Blood and Spit

This has been an ongoing project for a couple years. This is probably the hardest trad mixed climb on Camp Bird Road, so far. It is definitely one of the steepest. On my first attempt, I made it up midway on the starting run out on the direct start before my partner (Jason Maki) starting yelling at me to get down. Phil Wortmann and Doug Shepherd then completed the first pitch by starting further right but bailed near the start of P2.

This is a wild modern mixed route: all gear, no bolts; radical overhangs, exciting runouts, splitter dihedrals, slabs, and OWs. This route will test your mettle. Some might find the route harder than graded, but it is probably easier. It's an awesome adventure no matter the grade and a classic outing.

P1. (M6 R) Start up and find the easiest way through the slightly exciting, runout, slabby start. You're aiming for the right side of this thin, overhanging seam that traverses straight left into the dihedral. Fire the seam (watch rope drag!). Enter the M6 dihedral. The gear here is really good. It is super fun climbing, like climbing in The Creek except with tools! Once the dihedral ends, the excitement starts. Traverse straight left on slabby, insecure terrain with bad rock and no gear. Fire the small corner to the belay. Exciting.

P2. (M8 PG-13) From the belay, spy the overhanging finger crack right above your head. Start off the belay on some tough, M6ish terrain. Gain a nice, no hands rest. From there, it gets really wild. The protection is good, but the climbing is quite desperate. The crack is always the wrong size for the picks, and the feet don't always work out. Hard, precise liebacking with the tools gets you by, along with some awesome heel hooks. Once the crack goes away, do a tough (M6/7?) traverse right into a run out OW. The topout is then an easy slab to a welcoming tree. WILD. Sick bird!

The route gets part of its name from when a microwave-sized chunk of rock blew out on me, mid-runout, at the top of P1, which caused me to take a sideways fall for 30 feet, hitting the dihedral with my upper body, and crushing my finger. For evidence, check out the blood that splatters the walls all over the dihedral!

To the right of Poser Lounge is an inviting dihedral blocked by choss. The descent is by trees to the right. I think it's too steep to rappel the route, maybe not.

CAUTION: please be very careful with rockfall on this route. The crux sets you up for bombing the road with rocks.

Doubles with single #4. You might want to bring more finger-sized pieces. Pins are helpful as always.