Prince of Darkness
5.10c trad · 6 pitches · 700 ft · ★★★☆
Route 11 of 28 from left to right on Black Velvet Wall, with Rock Warrior on its left and Yellow Brick Road on its right. Black Velvet Wall has 28 routes, from 5.9 to 5.11d; 7 are harder.
First ascent: Jorge Urioste, Joanne Urioste, Bill Bradley, and Mike Ward, Fall 1984
Hikes, approaches and descents
- Black Velvet Peak Descent Route — Class 3
Access
The 13-mile Scenic Drive requires a timed-entry reservation October to May and has seasonal gate hours. Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain sit outside the Scenic Drive and need no reservation.
Wet rock: Aztec sandstone loses much of its strength when wet. Do not climb for at least 24 to 48 hours after rain or snowmelt, or holds break off and routes are permanently damaged.
More routes on Black Velvet Wall
- Epinephrine 5.9
- Sour Mash 5.10a
- Dream of Wild Turkeys 5.10a
- Malicious Mischief 5.9 R
- Sourpuss 5.11a
- Velveeta 5.11a R
- Norepinephrine 5.10b PG13
- Refried Brains 5.9
- Rock Warrior 5.10b R
- Sandstone Samurai 5.11a X
- Cutting Edge 5.11c PG13
- Smooth as Silk 5.10d PG13
- My Little Pony 5.11d
- Steel Monkey 5.10+
- Fiddler on the Roof 5.10+
- Spark Plug 5.10b
- Yellow Brick Road 5.10b
- The Gobbler 5.10-
- Epi Arete 5.9+
- The Fiddler Roof 5.10
- Overhanging Hangover 5.10a
- Jugs on Drugs 5.9+
- American Flesh Dance (Combination of The Flesh plus American Ghost Dance) 5.10 PG13
- Johnny Come Lately 5.10+
- A Dream of Ultraviolet Unicorns 5.10b/c
- Hybrid Drive 5.10b
- Old Fashioned 5.11c