A Guide To Climbing In The Black Canyon For The First Time
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of Colorado's most spectacular multipitch rock climbing destinations. With long traditional routes on dramatic cliffs steeped in a rich climbing history, this remote canyon in Southwest Colorado feels very different from a typical day at the crag.
For climbers comfortable climbing ~5.9, several moderate Black Canyon routes provide an excellent introduction to the area and keep the Black accessible for climbers newer to multipitch climbing or not climbing the hardest grades. Routes such as Maiden Voyage and Casual Route combine the exposure, route-finding, and multipitch systems that make the Black Canyon such a unique climbing destination while still remaining a moderate, accessible grade for most climbers.
What Is The Climbing Like in the Black Canyon?
The Black Canyon is unlike any other climbing area in Colorado.
Rather than hiking uphill to the base of the cliff and rappelling back to the base, climbing in the Black Canyon involves a top-down approach. You start at the car on the canyon rim, descend steeply into the canyon (often with some scrambling and/or rappelling), climb a long multipitch route, and top out at the rim with a short walk back to the car. The canyon contains approximately over 100 established climbing routes, with many rated 5.11 and above but there are also a couple dozen rated 5.10 and below, many becoming classic moderate routes.
The geology of the Black Canyon is a major part of what makes climbing here so distinctive. The canyon is carved primarily into ancient Precambrian Gneiss and Schist (some of the oldest exposed rock in Colorado!) with sections of pegmatite cutting diagonally through the metamorphic rock. The Gunnison River has slowly carved through this exceptionally hard rock over millions of years, creating the steep, narrow walls and striking vertical cliffs that define the canyon today. For climbers, this geology translates into a diverse mix of cracks, corners, and technical and delicate face climbing on the slabby sections, often with long, sustained pitches and intricate gear placements. The rock is mostly very high quality, but the canyon also contains sections of loose and fractured bands, making careful route selection and movement important.
The Best Moderate Black Canyon Routes
There are several moderate routes that can serve as excellent introductions to climbing in the Black Canyon climbing. The exact objective depends on your experience, climbing ability, and goals.
Dragon’s Tooth: 5.8+, 3-4 Pitches
One of the few shorter routes in the Black Canyon, Dragon’s Tooth climbs a standalone feature located in SOB Gully. A fun, moderate route, Dragon’s Tooth is often overlooked in favor of the longer routes in the canyon but can be a good option for climbers wanting a shorter day out climbing. The quality of the climbing is mostly good with a few standout sections such as a finger crack on pitch one and an exposed pitch of pulling on jugs higher up on the route.
Casual Route: 5.8+, 8 pitches
The Casual Route is a fun, long moderate multipitch route in the Black Canyon. Located in SOB Gully, this adventurous route winds it way up face and cracks overlooking the Gunnison River. The Casual Route is a great option for climbers looking for an easier grade, but still quite long route in the Black Canyon.
Lauren's Arete: 5.8+, 8 Pitches
Following an exposed arête for the whole route, Lauren’s Arete is a classic route and good option for climbers looking for more adventure. Fun movement and some of the best views in the Black Canyon, we highly recommend climbing Lauren’s Arete.
The route is rated 5.8+ with several cruxes, though mostly short. It has more of an alpine character than some of the canyon's other crack focused routes.
Maiden Voyage: 5.9-, 6 pitches
Maiden Voyage is one of the classic introductory routes in the Black Canyon and one of the Black Canyon’s most popular route. Rated 5.9-, the route is predominately 5.8 climbing with cracks of varying sizes with a short, fun crux near the start of the route. The route follows cracks close to the arête of the Checkerboard Wall, overlooking the impressive Chasm View Wall. Maiden Voyage provides a taste of the exposure and commitment of the Black Canyon without jumping into one of the canyon's harder and more sustained objectives.
The route is particularly attractive for climbers making their first Black Canyon ascent because it combines high quality climbing with a moderate overall difficulty. For a climber who is comfortable with 5.8 outdoor climbing and has some previous multipitch experience, Maiden Voyage can be an excellent first Black Canyon objective and a rewarding challenge.
Ground Control To Major Tom: 5.9-, 10 Pitches
An excellent and long multipitch route on high quality rock with great exposure, Ground Control To Major Tom is one of the few moderate routes on the South Rim of the Black Canyon. The route is predominately 5.7 face climbing, with a few pitches of moderate crack climbing and lots of adventure! The 5.9- grade comes from a few moves at the grade towards the top of the route. Not over ‘till it’s over, the route has several bonus pitches after topping out in order to get back to the car. This route is a favorite of ours for climbers looking for a long route with mostly very moderate climbing but big exposure.
Casually Off Route: 5.9, 8 Pitches
An adventurous route that is a variation of it’s neighbor, The Casual Route, seeking out more sustained climbing while still being moderate in grade. Long and wandering, Casually Off Route is a fun multipitch route with good exposure high above the Gunnison River.
Strategies For Climbing In The Black Canyon
One of the most useful strategies for climbing a multipitch route in the Black is to do as much preparation as possible before leaving the rim. Because you don’t return to your pack after climbing, you need to carry everything with you on route. Instead of descending into the canyon with a large backpack, you can organize your climbing equipment at the car and begin the descent already racked up for the climb.
Our guides will typically put on their harnesses and helmet at the car and the organize the rack on the harness. The climbing rope can be worn as a coil on your back instead on inside the backpack, this allows climbers to only need a very small backpack (~18 liters).
The goal is simple: descend with a small, streamlined climbing pack rather than a full size backpack. This is one of those seemingly minor logistical decisions that can have a major impact on the day.
The exact equipment carried in the pack depends on the route and current conditions, but the general idea is to carry only what is necessary for the climb and potentially unexpected events. A small pack can typically hold items such as:
Water: amount will vary based on sun exposure and length of the route)
Food
Emergency layers: a wind jacket and fleece are typically adequate, though a more robust rain jacket and light puffy jacket may be useful in more variable conditions
Headlamp
Small first aid kit
Satellite communication device
We have a detailed equipment list provided on the trip page for our guided climbing in the Black Canyon, and your guide will recommend the best equipment for the specific route and current conditions.
Prep For Climbing In The Black Canyon With Introductory Multipitch Routes In Unaweep Canyon
The Black Canyon is not the place to learn multipitch systems, efficient transitions, or rappelling for the first time. A day or two of focused preparation in nearby Unaweep Canyon can make a dramatic difference in your ability to climb efficiently and confidently in the Black. For climbers who want to build toward bigger multipitch objectives, Skyward Mountaineering offers private, personalized rock climbing instruction.
One of the best, local climbing venues to prepare for Black Canyon climbing is Unaweep Canyon, located just outside Grand Junction. Unaweep offers granite crack climbing and face climbing, in a similar style to that found in the Black. Unaweep Canyon has the benefit of being significantly less committing with several excellent moderate multipitch routes with a short, convenient approach.
For a climber preparing for the Black Canyon, a day in Unaweep can be a focused training day while climbing plenty of fun pitches.
A Better Way to Prepare for a Black Canyon Climb
For many climbers, the best Black Canyon trip isn't necessarily a single day of guided climbing. Some of our favorite climbing trips in the Black Canyon are several days of climbing in the canyon and camping at the rim, just a short walk from your tent to the trailhead. We also thrive on customizing an itinerary that builds on progression, helping climbers build multipitch climbing techniques and then applying them in the Black Canyon.
An example of a climbing trip to the Black Canyon with customized instruction to help you prepare for efficiently climbing a long route:
Day 1: Unaweep Canyon
Focus on multipitch systems, climbing movement, and efficient transitions. We spend part of the day covering specific skills in a ground school setting and applying them on a nearby multipitch route.
Day 2: Black Canyon
Apply those skills to an introductory route in the Black Canyon. When we top out the route, we’ll walk back to the camp and enjoy a relaxing evening camping on the North Rim of the Black Canyon.
Day 3: Black Canyon
Put the skills together on a longer or more challenging objective in the Black Canyon.
From there, your next trip to the Black Canyon with us might progress to a longer 5.9+ or 5.10 route, there’s plenty to choose from! Ready to book your climbing trip in the Black Canyon, talk to a guide now to discuss your goals and experience and we’ll recommend route options and a suggested itinerary, or book your trip today and start planning the adventure.