Hunting Humans

Though it has been slightly subsumed by the longer, harder link-up Trolling for Skank, Hunting Humans is a striking, continuous line that pointed out the link-up and long problem potential at the Ghetto (and in the Flatirons) long before most people saw it.

Climbed by John "The Vermin" Sherman in 1991, this line starts about halfway between the Underdog Cave and the Anacostia Wall, moving right to left to finish along a series of porcelain crimps (the "Ears") just under the lip of the Underdog Cave.

Begin at a knee-high (yes, knee-high!) incut horizontal just left of a rounded boulder abutting the rock. Hand traverse left, then crank way left into a gaston on a creaky flake (this flake used to be much better; in fact, many people now start the problem matched on the flake to avoid the difficult, unpleasant opening move). Match up and continue left and slightly up on shallow dishes, then toss left into the base of a big toilet bowl/hueco. Round the world, then reef straight out the bulge on tiny holds (a kneebar helps), eventually gaining the first of the "Ears." Though this is the crux, it isn't in the slot proper, so a spotter and crash pad help with the landing.

Make a series of cross-over moves until you run out of Ears, then hit a horn (with ancient, indigenous rock pipe) at the lip.

Step off.

This problem was named after the mass murderer who shot up the McDonald's somewhere in Cali in the late '80s. Apparently, before he set off to do his evil deed, he told his wife he was going "hunting humans."

A crashpad, a spotter, a thick T-shirt.