Blackleaf Canyon (Bob Marshall Wilderness) — August 30, 2026

Route: Dirty Dentist — P1 5.10a, P2 5.10d

Team: Zach Robertson, Francis Horton, Krissy Ramirez

Another year, another Kercher Classic in the books—or almost. After a fun weekend of climbing around the Park, we continued our attempt to make a Sunday stop at Blackleaf a tradition.

Blackleaf is a relatively new sport-climbing area just outside of Bynum, with stunning limestone walls rising as much as 800 feet above the creek. It’s a pretty spectacular setting for a not so quick roadside adventure, assuming the weather cooperates.

This year, the forecast of rain and high winds whittled our group down to just three. When we arrived, we found that NOAA had, unfortunately, nailed the wind forecast. The rain, however, decided to stay its hand and left us dry.

We made our way across the creek and up to the Dentist Wall, a small section of the larger north-facing cliff. Given the wind, we opted for a modest objective: the two-pitch Dirty Dentist, climbing 5.10a on the first pitch and 5.10d on the second. Of course, this decision had absolutely nothing to do with our collective desire to sleep in a little too long.

The climbing was exhilarating, perhaps because of—or in spite of—the conditions. Gusts rattled the rope, the limestone demanded our attention, and the whole experience had just enough exposure and uncertainty to scratch that particular itch for rugged adventure.

It may not have been the biggest day of climbing, but Blackleaf once again proved itself worthy of a Sunday stop. With any luck, we'll be back next year to keep the tradition alive.