Tuscarora
5.12c trad · 4 pitches · 450 ft · ★★★☆
Route 8 of 14 from left to right on Black Orpheus Amphitheater, with There and Back Again on its left and The Fortress of Xanadu on its right. Black Orpheus Amphitheater has 14 routes, from 5.6 R to 5.13d; 1 is harder.
First ascent: Tom Cecil, John Barnes, John Rosholt 1995.
Description
Tuscarora is a brilliant route that climbs the left side of the huge brown buttress separating the Black Arch Wall from the walls containing Black Orpheus. The route takes a system of corners through a large roof and then tackles a very difficult finger crack. It is south facing and offers nice, sunny climbing – perfect for a clear winter day. Approach as for Black Orpheus, but head left across the slabs (may require some exposed easy 5th class) and away from Black Orpheus to reach an indistinct weakness below the left side of the towering buttress above. You may arrive at a small, body-sized cave that is just left of the line and just to the right of a narrow ridge of rock that separates the Black Orpheus side of the amphitheater from the There and Back Again side. About 20' below this cave is a nice ledge and a single bolt which is a good place to begin.
Protection
1 each black Alien/00 Tcu to #2 Camalot. Extra red C3's (0.3 Camalots and green Aliens are just a little too big where you want them). Wires. Draws. One 70m rope.
Hikes, approaches and descents
- Approach to Black Orpheus Amphitheater — 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 Orpheus Amphitheater
- The Secret World of Arrietty 5.11b
- There and Back Again 5.8
- Marijuana 5.11c
- Howl's Moving Castle 5.11c
- Black Ops 5.12a
- Black Baby 5.7
- The Black Widow 5.12
- Eurydice Finish 5.10b PG13
- Offset Corners 5.11b
- Black Orpheus 5.9+
- Plate of Fate 5.9+
- Administrative Overreach 5.6 R
- The Fortress of Xanadu 5.13d