Acropolis

This obscure climb has one of - if not THE - best 5.9 handcracks in Unaweep! This is a must-do at the grade for locals who think they've tapped this place out ;)

Since it has never been put on MP.com, expect both the approach pitch and the final bit to the rim to be a bit rugged, but with just a little traffic, it will clean up. This route is also a great way to get a TR on Black Beauty, one of my fav 10+'s in the canyon.

P1. Begin at the back of the gully, sharing the first 75' with Anasazi. Meander between bushes and big features, stepping left to a 5.8ish bombay chimney crux. Get creative! Above the chimney, move left about 15' across a slab to a stance below the second pitch handcrack. Build a belay with finger-size gear, or extend a long clove hitch tether from the Black Beauty  anchor up and left, 100', 5.8, and surprisingly fun. **

P2. The money pitch. This is a little blue collar past a wide pod, but it has mostly hands. It gets a little funky up high, like all routes that top out. Choose your line carefully, but generally trend right to an obvious left-facing corner.  Sling a tree for an anchor, 100', old school 5.9+. ****

Descent: look to the right where Anasazi tops out, and you'll see a rap anchor.Scramble down at the top of the gully to the anchor. Rap to the ground with two ropes, or carefully tension to the Black Beauty anchor with a single 70m rope, and then rap again to the ground.

The first pitch is shady until mid-afternoon, and the second pitch gets sun around noon.

It is in the big, obvious gully on the right side of Hidden Valley Wall. Acropolis climbs a handcrack above Black Beauty that can be accessed by the start of Anasazi.

A standard Unaweep rack to a #3 with optional, extra thin hand/hand size depending on comfort at this grade, and an optional #4.