Bllack Velvet get any sun now?

Hola-

Heading out to Red Rocks and would love to do a quick lap on Epinephrine while I'm there, but while knowing that it's a cold canyon this time of year, does the wall get any direct sun?

Even for a hour or two a day? And if so, anyone know approx what time of the day that would happen?

Thanks!

You will be in the chimneys and thus the shade until after pitch 5 and by then, even if there were going to be any sun on the route, the sun would be behind the wall. November 2011 at about noon for this picture, just above the chimneys, note the shade.
I believe this is the Elephant Trunk pitch.

Over the next ~3 days (winter equinox) the sun will be at its lowest point in the horizon, or dead. After three days the sun will begin to rise, bringing longer days and more light.

If it sounds familiar, that's because it is. We celebrate "the son's" birth on December 25th, after 3 days of being dead. On the same day the "sun" begins to rise from its lowest point in the horizon. Christianity is rooted in Paganism.

To answer your question, there is more shade now than at any other point in the year.

What a bizarre post. Anyway, Epinephrine gets ZERO sun this time of year. I've been in Black Velvet every other day for the last week and there is no sun at all on any routes on the north side of the canyon.

Josh Janes wrote:What a bizarre post. Anyway, Epinephrine gets ZERO sun this time of year. I've been in Black Velvet every other day for the last week and there is no sun at all on any routes on the north side of the canyon.

Darn! I was hoping for at least a couple of hours... Is it still climbable in there Josh, or have you been up to something other than free climbing the past week?

BackCountry wrote:Over the next ~3 days (winter equinox) the sun will be at its lowest point in the horizon, or dead....

As a side note, the FA was done at this time of the year, so you would be in good company. And they had no pins, no bolts, no cams, and just a single half-bag for their bivouac.

BackCountry wrote:Over the next ~3 days (winter equinox)

winter solstice is the term i think. equinox is in between solstices.

Temps are on the rise though. Could be fine in the shade. The solstice = short days though, so "a quick lap" would have to be in order.

BDergay wrote:would love to do a quick lap on Epinephrine

Judging by the number of bivy sites I've seen at the top a lot of people's quick laps on Epinephrine have turned into Epics. You have only so many hours of light this time of year so make sure you're confident on your ability to lead quickly and scope the descent from the ground if you haven't done Frogland already. That being said it's an awesome route, have a blast.

Is there any snow on the descent?

Brian Prince wrote: winter solstice is the term i think. equinox is in between solstices.

Yep! I stand corrected.

epinephrine is a great route. if your worried about not making it to the top just bring two ropes. not as committing as most say especially if you have climbed in yosemite and there are a lot of opportunities to bail.