Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The Gunnison River carved a canyon so narrow and deep that parts of it get only 33 minutes of sunlight per day. The Painted Wall — Colorado's tallest cliff at 2,250 feet — is nearly twice the height of the Empire State Building. The canyon is "black" because the steep walls block most light, creating an eerie, cathedral-like atmosphere. Rock climbers consider it one of the most challenging and committing walls in North America, ranking as #1 among U.S. canyon climbs for vertical relief, with a 40% higher difficulty rating than the average cliff.