, 5.10a, Wilson, Wonderly, 1990
10: Frogland, 5.8, Gilbert, Urioste, Urioste, 1978
11: As the Toad Turns, 5.10d, Nordblom, Smith, Stone, 1989
12: Kenny Laguna, 5.10d, Crawford, Harrison, Mamusia, Van Betten, 1983
13: Perplexity, 5.10d, Swain, Swain, 1984
14: The Misunderstanding, 5.9, Anderson, Grandstaff, 1975
15: Miss Conception, 5.10c, Swain, Swain, 1995
16: Return to Forever, 5.10d, Crawford, Harrison, Mamusia, Van Betten, 1983
17: Mazatlan, 5.10d, Anderson, Grandstaff, 1978
18: Ixtlan, 5.11c, Goodwin, Urioste, Urioste, 1981
19: Matzoland, 5.12a, McQuade, 1999
20: Cabo San Looseness, 5.10c
21: Sand Felipe, 5.10a
22: Sandblast, 5.10a, Nordblom, Van Betten, 1987
23: Triassic Sands, 5.10b, Hamilton, Herbst, 1972/Grandstaff, Herbst, Kaufman, Klein, Robbins, 1979
24: Cole Essence, 5.11c, Cole, Grandstaff, 1990
25: Archaeopteryx, 5.11a, Nordblom, Robinson, 1988
26: Off the Lip, 5.10d
27: Desert Wave, 5.11b
28: Amber, 5.10c
29: Wholesome Fullback, 5.10b, Folsom, Holbek, 1975
30: The Delicate Sound of Thunder, 5.11b, Evans, Floyd, Wonderly, 1988
31: Our Father, 5.10d, Clevenger, Grandstaff, Herbst, Wheeler, 1977
32: Tales from the Gripped, 5.11c, Mathews, Swain, 1990
33: Jugs on Drugs, 5.9+, Boyce, Chapko, 2019
34: Spark Plug, 5.10b, Mamusia, Van Betten, 1983
35: Cutting Edge, 5.11b, Meyers, 1987
36: Smooth as Silk, 5.10d, Crawford, Diegleman, Grandstaff, Smith, 1981
37: Refried Brains, 5.9, Petrilak, Urioste, Urioste, 1979
38: The Flesh, 5.10d, Harrison, Smith, 1984
39: American Ghostdance, 5.12a, Fosberg, Morgan, 1988
40: Sandstone Samurai, 5.11a R, Nordblom, Van Betten, 1988
41: Rock Warrior, 5.10b, Harrison, Nordblom, Smith, 1983
42: Prince of Darkness, 5.10c, Bradley, Urioste, Urioste, Ward, 1984
43: Yellow Brick Road, 5.10c, Bradley, Urioste, Urioste, Ward, 1985
44: Dream of Wild Turkeys, 5.10a, Urioste, Urioste, 1980
45: A Dream of Ultraviolet Unicorns, 5.10b/c, Janes, McCrary, 2024
46: The Gobbler, 5.10a, Urioste, Urioste, 1980
47: 18 year McAllen, 5.11d, Marsh, Marsh, 1994
48: Fiddler on the Roof, 5.10d, Egbert, Richards, Wonderly, 1990
49: Overhanging Hangover, 5.10a, Goodwin, Urioste, Urioste, 1981
50: Johnny Come Lately, 5.10d
51: Early Times, 5.10c, Finlay, 1985
52: Sour Mash, 5.10a, Urioste, Urioste, 1980
53: My Little Pony, 5.11d, Harrison, Shelton, Van Betten, 1990
54: Velveeta, 5.11d, Broussard, Harrison, 1990
55: Chalk is Cheap, 5.10d, Clifford, Sutton, Ward, 1989
56: Malicious Mischief, 5.10a, Gilbert, Herbst, Petrilak, 1978
57: Ghost of the Sparrow, 5.12d, Janes, Mulhern, 2021
58: Epinephrine, 5.9, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1978
59: Ancient Futures, 5.12a, Grandstaff, McQuade, 1997
60: The Velvet Tongue, 5.12d, Handren, Hunter, 2006
61: Texas Tower Direct, 5.12d, Rosholt et al., 1997/Handren, Horniak, 2006
62: Texas Tower Connection, 5.10a, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1980
63: Lone Star, 5.11a, Crawford, Harrison, Obenheim, Van Betten, 1984
64: Texas Hold’em, 5.11c, Conz, Rosholt, 1997/Casey, Gobright, 2019
65: Yellow Rose of Texas, 5.11a, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1978
66: Tri Tip, 5.11d X
67: The Golden Desert, 5.12a
68: The Shuffle, 5.13a/b
69: Plein Air, 5.11a
70: Twixt Cradle and Stone, 5.10d
71: Velvet Revolver, 5.11b, Dezonia, Moulin, 2006
72: Wax Cracks, 5.10a
73: The Velveteen Rabbit, 5.12a, Janes, McCullough, 2016
74: Children of the Sun, 5.10b, Barnes, Cecil, Rosholt, 1994

Updates

May 19, 2022: No change to the lines but updated graphic design (thanks to Joshua Janes and Kate McCullough for their excellent suggestions!) and more harmonious colors.

May 3, 2024: Graphic design update

Nov 3, 2025: Graphic design update, added route 45, Dream of Ultraviolet Unicorns.

Sources and Credits

• “Red Rocks, A Climber’s Guide II,” Jerry Handren, Handbook Publishing, 2016
  
• Josh Janes
• Lani Chapko
• Mountain Project