Epinephrine 5.9

 
  • Currently 5.0/5
Search
Go

Black Velvet Canyon


Red Rocks, Nevada USA


Trip Report
Red Rocks Season Opener: Levitation 29 and Epinephrine

by dkny
Sunday November 16, 2014 2:11pm
Had another amazing weekend at Red Rocks ticking off two classics, Levitation 29 and Epinephrine.

For Levitation, Kyle and I decided to bivy at the base of the climb. We drove up Saturday and had a leisurely hike to the base of the route. The near full moon illuminating the sandstone walls was amazing. As for the climb, I can see why it’s Lynn Hill’s favorite. It is very well protected with fun moves on a fantastic steep wall.

[Click to View Linked Image]

Kyle negotiating the faster 3rd and 4th class approach.
[Click to View Linked Image]


[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Moonlit view of our objective.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Messing around with my point and shoot’s time lapse feature. Here we capture my laser beam eyes.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Kyle cruises the tricky liebacking and stemming of the first pitch.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Here I am approaching the crux of P2. This pitch was super fun.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Kyle at the crux of P2
[Click to View Linked Image]

An old quarter incher placed by Jorge/Joanne Urioste.
[Click to View Linked Image]

P3. Cruiser 5.8 crack and edges reminiscent of Crimson Chrysalis
[Click to View Linked Image]

Just past the 11c crux. Crack climbing technique is very handy here. I sent it clean, but had to rest a couple bolts above for lack of endurance.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Kyle following P5 to the hanging belay. My back still hurts from this one.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

P8
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

P9
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Top of pitch 9. We rapped from here using a single 70m rope with no problems.
[Click to View Linked Image]

We had read that the rappel from P4 was tight. It worked out perfectly for us.
[Click to View Linked Image]

The rappels took about 1 hour.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Someone topping out Solar Slab.
[Click to View Linked Image]

We got a good deal for a room at the Rio where we encountered this oddity. A window from the main room into the shower.

Visit on googleusercontent.com


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next up… Epinephrine….It’s hard to imagine a finer 5.9 route; it really did live up to expectations. We got up at 3am only to find that we were second in line to Jonathon and Stephen from Canada. They had a 2am wake up call.

This amazing line starts straight out of the wash, the lowest part of the canyon and ascends 2000+ feet to the summit, with about 1600 ft of technical climbing.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Jonathon and Kyle at the P1 belay.

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Enter the chimney pitches.
[Click to View Linked Image]


Jonathon and Stephen let us pass midway through the chimneys. Thanks guys!
Kyle following the handcrack at the end of the second chimney pitch.
[Click to View Linked Image]

Stephen leading P4.

Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com


After the chimneys we found pitch after pitch of amazing, gym-like edge climbing on steep terrain.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

On the elephant’s trunk.
[Click to View Linked Image]

The pitch after the elephant’s trunk is perhaps the most spectacular on the route. Steep, well protected, with lots of jugs.
[Click to View Linked Image]


[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Signs of the many climbers who have enjoyed this spectacular route.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

With the exception of the last two pitches, all belays were bolted. Here you can see the hangerless bolts of the final belay (Anchor takes 2-4”). We simul-climbed from here to the pine tree finish.
[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Kyle entering the final exposed ramp to the pine tree finish.

Visit on googleusercontent.com


[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

A bit windy on the summit.
https://vimeo.com/112006251

The descent took about 1.5 hours and was very well marked with cairns.
[Click to View Linked Image]


Visit on googleusercontent.com


[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

[Click to View Linked Image]

Back at the car just before sunset! Car-to-car in about 12 hours.
[Click to View Linked Image]

When we got back to the car we noticed two headlamps on the route, barely discernable in this photo. Could it be our Canadian friends? Turns out it was! But they did make it back safely to the car after an epic descent.
[Click to View Linked Image]


All in all a fantastic weekend.

  Trip Report Views: 5,797
dkny
About the Author
dkny is a trad climber from Irvine, CA.

Comments
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Nov 16, 2014 - 02:14pm PT
Super cool thnx remembering when.....
great pics and thnx again fo the kickin in the memories
RyanD

climber
  Nov 16, 2014 - 02:57pm PT
Nice work TFPU!
moacman

Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
  Nov 16, 2014 - 03:01pm PT
Very nice..........Thanx for sharing......

Stevo
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
  Nov 16, 2014 - 03:06pm PT
Rad, nice photos! TFPU
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Nov 16, 2014 - 03:09pm PT
Nice TR! I love those climbs!
SeaToSky

Mountain climber
Fresno, CA
  Nov 16, 2014 - 03:31pm PT
Awesome! Thanks for all the pictures as well.
msiddens

Trad climber
  Nov 16, 2014 - 06:05pm PT
So cool. Thanks for sharing.
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  Nov 16, 2014 - 07:59pm PT
Thank you sir! Great photos.
KLine

Trad climber
Orange, CA
  Nov 16, 2014 - 08:03pm PT
Thanks for putting another one of these TRs together! We would be hard pressed to climb two more classic routes in a weekend. Well done on the crux pitches, once again!
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Nov 16, 2014 - 10:46pm PT
After reading this report, probably the two routes I would choose to do if I were headed to Red Rocks. Great TR, thank you for it!

Q: Have you done the Steck-Salathe on Sentinel? How does Epi compare? I believe this question has been asked a million times, but another opinion is always interesting to read...
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Nov 17, 2014 - 03:35am PT
Great fun!
The window to the restroom would be a bit creepy 😄
MisterE

Gym climber
Small Town with a Big Back Yard
  Nov 17, 2014 - 05:35am PT
Great TR! Way to get after it!
dkny

Trad climber
Boston, MA
Author's Reply  Nov 17, 2014 - 12:40pm PT
Thanks everyone!

@le_bruce: I have not done Steck-Salathe, although it's on the list for sure. Anyone care to comment? I am also curious about how the two climbs compare.
Go
Black Velvet Canyon - Epinephrine 5.9 - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click to Enlarge
Epinephrine ascends the ominous 600-foot-tall chimney.
Photo: Greg Barnes
Other Routes on Black Velvet Canyon
Black Velvet Canyon - Dream of Wild Turkeys 5.10a - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click for details.
Dream of Wild Turkeys, 5.10a
Black Velvet Canyon
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Over 1000 feet of amazing climbing on Black Velvet Wall.
Black Velvet Canyon - Prince of Darkness 5.10c - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click for details.
Prince of Darkness, 5.10c
Black Velvet Canyon
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Prince of Darkness is a classic bolted face route up Black Velvet Wall.
Black Velvet Canyon - Sour Mash 5.10a - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click for details.
Sour Mash, 5.10a
Black Velvet Canyon
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Sour Mash is an overlooked awesome varied climb.
Black Velvet Canyon - Yellow Brick Road 5.10b - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click for details.
Yellow Brick Road, 5.10b
Black Velvet Canyon
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Yellow Brick Road is a two-pitch variation to Dream of Wild Turkeys.
Black Velvet Canyon - Overhanging Hangover 5.10a - Red Rocks, Nevada USA. Click for details.
Overhanging Hangover, 5.10a
Black Velvet Canyon
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Overhanging Hangover ascends an intimidating and exposed roof.
More routes on Black Velvet Canyon