Buckets of Blood Arete

Perhaps the best steep climb at Carderock, the glorious overhanging arete on the back side of the X-face beckons the passing climber with its siren song of incut crimps on the right and heel-hooks on the left. An optional sit-start increases the difficulty and makes the top moves quite strenuous.

This climb is about 50 feet left of beginners crack and just a bit left of the dark, scary chimney.

The large block at the top of X-face can be used for a toprope anchor. The climb is sometimes done as a highball boulder problem, but it should be noted that the quartz crystals offer much less friction than you might prefer at that height.