Twixt Cradle and Stone

This is a wonderful route with very moderate climbing for the grade. It features mostly great rock in great position. The pitches described here are the ones that most parties do (the first 8). The route does continue to the top of the velvet wall, but even after the crux the quality seems to deteriorate. We did not do the last two pitches, so only grades and Pitch length will be discussed here for those pitches.

P1 - 5.7, 90 ft. go up the obvious chimney feature 100' to the right of the start of Texas Hold Em, continue to a bolted belay.

Unrope. Scamper 200' to the right along the ledge in the clearing in the brush to the base of a gully. Rope back up.

P2 - 5.7, 80 ft. Go up the gulley, going slight left. Belay at bolts and chains.

P3 - 5.9, 100 ft. From the belay, go up and right past a bolt, and then climb a fun corner to a wonderful ledge with a bolted belay.

P4 - 5.7, 50 ft. Follow cracks up and left aiming for the base of the major chimney system, traversing low into it.

P5 - 5.10a, 160 ft. A fantastic and well varied pitch. Climb out and right passing several bolts into a chimney. Wiggle upward (not very grunty) placing gear as needed and then reaching more bolts. Move upward into a shallow right-facing corner system and enjoy varied climbimg and jamming to a bolted hanging belay. Awesome pitch, not so awesome belay stance,

P6 - 5.10d, 140 ft. Climb up following a corner up moderate terrain, eventually continuing up the face through a pleasant finger crack with face holds (hooray Red Rock). Once done enjoying awesome finger locks, traverse hard left (bolt) to a bolted belay on a small ledge.

P7 - 5.9, 140ft. (did not climb this pitch. If you have, I will happily add your description)

P8 - 5.9, 140 ft. (Did not climb this pitch. If you have, I will happily add your description)

From here you can either rap or continue up moderate terrain to the West summit of Black Velvet Peak/Velvet Wall.

Rappel the route (P8 or earlier) with two ropes. I would not advise linking the p2-p3 rap due to potential for stuck ropes.

Far right side of velvet wall. Right of Texas Hold Em, the light colored chimney facing East is the start.

Two ropes, a dozen draws/slings, single rack below .3 camalot, doubles .3-3 camalot, single 4