Sandstone Samurai
5.11a X trad · 5 pitches · 700 ft · ★★★★
Route 9 of 28 from left to right on Black Velvet Wall, with American Flesh Dance (Combination of The Flesh plus American Ghost Dance) on its left and Rock Warrior on its right. Black Velvet Wall has 28 routes, from 5.9 to 5.11d; 3 are harder, and 2 others are the same grade.
First ascent: Paul Van Betten & Nick Nordblom - 1988
Description
Sandstone Samurai is a route that has a bit of a reputation amongst Red Rocks climbers as being a psychological test piece: The story I heard is that the Adventure Punks established Rock Warrior as a response to the heavy-handed bolting by certain beloved Red Rocks first ascensionists, and then a year later PVB decided to up the ante by putting up something that was even bolder. He succeeded - Sandstone Samurai is indeed a big step up from Rock Warrior - a route that shouldn't be taken lightly! If you decide to climb it, be prepared for R-rated climbing on every pitch (run outs with falls that would likely result in injury) and possible X-rated climbing in a couple spots (if you fell, you'd almost certainly be maimed or worse); onsighting would probably be a good idea. But the climbing is fun and at the very least more engaging than it's better-protected neighbor two climbs to the right. Anyway, the descriptions in the current guidebooks are adequate to keep you from getting lost so in an effort to preserve a sense of adventure for the full Sandstone Samurai experience, I'll leave it at that. Have fun and good luck!
Protection
Single set from the smallest thing you have (000 C3) to 0.75 Camalot. A couple extra cams in the tips through fingers sizes (we brought and used blue through grey Aliens). A set of brass and a set of wires. 10 or so draws/slings. Two ropes. Nut tool for mining out the occasional stopper placement.
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
- Prince of Darkness 5.10c
- Sourpuss 5.11a
- Velveeta 5.11a R
- Norepinephrine 5.10b PG13
- Refried Brains 5.9
- Rock Warrior 5.10b R
- 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