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Blackjack (5.9+, 4-8p, ~1000′)

Blackjack Terrace

Route:

Blackjack

5.9+, 4-8p, ~1000'

Blackjack climbs the massive-left-facing corner system directly across from North Chasm View Wall on the north rim.

Region: Colorado

Elev: 6,000-7,000 ft

Rock type: Gneiss

Type:

Date(s): May 23, 2020 (Sat)

Partner(s): Michael Cantrell

Related trip reports:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Main Page

Route Overlay

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Intro

Blackjack is one of the better sub-5.10 climbs on the South Rim, especially for those who like a bit of adventure in their climbing. The route climbs the massive-left-facing corner system directly across from North Chasm View Wall on the north rim. The majority of the route consists of sustained 5.9 hand cracks, chimneys, and squeezes that protect fairly well overall and with a 5.9+ crux move here and there. The first four pitches are quite good. After this, typical of routes in the Black, one must navigate an equal amount of unmemorable 5.7 terrain to reach the rim.

Michael and I climbed Last Payment as the first of three climbs during a trip to the Black in May 2020, where we did two climbs on the South Rim (Blackjack and Last Payment) before driving 1.5 hours to the North Rim, where we did one more climb (Escape Artist). This was my first time checking out the South Rim, and Michael's first trip to the Black. At the thinnest points on the rim, the South Rim and North Rim are a mere 1,100 feet apart, but it took 1.5 hours to drive around the Black Canyon to get from one rim to the other!

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

Descend the Chillumstone Gully, which entails some scrambling and a single rappel on a fixed line. Navigate through some 4th to low 5th class to get to Blackjack Terrace, and then walk to the end of Blackjack Terrace and scramble up a bit of 4th class to below the enormous corner system.

Pitch 1

5.9+

Climb up a slot-like dihedral feature and then turn left and follow a steep hand crack. Continue up and left, belaying in the main corner system. This is a long pitch, ~55m.

Pitch 2

5.9

Climb through a chimney and then continue up double cracks in the pegmatite to a belay stance on the right, just after a wide section (a #5 is nice to have here). This is another long pitch, ~55m.

Pitch 3

5.9 to 5.9+

Continue up the double cracks. The main corner becomes a bit wide, but you can stem and squeeze your way up it. The pitch finishes with some moves through a 5.9+ roof/bulge. Belay at the first available stance out left. This is another long pitch, ~55m. It is possible to set a belay in the corner beneath the roof/bulge, which is what we did since we were running a bit low on gear.

Pitch 4

5.9 to 5.9+

Climb up cracks and features until the angle lessens. Trending left to a large ledge with great views. It is possible to link this pitch with the 5.9+ roof/bulge section from Pitch 3 (which is what we did).

Pitches 5-8

4th up to 5.7

Continue for another 500-600' up the ridge. It is difficult to simulclimb this part due to rope-drag. We ended up unroping for most of it, using a rope only on the first and last parts. The other option ("sucks worse" as Vic accurately jokes in his guidebook) is to scramble into the gully on the right and bushwhack to the rim via a steep drainage.