For those not familiar with the term, bloodletting was a technique used back in the old days to cleanse a sick person of bad blood. The patient's forearms were cut and the blood would flow, many times for a bit too long. If you get on this route, you will quickly realize the validity of the name. I am not completely sure that this is an FA and would love to hear some feedback. It is a sustained, overhanging #3 to #4 Camalot crack for the first 40', then you get to a pod and the crack arcs right and pinches down to very flared, thin hands and fingers. I know Vedauwoo very well and I have never heard of this or seen any pictures, but it is very worthy. I won't lie, the rock quality is good in the fist crack section, but once you hit the pod and the finger crack starts the rock becomes very grainy, sharp and crystally. I think with a few more ascents it will clean up a lot. One reason I believe it to be an FA is the amount of cleaning I did. This is a good hard Vedauwoo route that should get good with some action. Get on it and let me know what you think.
Location
This route is tough to find despite its vicinity to Reynolds. You can't see it until you are right under it. If you are at the climb and punishment area walk climber's right staying out of the rocks and on easy ground. You will basically continue around the base of Reynolds until it becomes a lot of smaller flake/pinnacle formations. Walk around a cool feature with some flares and a big conglomerate band that makes a roof. Once you walk around the corner of this formation which is basically the end of the Reynolds jumble walk about 100 feet still keeping the rock immediately on your left and keep looking left. Go up a slot between two boulders with a dead tree on the ground on the left side and Bloodletting will be right in front of you. It is directly across the valley from muscle and fitness, and if you are at end of the road rocks and looking at Reynolds you will see a right arcing crack low down, that's it. I will put in anchors soon, but for now downclimb the analog crack. Bloodletting is a splitter up an overhanging tombstone looking rock and the descent is only about 5.6.
Protection
Mainly #3-old #4 Camalots with a fingers piece or two for the end.
In the old Heel and Toe, there is a shitty pic of this full page if I remember right, and the caption is saying so and so working a project. I'll to have look it up again.
I can't really tell from your route description or pictures, but this kind of looks like a climb I have seen before. The one I saw was up in the fins on top of Reynolds. If you have a copy of the old Heel and Toe guidebook, there is a picture of the thing I am thinking of at the front, labeled as a project. Maybe that will help you. I'll try to look at reynolds the next time I get out there. By the way, are you (Handsome B Wonderful) Andy Johnson? If so, why the two usernames?
Yeah Pablo, I think you are thinking of the same one. If you are looking at Reynolds just after the stream crossing on the approach, the route is on the farthest right fin.
Reynolds Hill
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