The Eighth Day (aka MC 900 FT Jesus)

I have waffled a long time about posting this route. In the final analysis, we invest a great deal of ourselves in climbing and a great deal in the creation of routes. For this reason, it seems important to place this route in the public domain once again. MC 900 ft Jesus (this is not Mark's name) climbs the imposing grey streak on the right side of the Project Wall. It's far from the hardest route in the canyon. It is mostly vertical and has a lot of thin edges or semi-pockets with some big reaches tossed in between. Mark Tarrant put in the anchors for this route in 1985 and had it largely figured out at the time. In 1989 he showed it to me as project that inspired him, and he asked for my assistance on the other end of the rope to get it in. Before Mark could run his red point, a variation was established on the right (The Eighth Day) that chased Marks bolts through the streak and not through the 5.10+ sector on the right as was originally proposed. I will always view this as Mark's route, and we all should. Mark's original line approached the grey streak from the left via 5.12b face and edge climbing. The right hand variation converges at the same spot just below the streak. The climbing through the streak wanders around a bit to find the shallow pockets that link it all up. This route is well worth three stars for the imposing line with it's near dead fall onto the road, continuously difficult climbing, and (now) solid stone.

Bring 20 draws and double ropes. This line can actually be done in two pitches with left and right variations converging below the streak.