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Lauren’s Arête (5.8, 7p, ~800′)

Main Gully Area

Route:

Lauren's Arête

5.8, 7p, ~800'

Lauren's Arête climbs the massive rib of rock on the west side of SOB. It is described as the easiest full-length route in the canyon, spectacular, airy, and well worth climbing.

Region: Colorado

Elev: 6,000-7,000 ft

Rock type: Gneiss

Type:

Date(s): May 28, 2022 (Sat)

Partner(s): Nate Arganbright

Related trip reports:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Main Page

Route Overlays

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Intro

Lauren's Arête climbs the massive rib of rock on the west side of SOB. It is described as the easiest full-length route in the canyon, spectacular, airy, and well worth climbing.

This was our fourth day climbing in the Black (over the previous three days we had climbed The Cruise, Russian Arête, A Midsummer Night’s Dream). So a moderate climb like Lauren’s Arête sounded like a good adventure from the day. Although the climbing was pretty easy, we enjoyed the position of this route and had a fun day out. The route took half a day, so we enjoyed the remainder of the day relaxing at the North Rim Campground, which is a nice place to hang out. I also drove briefly out to the BLM land to check emails and do a bit of website work. We drove back home the following day after another great trip to the Black.

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

Descend SOB Gully. Below Comic Relief Buttress, scramble out of SOB Gully onto a ledge and follow ledge left to a narrower gully on the opposite side of the formation. Hike up this drainage for a few hundred feet to locate a ramp/weakness leading up and right. Follow weakness to a ledge at the base of the route.

Pitch 1

5.8

Face climb up and right, where easier terrain leads to a section of cracks. Belay in a notch between towers.

Pitch 2

5.8

A few moves along a small undercling leads to a crack on the left edge of the wall. Continue up the exposed ridgeline, belaying nearly a full ropelength up.

Pitch 3

5.8/5.9

Stick to the right edge of the formation. At an airy gap between the walls, make some exposed moves onto the face then climb a short section of sparsely protected rock to a stance. Continue up a steep crack with a fixed pin. Belay on a ledge.

Pitch 4

5.8

Continue up the right side of the buttress, aiming for a hand crack near an obvious bush on the face. Above the crack, move up and left on the face and belay above.

Pitch 5

5.easy

Traverse the knife-edge ridge, climbing over a prominent tower, then down easy 5th class terrain to a ledge. Belay at a tree below the base of the headwall. We simulclimbed a bit to avoid breaking this up into two pitches.

Pitch 6

5.8

Climb a crack between two trees on the left edge of the wall. Belay at a good unroping spot above.

Exit pitch & Exit

4th to 5.6

Stay high along the ridge, walking uphill to the exposed exit traverse. Some climbers rope up for this exposed 5.6 section (although it seemed more like 4th to us, but still a good idea to rope up due to the moderate looseness and consequence of a fall). Continue hiking out of the side gully, following it to the upper portion of SOB Gully. Hike back to campground or head back down SOB Gully and do another route!

Other photos

This was our fourth day in a row climbing in the Black Canyon (The Cruise, Russian Arête, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lauren’s Arête). We planned to drive back home the next day. So we enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon relaxing at camp. The North Rim Campground is a nice place to hang out.