Dow Williams - Aug 22, 2015 2:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2015
Blood Corner
With Steph. By far the best route on Russel in my opinion. I led the route except with the last pitch. I did a short direct pitch and stopped on the ledge because it had sun for my belayer, but then I tried to combine pitches 2-3 like someone else suggested, it does not combine that well, I ran out of gear and slings. The end of pitch 3 traverses left before heading up to the base of the dihedral, I don't recommend it. Three great pitches in the middle (2,3,4). The dihedral of course is the crux, it is only 150', not 200' as mentioned somewhere. In any regard, a double rack does everything you need (if you don't try and combine 2-3), I had plenty of gear left on my rack at the top of the dihedral which takes a variety of gear for the belay. I did most of the dihedral straight in, finger locks, etc. Eases up for the last third, way more hand jams. 1st 3rd has quite a few rests, the crux is the tips/fingers little to no rests middle section. Excellent route. Definitely a step up from Star Trekkin or Mithril, way more sustained.
Dow Williams - Aug 22, 2015 2:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2015
Blood CornerWith Steph. By far the best route on Russel in my opinion. I led the route except with the last pitch. I did a short direct pitch and stopped on the ledge because it had sun for my belayer, but then I tried to combine pitches 2-3 like someone else suggested, it does not combine that well, I ran out of gear and slings. The end of pitch 3 traverses left before heading up to the base of the dihedral, I don't recommend it. Three great pitches in the middle (2,3,4). The dihedral of course is the crux, it is only 150', not 200' as mentioned somewhere. In any regard, a double rack does everything you need (if you don't try and combine 2-3), I had plenty of gear left on my rack at the top of the dihedral which takes a variety of gear for the belay. I did most of the dihedral straight in, finger locks, etc. Eases up for the last third, way more hand jams. 1st 3rd has quite a few rests, the crux is the tips/fingers little to no rests middle section. Excellent route. Definitely a step up from Star Trekkin or Mithril, way more sustained.