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: The Gobbler, 5.10a, Urioste, Urioste, 1980

46: 18 year McAllen, 5.11d, Marsh, Marsh, 1994

47: Fiddler on the Roof, 5.10d, Egbert, Richards, Wonderly, 1990

48: Overhanging Hangover, 5.10a, Goodwin, Urioste, Urioste, 1981

49: Johnny Come Lately, 5.10d

50: Early Times, 5.10c, Finlay, 1985

51: Sour Mash, 5.10a, Urioste, Urioste, 1980

52: My Little Pony, 5.11d, Harrison, Shelton, Van Betten, 1990

53: Velveeta, 5.11d, Broussard, Harrison, 1990

54: Chalk is Cheap, 5.10d, Clifford, Sutton, Ward, 1989

55: Malicious Mischief, 5.10a, Gilbert, Herbst, Petrilak, 1978

56: Ghost of the Sparrow, 5.12d, Janes, Mulhern, 2021

57: Epinephrine, 5.9, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1978

58: Ancient Futures, 5.12a, Grandstaff, McQuade, 1997

59: The Velvet Tongue, 5.12d, Handren, Hunter, 2006

60: Texas Tower Direct, 5.12d, Rosholt et al., 1997/Handren, Horniak, 2006

61: Texas Tower Connection, 5.10a, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1980

62: Lone Star, 5.11a, Crawford, Harrison, Obenheim, Van Betten, 1984

63: Texas Hold’em, 5.11c, Conz, Rosholt, 1997/Casey, Gobright, 2019

64: Yellow Rose of Texas, 5.11a, Herbst, Urioste, Urioste, 1978

65: Tri Tip, 5.11d X

66: The Golden Desert, 5.12a

67: The Shuffle, 5.13a/b

68: Plein Air, 5.11a

69: Twixt Cradle and Stone, 5.10d

70: Velvet Revolver, 5.11b, Dezonia, Moulin, 2006

71: Wax Cracks, 5.10a

72: The Velveteen Rabbit, 5.12a, Janes, McCullough, 2016

73: 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