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The Haunting

5.12d, Sport, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 2.9 from 10 votes
FA: Gary Rall
Oregon > Portland & The… > Broughton Bluff > (6) Bat Wall

Description

This line starts just left of Bad Omen.  Crux is the first 20 feet- very sequential and hard to read with a variety of options.  From here, choose to continue up Bad Omen (more natural also more sustained) or traverse horizontally across Bad Omen to the 5.7 hand crack (historical finish; but rather contrived and less fun).  Either way, the route clocks in at 5.12+ (significantly harder than Bela, Bad Omen, MFR, or Heart of Darkness). 

Location

A couple feet left of Bad Omen.

Protection

Fully bolted 

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Draws hanging on the first two bolts of The Haunting. Although not the original line, modern preference has been to continue directly into Bad Omen at BO's 4th bolt.
[Hide Photo] Draws hanging on the first two bolts of The Haunting. Although not the original line, modern preference has been to continue directly into Bad Omen at BO's 4th bolt.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

E rizzle
Eugene, Oregon
[Hide Comment] Is this thing really 12b? That bottom section is absolutely heinous. Mar 3, 2015
Micah Klesick
Charlotte, NC
  5.12b
[Hide Comment] That is the original grade by Gary Raul. As as well his original grade on the "11c" bypass. Whether accurate or not, well, that's up for debate. Mar 3, 2015
Micah Klesick
Charlotte, NC
  5.12b
[Hide Comment] The old bolts have been replaced with SS bolts as of 4/5/15. The bolted crack above was left as is, as there is excellent cam placements next to the bolts, and since the route is mixed anyway, it didn't make sense to replace them. Apr 5, 2015
Nate Ball

[Hide Comment] Was this thing retro-bolted? I assume so because it's now listed as "fully bolted" whereas when it was rebolted in 2015, Micah describes the route as "mixed". Dec 18, 2020
Micah Klesick
Charlotte, NC
  5.12b
[Hide Comment] Nate, if I remember right there as a couple old rusty bolts on the crack when I first did it, but I didn't replace them because there was gear, and if you had climbed the first part there wasn't much reason to place any gear or clip bolts anyway as the trad part was super easy. I'm not sure if anyone has added more tho since I left. Dec 18, 2020
Greg Lee
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] I would highly recommend this route, the start is actually really great. The climbing is fluid and satisfying, with good crimps, small but reasonably secure feet, and interesting liebacks. The upper crack is forgettable imo, and it would make more sense to take this into Bad Omen anyway. It was a pain to clean from the Bloodsucker anchors. As an alternate start to Bad Omen, I think this is a worthy route, and fills in the 12+ that the cliff is somewhat missing.

I don't know anything about the history of the bolting on this route, but I climbed the whole thing on sport today. It's a little runout by Broughton standards, but not dangerously so imo, as long as you stick clip the second bolt. Dec 24, 2020
Ryan Orr
Bend, OR
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] Start doesn't feel like 12b. Maybe it is if you average the starting moves with the traditional finish. If you finish into bad omen, it's significantly harder. Mar 13, 2021