Bloody Mary follows the crack behind the large blo...
Description
Bloody Mary is yet-another high quality moderate at the Gunks.
P1: Start at the left edge of the block. Follow the vertical crack until a small overhang at ~40'. Traverse right, to the next vertical crack, and climb that to the set of trees above it. 5.6G
P2: Traverse left from the tree belay ~30' on easy ground, climb up to the first set of overhangs, then traverse back right to clear the main overhang at a weakness. Continue to the GT ledge. This pitch is not for the faint of heart, or the faint of followers!
P3: Climb the first right-facing corner on the left, ~10 feet high. Step left, and continue up to the top, passing a bulge. Variation: Climb the right-facing corner on that's 20 feet right, continue to the top.
By gblauer From: Wayne, PA Jun 6, 2009 rating: 5.7 PG13
LOVED THIS CLIMB!!! Did it twice cuz we left our anchor at the top of P2. I got to lead P1 and P2.
Ok, the Gray Dick upgraded this climb to a 5.7 for P1. I agree, there is a 7ish crux. Although P1 is a great pitch, P2 is the money pitch.
Beta alert: Don't read if you don't want beta.
P2; Start off by traversing left on easy ground, don't place gear, you will have rope drag. Start placing when you start up towards the roof and extend (long runners) every piece until you turn the 2nd roof. Climb up to the first roof, pull it, use the little tree with rings/slings for a piece. Traverse right (it's all there, really!) and pull the second roof. Just reach up, over the roof and you will find a really sweet lip. Pull it and enjoy the crusier up to the GT ledge.
I think this is a 3 star climb. Where can you get two fun, exposed roofs at such a soft rating? Awesome climb.
I disagree with Pitch 2 being money pitch. It's not really that hard. A bit run out, but the face is a little dirty. New 5.7 leader will have rope drag because the leader needs to protected the traverse. Pitch 1 is 5.7, only for a couple of moves. A good lead for 5.7.
The first part of the first pitch could be experienced as awkward and off balance if you don't hit the sequences right. Someone who found themselves in this situation and decided to keep forging ahead, hoping that the next hold is a big flat jug, could end up too far past his/her last piece and in an unstable position, unable to comfortably and quickly place gear. Doesn't have to be that way though.
That may be true, but it would turn Ken's into PG13! :-)
My understanding has always been that protection ratings apply to what the rock offers you (which, for Bloody Mary, is good gear every 2 feet), not what you bring to the rock. It's worthwhile to note that pro may be difficult to place - and that's true for many, many routes - but you're not in PG13 danger due to a lack of opportunity for pro.
Yes, the last sentence of my previous post basically stated the same thing. Bloody Mary is well protected, but given the nature of the route, it is easy to see how some people may mistakenly find this climb a bit sketchy. But it doesn't have to be that way.
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