Black Orpheus climbs the huge SW-facing wall on the west side of Solar Slab, culminating in a giant arcing right-facing corner that has the best climbing on the route. This route consists of over 1000 feet of enjoyable climbing—long sections of moderate climbing with a couple of sections of 5.9 and a short 10a crux—with spectacular views of Oak Creek Canyon.

FA: Jorge & Joanne Urioste, 1979.

History of route: From supertopo: "George and Joanne Urioste accomplished the first ascent of Black Orpheus in April 1979. It was not a good time for the Uriostes. They were divorced. Though plagued by uncertainty and facing serious life decisions, they were united by a common love for climbing. A reconnaissance up the first few pitches looked very promising. The dark, south-facing rock was warm and pleasant in the still-cool spring air. The initial pitches went free and assured easy access to the spectacular crack and dihedral system on the upper part of the route. They returned optimistically, with the intention of climbing through to the summit in one push. The climbing went well. They quickly achieved their previous high point and continued onto the upper cracks. As they reached the top of their thirteenth pitch, both daylight and crack were fading. Faced with drilling several bolts to protect the face climbing that separated them from the summit, they had no choice but to bivouac. Even then, their options were limited. There was no ledge big enough to stretch out on, only big enough for sitting. And, ironically, there was no spot big enough for them to sit together, so the maritally torn climbers endured the cold April night on separate ledges high above Oak Creek. When morning finally arrived, George set out to lead the face pitch. Tired, stiff, and debilitated from the rough night, he drilled the four protection bolts on the pink face. Above this pitch the difficulties faded and the climbers were soon unroping on the summit slabs."

Origin of route name: The route was named for the 1959 Portuguese film (Orfeu Negro), based on a Greek myth about tragic love.

On the north face of Whiskey Peak is an obvious 200' high pillar, with crack systems on either side. Wholesome Fullback climbs the crack system just left of the pillar while Our Father climbs the crack system just right of pillar. Wholesome Fullback is considered by some to have the best single pitch of 5.10a crack climbing in Red Rocks: thin finger crack right off the deck, splitter hand crack, a tricky face traverse under a small roof, a technical lieback/finger crack crux, and then seemingly endless perfect hand jams to a ledge 160 feet off the deck. Our Father is equally fantastic and a bit harder, culminating in an awesome 5.10d steep corner.

FA (Wholesome Fullback): Carl Folsom & Lars Holbek, 1975. FA (Our Father): R. Wheeler, Joe Herbst, R. Grandstaff, Vern Clevenger, 1977.

Frigid Air Buttress follows a line slightly left of the prow of the buttress, up a staircase of steep pitches separated by roomy belay ledges. With it's fun and varied crack climbing, good pro, and short approach, this route makes for an enjoyable day of climbing.

FA: Joe Herbst, Larry Hamilton, 1976.

Eagle Dance is a superb climb on excellent rock, just a couple of hundred feet left of Levitation 29. Although not a sport route, it is heavily bolted. It is rare to find such an amenable route in such spectacular surroundings.

FA: Jorge & Joanne Urioste, 1980.

History of route and Origin of route name: From supertopo: "George and Joanne Urioste started work on this route in early 1980. Because of the amount of work required, the route was climbed with fixed ropes leading upward from the Urioste’s “Eagle Camp,” a level spot at the base of the route. Keeping the camp stocked was a major effort in itself, requiring many trips up the rocky streambed of Oak Creek. Joanne reports that they memorized every boulder on their numerous trips, frequently done in the dark and with no headlamps. Back in the late 1970s, the cliffs of Red Rocks were frequented by some very large soaring birds. Though there was speculation that they might have been condors (due to their impressive size), the local climbers referred to them generically as eagles. One such bird kept the Uriostes company, hovering continuously over Oak Creek and Mount Wilson to the south. As George and Joanne were working on one of the lower pitches on the route, they accidentally dropped a baby angle piton. While it was not a critical loss, no climber gives up gear without a fight, so that afternoon they scoured the brushy area at the base of the route. After searching with no result, they were about to give up. With hope waning, Joanne suggested that perhaps they should ask the eagle for guidance—and they found the piton less than a minute later! And so the route and wall were named after the charmed bird. It was only later, while studying the wall from a distance, that they noticed a peculiar patch of dark varnish high on the face. Its outline, in the shape of a westbound eagle, made the omen complete. Eagle Dance climbs through the eagle's neck."

Tunnel Vision follows a unique natural line of featured chimneys and groves, and is perhaps best known for it's 80-foot tunnel on the fifth pitch. Due to its moderate grade and fun and unique climbing, Tunnel Vision is one of the more popular routes at Red Rocks.

FA: Joe Herbst & Randal Grandstaff, 1974

- For any climber walking into Black Velvet Canyon, its hard not to notice the impressive lightening-bolt crack system splitting down the face of the middle buttress of Whiskey Peak, gleaming in the morning sun. The route that ascends this crack and goes all the way to the top of the buttress is called Ixtlan. The crux climbing of the route is getting to the crack, which starts 70' above the ground. This is an awesome climb—if I had to name a favorite climb from the trip, this would be it.
- The Gobbler offers two to three pitches of good climbing stiff at its grade up face and crack, most often used as an approach to Dream of Wild Turkeys or Fiddler on the Roof. We chose the latter. Fiddler on the Roof is an exciting route that starts from the second anchor of The Gobbler and traverse out right above the lib of the huge arch (beware if you slip, you might need your prussiks...), and finishes by climbing the towering wall above. This is another awesome climb.

FA (Ixtlan): Jorge & Joanne Urioste, Dan Goodwin, 1981. FA (The Gobbler): Jorge & Joanne Urioste, 1980; FA (Fiddler on the Roof): Dave Wonderly, Warren Egbert, Jennifer Richards, 1990.

History or Route and Origin of route names:

Ixtlan: Ixtlan was established by the Uriostes and Dan Goodwin in 1981. The first pitch required bolting (5.11c), but the FAer’s went on to bolt much of the third and fourth pitches as well, since these portions of the route require large cams that were not available at the time. (Due to the fact that these pitches can be protected with #6 cams, any bolts above the first pitch are from the FAer's, and are more and more suspect as time goes on.) My guess is that this route was named in reference to Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda; in this book he explores the teachings of Don Juan, and "Ixtlan" is a metaphorical hometown to which one is compelled to return. Sort of like how once I saw the lightening bolt crack of Ixtlan splitting the face of Whiskey Peak I was compelled to someday return to climb this route.

The Gobbler: This is another Urioste route, established in 1980. It's my guess that the route name comes from the fact that this route is below the route Dream of Wild Turkeys, sort of forming "the gobbler" (in actual fact, the route Dream of Wild Turkeys refers not to actual literal turkeys, but it is a commentary on the heated controversy at the time over adding bolts to routes, when the Uriostes were called "turkeys" for their next-generation style of adding bolts to unprotectable sections of climbs).

Fiddler on the Roof: This is one of the younger routes on Black Velvet Wall, established by Dave Wonderly, Warren Egbert, and Jennifer Richards in 1990. The route is likely named for the large roof the route traverses over.