Black Canyon of the Gunnison ClimbinG

Practice Wall (North Rim)

Category: Colorado (Black Canyon)Elev: 6,000-7,000 ftRock Type: Gneiss
Dates: see main page for all days I've climbed in the Black CanyonPartners: see main page for all people I have climbed with in the Black CanyonTrip Report #s: see main page for all trip report numbers corresponding to reports for the Black Canyon

1 Trip Report

PRACTICE WALL (NORTH RIM):

May 2020

This page is trip reports for Practice Wall in the Black Canyon. Go to Black Canyon main page to access trip reports on other formations in the Black Canyon.

Trip reports

Buzz Cut (~5.9, 4p, ~500')

PRACTICE WALL (NORTH RIM: PRISONER OF YOUR HAIRDOO GULLY AREA)
  • Date: May 17, 2020 (Sun)       Partner: Nate Arganbright

Buzz Cut takes the obvious corner up the middle of Practice Wall. The climbing is quite good and for the most part sustained at a 5.9ish grade. It's a nice route for those looking for a half day climb in the 5.9 range, especially if you want to check out the Prisoner of the Hairdoo Gully in preparation for a longer climb of something like Lost Cities or Atlantis.

Nate and I climbed Buzz Cut as the third of three climbs during an enjoyable trip to the Black in May 2020. The other two climbs we did on this trip were The Odyssey and Cloaked Interpretation. The Black had a rather unique vibe to it on this trip, since the National Park had just re-opened to day use following a lengthy closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Route Overlay

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach: 

Park at Narrows View overlook, walk back down the road toward the ranger station about 5-10 minutes, then cut perpendicular off the road until you get to the entrance to Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully. Scramble down Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully for about 30 minutes to just before the fixed rappel. From there, cut upwards towards the base of Practice Wall. It is tempting perhaps to cut over towards Practice Wall higher up, but this will result in more bushwhacking.
Waking up to another beautiful morning. Long days in the spring mean no need to approach in the dark.
That's only half of the bacon. We had to do two rounds to eat it all.
That looks pretty good.
Thanks for sharing Nate!
Some pretty sunflowers in the morning sun.
Hiking from the North Rim Road to the entrance of Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully.
A view of the entrance of Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully from the Narrows Overlook.
Beginning the descent down Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully.
A pretty white lily.
An obstacle course of small poison ivy plants.
A field of poison ivy. Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully had a lot of it. At one point while ascending the gully a bit, I walked face first into a bush of poison ivy. I survived.
A short section of bushiness getting from Prisoner of Your Hairdoo Gully to the base of Practice Wall.
A 4th class scramble through a cliff band below the start of the route.
A narrow catwalk on the approach scramble.

Pitch 1: 

~5.7, 100'. Head up the corner.
Looking up Pitch 1 from the base of the route.

Pitch 2: 

~5.9, 100'. Continue up the corner. We started this pitch by moving out left but it seems it might be possible to climb a handcrack through a roof to the right. The handcrack to the right is probably the 5.10 way to do it.
Nice exposure at the start of Pitch 2.
Nate starting up Pitch 2.
Hand crack through roof option to the right.

Pitch 3: 

~5.9, 150'. Continue up the corner. There might be variations off right in the 5.10 range.
Looking up Pitch 3.
Looking down Pitch 3.

Pitch 4: 

~5.8, 150'. Continue up the corner to the top of Practice Wall.
Nate starting off Pitch 4.
1/3 of the way up Pitch 4.
2/3 of the way up Pitch 4.

Top out: 

From the top of Practice Wall, head right and find a 3rd class weakness through the upper cliff to the canyon rim. Hike to the North Vista Road near Narrows Overlook.
Scrambling up the weakness to the canyon rim.
A cactus flower in bloom.
More flowers.
Afternoon light on the walls of the Black Canyon as seen from the Narrows Overlook.
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