Exit 38, March 6

Dawn invited me out to Exit 38. You’d think I’d know how to get to Headlight point by now, but we wandered up the trails in the forest and somehow ended up on top of Squishy Bell, home of the shortest routes at 38. We rapped down and, since we were there anyway, led all of them. All pretty short and easy, but a nice way to warm up. After that we worked our way down Eastern Block and Headlight Point, doing pretty much every route that didn’t have a rope on it already and pulling the rope between our turns so we could both lead.

It was a beautiful sunny day for a full but non-stressful half day of climbing. Exit 38 is not always the most exciting place but it’s March! And we’re climbing outside!

• Squishy Bell, Sumptuous Bits, 5.5 sport (lead)
• Squishy Bell, Winter Rushing In, 5.8 sport (lead)
• Squishy Bell, November Glaze, 5.9 sport (lead)
• Squishy Bell, Catatonic, 5.6 sport (lead)
• Eastern Block, Ellie’s Sweet Kiss, 5.10a sport (lead) fun, not as long and intimidating as it looks, surrounded by three random routes not in the old book
• Eastern Block, Missing the Taco, 5.10b sport (lead) I missed the taco getting to the second bolt, had to traverse and downclimb to get to it…
• Eastern Block, Lip Service, 5.10b sport (lead) around the “block of doom!”
• Headlight Point, Nocturnal Remission, 5.8 sport (lead)
• Headlight Point, Swarm, 5.7 sport (lead) was trying to do Carnage Before Bedtime, but missed the turnoff
• Headlight Point, Carnage Before Bedtime, 5.10b sport (lead)