Climbing a beautiful panel of pocketed cream stone, this is a great line, but like many of its neighbors, it suffers from a lack of height.  However, the rock is flawless and the movement is enjoyable while it lasts.

Begin from the grassy ramp, making a few easy moves past sinker jugs, to reach a pair of rounded monos and a short, right-facing corner.  Thin edges lead up and left to darker stone and a rounded ledge.  Work more easily back right to the anchor.

This is given 11b in the Sharp End guide, but I thought it was significantly harder.

Don't Eat Stuff on the Sidewalk

Where Paradise Ain't So Crowded (aka "Reamer")

The Burnt Toast

Three Doubles

[Redacted]

Resistance is Futile

Locutus

The Magus

The Borg

Delilah

Black Toe Arete

Laugh the Past Away

Datura

Don't Make Me Shave You

Capital Outlay

Tout Tout de Suite

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

It's All Gone

Torch & Twang

Chuana Chavaria

Bete Noir

Pincher

Triage

Cold Feet

Tower of Power

WPASC is the old Darryl Roth/Dan Durland project listed as "Reamer" in Sharp End's "Shelf Road Rock".  This unassuming line demands healthy quantities of brains and brawn, beginning with a thuggish roof problem and finishing with the most difficult stretch of vertical wall climbing yet freed at Shelf Road.  The rock here is absolutely flawless, despite the understated appearance of the line, and solitude is guaranteed.

A few easy slab moves lead to a good stance at the crook of the looming roof.  Utilize a shallow but incut 2-finger pocket to reach the lip, followed by burly moves and an improbable huck to get established on the hanging panel.  After a mediocre shake at a horizontal seam, work up to a big undercling and the redpoint crux.  Teeter precariously past a pair of side-pulls--using polished bumps for feet--fighting the dull pump to reach a shallow crack.  Grope over the subtle bulge through a sea of black lichen-covered slopers and prickly knobs to arrive at a much needed shake on the high slab.  Shallow pockets and sharp crimps work up the short headwall to the chains.

This pumpy number offers great pocket climbing on beautiful black stone.  The route begins easily and gets steadily more difficult with height, making this line a good warm-up option for the more difficult lines in the area.  This route is also located in a recessed alcove, so it gets shade a bit earlier that some of the other routes, making it a good  morning option on the hotter days.

Begin atop an impressive mound of rodent feces at the base of a white, right-leaning corner.  Follow the weakness up and left, then back right, to get established in the shallow open-book just left of the arete.  Follow this corner on good holds, eventually moving right onto a white patch of rock with small bits of vegetation.  Rest up here before embarking on the crux section.  Punch straight up on cool black, pocketed limestone to a difficult, foot-intensive crux just below the anchor.

Among the best 5.11s at the GBN, this line climbs a beautiful swath of highly pocketed stone.  With excellent movement and bomber stone, this would be a 4-star line if it were a bit longer.

Sinker 2-finger pockets and a few optional monos lead up and left to a recessed dihedral.  Work up this feature to worsening holds and the crux reach moving past the perfectly located third bolt.  Sharp crimps and hard-to-see pockets move over the small roof to the anchor.

Skank-to-Crank is one of the easier lines at the Great Black North, and after a grope-y start, offers thrilling cranks on stellar sculpted pockets.  Begin on the right end of the wall, 3-4 feet from the arete.  Struggle up the steep, chossy-looking rock to the small roof.  Above this roof the rock quality becomes excellent.  Surmount the awkward bulge, passing over/through/around the small tree.  Continue up and right on thin crimps to some killer, rounded pockets and jugs, leading back left to intermittent ledges and easier terrain to the chains.

Unfortunately this line lacks the stellar pockets and flawless stone that make its neighbors to the left so noteworthy.  However, as a rare Shelf .12- that climbs overhanging rock, this is certainly worth doing.

Begin a bit right of the bolt line, then follow a series of right-facing flakes and mini-corners up and left to a cruxy finish, fighting the pump to locate hidden jugs over the lip of the boulder.

At the far right end of the Great Black North lies a spectacular, leaning mass of impeccable red & white-speckled limestone known as The Borg Boulder.  The awesome northeast face of this block overhangs roughly 15 degrees & currently features three diminutive bolted sport routes and a bouldering traverse.

Locutus bolts directly up the left half of the face.  The climbing is extremely powerful, demanding full-length cranks between deep, incut two finger pockets.  The sequential line requires flawless routefinding, but fortunately the entire line can be easily scoped from the ground.  Although short, Locutus is ultra-sustained, with no easy moves and only one 'rest'-- a strenuous shake at the fourth bolt.  There is an optional mono (left hand) on this route, near the first bolt.  If this route were three times as long, it would rank among the most sought after test-pieces in Colorado.  As it is, it's an unforgettable, must-do route.

If the top bit of the climb was 60 feet long, and you didn't have to do the bottom of this route, The Magus would be the best climb at Shelf....

Begin with a long, chossy, and very dirty 5.10 pitch that follows about 9 bolts to the anchor below the large bulge.  From here it's fun movement over slightly chossy underclings, pinches, monos, jugs, pinches and crimps through the power endurace bulge to the anchors.

All in all this route is a fun outting, and probably the "easiest" hard route at the area.

Another fantastic Roth testpiece, this beautiful little route has some of the most jam packed fun pocket pulling at Shelf!

This route begins with large pulls between good monos, to a powerful crux (long draw at the second bolt) between gastons, tech footwork, and a heartbreaking throw to a big sidepull.  Keep it together for the top, becuase a technical gaston/sidepull crux guards the anchors.

If it were even twice as long, this would get five stars in a four star system!

Another fun moderate featuring great stone and good moves, though unfortunately not very sustained at the grade.  If the crux were at the top, this route would merit another star.

Stick clip the first bolt and make long crux pulls between great black pockets to surmount the low bulge.  Above, a good crack provides easy passage to the high roof.  Good, sharp holds lead over the roof to an anchor out right.

This line doesn't look like much, but offers some intriguing arete climbing at a moderate grade.  As with most of the black stone at Shelf, this rock is not as featured as it looks from the ground, so don't be fooled by the low angle.

Bushwhack up to the left side of the arete and begin easily up the crack, moving right, toward the arete as soon as possible.  Easy moves split by good rests lead to a rooflet at mid-height.  Cruxy moves work over the rooflet to another tricky section on poor feet just above.

This is essentially a bolted finger crack.  The odd pocket or edge is useful, but 75% of the time one or both hands will be in the crack.  The rock is essentially flawless, aside from the obvious splitter, and this route is taller than most 5.11s at this cliff.  Unfortunately a gnarly cactus growing out of the crack detracts a bit around the 2nd bolt.

Easy moves lead to the cactus and careful route finding to reach a good ledge.  The crux hits around the fourth bolt as the crack peters to a seam.

Another diamond in the rough, Datura climbs a beautiful panel of white limestone on excellent pockets & edges.  This reachy line has just enough holds to make it go, and no more.  The line is marred slightly by a sketchy band of stacked blogs that guard the start, making a stick clip a wise choice.  Teeter your way up the choss-band to a balance mantle onto a nice ledge below the clean panel.  A long reach (or desperate crux for shorties ~5'6" & under) off thin 2-finger pockets leads to a sinker jug and a stellar section of long cranks of classic Shelf pocket-jugs.  Rest up at the obvious horizontal break, just below the sustained crux.  Move up, and then hard right to the right arete, with the help of a sinker mono (those with smaller fingers can get two in here).  Slap strenuously up the arete to a nice flat jug above a small ceiling.  From here its possible to continue up the arete, or traverse back left across the bolt line, to reach the anchor.

This would be a great beginner route, and likely quite popular, if it were located in a more accessible area.  At this cliff its not likely to get much action, but its enjoyable and climbs on great rock, despite requiring a bit of vertical bushwhacking.

Begin left of the arete, following large edges up a near-vertical wall to reach the arete.  Paddle up the low-angle arete, passing several no-hands ledge rests.

Capital Outlay climbs a beautiful, cream arete on good edges and nice pockets.  Although the arete is guarded by a rather savage crux to clear the low belly, the upper prow is fairly sustained in itself, making for a fully-engaging outing.

Stick clip the first bolt, then teeter up precarious choss to reach a steep swell of flawless stone.  Make a big crank from an obvious mono to reach better pockets.  Invisible feet make it difficult to mount the slab, then follow good but spaced pockets up the right side of the arete, occasionally groping around to the left for the odd hidden edge.

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 grope over the lip for the key pocket.  Work the feet, get the other hand up, and commence an intense sequence of precise stabs for the small edges & pockets that lead up over the lip.  Once your feet are established over the lip things ease considerably with a nice shake in the shallow dihedral.  Continue with relative ease up the aesthetic dihedral, to a brown, rippled slab.  Diminishing holds lead up the slab to a pair of shallow monos that provide one last chance to survey the terrain before the thin slab crux.

Work up from the sandy ledge to a crack with features on both sides, and decipher the boulder problem at the third bolt to jugs. Then crank the remaining bolts to the top on 11+ climbing.

It's All Gone tackles a nice panel of white & gray limestone with a distinct crux section near the top.  The climb provides its own warmup, beginning up easy vegetated ledges, that give way to nice sculpted pockets in bullet gray stone.  Things get more challenging at the color change, with a short difficuly section moving past the obvious wide finger crack.  The angle steepens above this crack as rounded edges give way to sharp, incut pockets and a number of large reaches to a tiring stance below the anchor.  One last delicate section with tricky feet leads up to large gnarly jugs at the lip of the wall.

Within the context of limestone sport climbing, most will view this as a route to avoid.  However, from a different perspective the line warrants a second look.  If this pitch were on a desert tower, where sketchy detached blocks are part of the experience, the route would be a highly regarded classic.  Unique, athletic movement in a wild position, puts this route among Shelf's most memorable.  Unfortunately the spooky rock might leave a memory you'd rather forget.

Stick clip the first bolt, choose your path wisely, and tiptoe up the exfoliating slab.  Good pockets and a bomber fingerlock pull over the first bulge onto an excellent panel of clean stone.  Continue up sinker pockets to the looming roof.  Make sure your belayer is clear of the rock fall zone, then lieback, handjam, and stem over the lip to a well deserved rest.  An obvious 2-finger pocket and hard to reach edges breach the intimidating final panel.

Chuana Chavaria ascends a mossy water-streak, and so is rather dirty by Shelf standards.  There are quite a few enjoyable sections, but the inconsistent nature of the climbing combined with somewhat dirty rock detract from the experience.  Begin behind an ornery thorn bush, with easy moves between the large flake & the main cliff.  Things get serious at the ledge, with a nice introductory boulder problem on great water-sculpted pockets.  Crimps appear where the pockets thin out, leading to a subtle scoop below a bulge.  Exit the scoop by moving either right or left, to a crux encounter turning the lip of the slight bulge.  Once established above the bulge, one more hidden bolt and a few easy moves lead to the anchor.

The best route at the cliff, and one of the best 5.12s at Shelf, Bete Noir tackles the intimidating three-foot roof before launching up the amazing pocketed arete above.  The line is long, sustained, and the upper arete is steeper and more difficult than it looks.  This must-do route would be a 4-star classic at any crag in the country, though at Shelf, it's just another on a long list of world-class routes authored by the prolific Mark Van Horn.

Begin at the right end of the wall below the obvious roof.  Climb easily up to a long reach up to the crook of the roof.  Take a deep breath, and launch out to the lip with difficulty.  Grope up over the hang, work the feet, and set up for a low-percentage crux move to get established over the lip.  Milk a good rest, then proceed up the mind-blowing arete with long, technical moves between good, hidden pockets.

This burly boulder problem would be a must-do classic if it were twice as long.  Unfortunately the line is rather short, but the movement is excellent while it lasts, and the stone is flawless.  The climbing is somewhat atypical for Shelf, with dynamic slaps, opposition moves, and large(r), sloping holds.

Use your stick clip to beat back the thorn bushes, then stick clip the first bolt.  Aggressive moves lead over the initial roof to a good stance at the obvious horizontal break.  Slap desparately over the slight bulge with pitiful feet to a key hidden hold.  Mantle onto the slab and cruise the slight runout to the anchor.

The "Slice of Bread" is a wafer-thin flake jutting several body-lengths out from the cliffline, suspended precariously in space 50 feet above the trail. A sparse series of thin pockets and sharp edges dot the underside of this flake, providing a barely-free sequence every bit as spectacular as the setting. Among Shelf's hardest lines, Triage presents a stunning departure from the area's typical steep slabs. With a business section that climbs out more than up, this route is easily the most "modern" of Shelf's hard routes, offering thoroughly gymnastic movement, and relatively enormous footholds. Despite these qualities, the route attracts few suitors, perhaps due to its obscure location or the brief window of good conditions. Then again, the deterrant could just be the bewildering crux sequence, known to have stumped several of Shelf's most accomplished climbers.

Stickclip the first bolt, then teeter precariously up the pitiful slab of exfoliating mud to reach the solid dihedral. Cruise the dihedral to a no-hands stance before the business. Traverse out into space on steadily worsening holds to a protruding spike. The baffling crux boulder problem commences; a sustained sequence of small pockets culminating in a desperate huck from an undercling. The core-intensive sequence makes breathing a real challenge, and the burly clip mid-way through may be the route's hardest single "move". From the jagged jug at the last bolt, a final cryptic puzzle guards the anchor.

This fine new addition ascends an interesting arete on largely excellent rock.  Begin up a chimney/dihedral just left of small roof.  Continue stemming up the dihedral, or for an added challenge (~10a?), use only the face holds on the right.  When the dihedral peters out, head right towards the arete.  Continue on the left side for ~15', then move around the prow to finish up the easy slab on the right side of the arete.

Tower of Power climbs an impressive sweep of curving white limestone on thin, sharp pockets and hidden edges.  The route begins easily, gets steadily more difficult, and culminates with a dynamic, pumpy finish.

Begin from a grass-covered terrace, 15' left of the Dreamer Pit.  Launch up the easy, black & white-speckled slab.  Just below mid-height, traverse right to a shallow groove, then cut back left to an interesting, shallow arete feature.  Grope your way up the arete, then move desperately out right to a final shake before the intimidating overhang.  Fire up and left past positive three-finger pockets to a sinister move below the anchor.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Great Black North