The Great Black North  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  7,200' Lat, Long:  38.6524, -105.2244 Map Page Views:  5,998. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Monomaniac on Jun 30, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

This crag may be on Private Property! MORE INFO >>> The access situation here is a bit murky. According to "Shelf Road Rock", the crag is likely located on state land that is leased to a local rancher. Climbers should treat this area as though it were private property. Keep a low profile, leave your dogs at home, and keep the noise down. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

BETA PHOTO: This doesn't show all of the routes.

Description 

For those in search of a little shade, solitude, and some of Shelf's most difficult routes, this fine little crag is a welcome refuge from the canine infested toprope mecca that is Cactus Cliff. In many ways, the Great Black North is the antithesis of its more famous neighbor to the South. Grades here tend to be stiff, bolts are well-spaced, and routes are few & far between. The crag faces due north, but a variety of buttresses & dihedrals tilt some walls slightly to the east or west, such that, at the height of summer, various routes will receive sun in the morning & afternoon. This area lacks the large pine trees that are common at Shelf's other North-facing cliffs, making this cliff deceptively exposed in the summer. The rock here is generally excellent, covered in classic shelf pockets, though many of the routes feature some amount of vegetation, and a narrow band of stacked choss guards the start of many routes. Much of the rock has a black coating of lichen, like routes on the Dark Side, and the upper, slabbier sections are covered in vertical, Verdon-esque flutings.

Despite the many attractions, the Great Black North is rarely visited by climbers. There are few moderate lines, and first-hand beta is hard to come by. The approach is not flat and guarded by a river crossing. The cliff base is relatively vegetated, making travel between routes tedious. However, for those interested in probing the upper echelons of difficulty, this crag can't be beat. With five 5.13s and one 5.14, this is a worthy destination for hard-men, and the handful of 5.12s sprinkled in between offer some of the best pocket cranking this side of Wild Iris. A clandestine developer has added a number of enjoyable moderates in recent years, and plenty of potential for new moderates remains.

Note: Many of the routes here are guarded by a band of choss, and generally the first bolt is very high up. Stick clip highly recommended!

Routes L --> R:

1. Don't Eat Stuff on the Sidewalk, 5.11+, 4 coldshuts, 2 BA.
2. Laugh the Past Away, 5.11c, 5 bolts, 2 BA.

Break

3. It's All Gone, 5.11a, 4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.

Break

4. Skank-to-Crank, 5.10d, 4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
5. Black Toe Arete, 5.10-, bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
6. Cold Feet, 5.9, bolts, 2 bolt anchor.

Break

7. Don't Make Me Shave You, 5.7, ~4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
8. Delilah, 5.10-, 5 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (shared w/ #9).
9. Three Doubles, 5.11c, 4 bolts 2 bolt anchor (shared w/ #8).
10. Project? (three tan bolts, no lowering hardware, no first bolt)

Break

11. Torch & Twang, 5.12a, 7 bolts to 2 bolt anchor.
12. Triage, 5.13d, 8 bolts, 3 bolt anchor.
13. Tower of Power, 5.12a, 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
14. Chuana Chavaria, 5.12a, 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
15. Screamer, 5.12c?, 6 bolts?
16. Pincher, 5.12b, 4 bolts to 2 bolt anchor.
17. Dreamer, 5.13a?
18. Where Paradise Ain't So Crowded (aka "Reamer"), 5.14-, 8 bolts, 2 Bolt Chain anchor.

Break

19. Datura, 5.11d, 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
20. The Burnt Toast, 5.11b, 6 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
21. Tout Tout de Suite, 5.12b, 7 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
22. Bete Noir, 5.12b, 9 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
23. The Collector, 5.12c?, 7 bolts?
24. Excel, 5.12c?, 7 bolts?
25. Crunch, 5.13b?, 8 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
26. The Magus, 5.13b, bolts.

Break

27. Capital Outlay, 5.12c, ~7 bolts to 2BA (immediately behind east corner of Borg Boulder).

--> Borg Boulder:
BB1. Locutus, 5.12c, 4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
BB2. The Borg, 5.13a, 3 bolts, 2 bolt anchor.
BB3. Resistance is Futile, 5.12a, 3 bolts, 2 bolt anchor (shared w/ previous rte).

Break

28. Harp On It (abandoned project?), 5.12a?, 1 bolt, 1 bolt anchor - sketchy anchor.
29. Disappearing Act, 5.12?, 4 SS bolts, 1 chopped bolt, 2 bolt anchor - sketchy anchor.
30. Gone With the Wind, 5.12? 4 coldshuts, 2 bolt anchor - sketchy anchor.

Break

31. Unknown, grade? (looks ~5.11), red angle-iron bolts, anchor?
32. Abandoned Project? 1 bolt.

Getting There 

The Great Black North is the Northern-most crag at Shelf. Follow Sheld Road north, past the Bank turnoff, below Cactus Cliff, Spiney Ridge, and the Gym. After passing the Gym, the road enters a canyon, then banks to the left, then back right, to the first river crossing. The small pullout on the left, 50 feet south of the bridge, is the parking for The North End. Continue north along the road 0.5 miles beyond the bridge. The road curves left (w), then crosses a cattle guard. Park at a small pullout on the right, immediately past the cattle guard, behind a large boulder.

To approach, hike west along the road for ~20 yds, then head south, through the field, towards the creek. Scope out the river crossing, don the appropriate equipment and ford the river. This river can be pretty high & fast-moving so use caution. A walking stick or ski pole of some kind is strongly advised. Once across the river, head downstream for ~10 yds and pick up a good climber's trail, marked with cairns, heading more or less directly up the hillside through the trees, to the south. This trail is marked with cairns the entire way, but wanders a lot, so keep your eyes peeled. The approach trail arrives at the cliff just west of "Skank-to-Crank". Most of the routes are found to the west of this point.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Great Black North

Tout Tout de Suite 5.12b  CO : Shelf Road : The Great Black North

Like its neighbor to the right, Tout is one of the best 5.12s at Shelf, offering unforgettable movement on flawless stone. Despite the glaring similarities, this route is quite a bit different than Bete Noir, with shorter reaches between much smaller holds getting over the roof. This line is a also a bit more sustained, offering up a second technical crux just below the chains.Begin up the easy slab to a good stance below the roof. Take a few deep breaths, hike up your feet, and ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

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The left side of the GBN. Routes: 1. Don't Eat.....

The left side of the GBN. Routes: 1. Don't Eat.....