Black Beauty Bulge
This area is more of a series of highball boulder problems than sport climbing. All the business – the hard climbing – is concentrated at the bulge, where problems crux at between 5.11 – 5.12. Easier 5.7 climbing brings you up from below, and even easier climbing leads above to the top anchors.
A single, re-directable anchor sits atop the bulge to limit rope payout when working just the bulge problems on top rope. And although these lines represent the most varied sport climbing on the Glen Lake Crag in terms of grade, you may find the lines to the left and right of the central bulge more consistent. Highball or sport route area, the choice is yours!
Please Note: Grades are provided are for convenience during ongoing development, but may be subject to change in the future. Please feel free to contact us if you have feedback on the current grade assignments.
Quick Facts
Snake Repellent
Strong technique required to keep the grade down. Furthest left sport climb on the wall. Climb the smooth block to the low angle ramp (standing rest). Step up and traverse left past a chained hanger to short, boldering style crux. Finish on low angle slab to the top anchor.
Puma Pants
Scary and hard until you figure out the technique required to gain the crux. Start on small platform and trend right to top of the ramp. Step up and traverse left past chained hanger. The crux is reachy and beta intensive, and done incorrectly the grade dramatically increases. Most of the climb is 5.7 below and above the crux. Finish again up the low angle slab.
Unnamed Closed Project
Scramble up the broken rock pile to first bolt on black rock. Climb through right trending v-groove, and pop out left at the top of it, onto a sloping bulge, moving up that and finishing on easy slab to the anchors.
The next group of climbs can lines be worked on top rope from the 'half-way anchor' (re-directed appropriately) above the greater portion of the central bulge, and accessed by rappelling from the top anchors.
Unnamed Closed Project
Climb up the black-and-white stained rockon the left side, and push out onto the arête. Crux move is getting a high,blind left hand to move feet onto the arête proper. Thin moves follow toacquire the jugs at top of the bulge. Walk right on the ledge to the half way anchor.
The Beauty
Similar to the above climb, the bulge presents a serious crux after 5 meters of 5.7 climbing. Rest under the bulge, you’ll need it. Pull on thin holds to gain the horizontal crack, and ascend on pinchy side pulls, with jugs to finish on. Left side of the crack is easier than the right.
The Beast
Basically a variation of The Beauty, up the right side of the center crack using the same start. This variation also affords a rest below the bulge, but with harder crux moves through the horizontal crack, and the same finish.
The Nice Bulge
Here presents another harder bulge problem, starting at the right side of the black-and-white stained rock. Easy climbing to ledges below the bulge, then onto thin face holds through a short but sustained crux, with jugs to finish. Again use the lower ‘bulge anchors’ here to rap out early, or scramble up the easy bumps to the top anchors, as you prefer.
Here's Dirt In Your Eye
Begin this great little sport climb on layback flakes, moving up the crack through the crux bulge to the second bolt. Follow a broken crack line up various bulges to the top. Last five meters are a low angle scramble on slab with a great view behind you. Access this climb from the platform of rock to the right of the wall, after one flight of stone steps on the summit trail.
Here's Mud in Your Eye
As with 'Dirt', the crux is getting off the ground. Two alternatives are possible. The direct start is straight under the second bolt, hard and slightly overhanging crimps. The slightly easier start is from slightly to the right on a good right hand side pull, traversing left on larger hand holds and better feet. Also as with 'Dirt', the business is right off the deck, and the last five meters is a low angle slab scramble.
Additional Notes
Climbers are known to have been bouldering here as early as the 90's, with some trad ascents of the lower parts of the rock periodically in the early 2000's. Please note that the grades shown for this wall are preliminary and may change. The grades given here are provided to give climbers a rough idea of what to expect, and may settle out slightly differently than they are graded now. Anticipate some changes before final publishing of the climb data for lines on this wall.
