Melanoma

This route traverses along the eastern face of the Drip buttress. All three pitches on this route are of equal quality and if you don't climb at the 11+ grade the first two pitches are totally worth doing if you are at the Drip Buttress.

P1: 5.9+ Start up a right facing blocky corner system (5.8). Clip a bolt and work your way up to a left trending ledge/corner. Climb easy 5th class up the ledge/corner to a second bolt where the angle steepens (5.8). Now you will be rewarded with one of the only and best splitter finger cracks in Blodgett (5.9+)... if only it went on forever. Keep going belay at a large ponderosa on the ledge.

P2: 5.10b/c Climb the super obvious right facing corner. Make sure to extend the shit out of your pro once you start traversing under the roof. Continue up and around the roof to a big reach to a finger-lock to end the pitch. Belay from two bolt anchor.

P3: 5.12aThis pitch felt quite exposed to me but is well protected. Climb blocky 5th class and up a right facing corner. The next 50 feet of climbing is bolted face climbing on solid water polished rock. The second bolt is hard to clip and requires a committing mantle to get to it. Once past the initial bulge clip the 3rd bolt and foot traverse on a slopey rail to the crux; an airy roof pull. After the roof continue to a bolted belay.

P4: 5.12d (Chemotherapy Pitch) The route ends with a wild sport climb up the overhanging wall directly above the top of the 3rd pitch. It has its own description.

See approach to the drip. The route is located on the east face of the Drip Buttress. It is accessed via a trail up a gully to the west of a small slab between the prow and the drip. After going up the 4th class gully (75 ft)take a left a the big grassy ledge. The right facing blocky corner is where it starts. You should be able to see a single bolt aswell.

doubles from 1" to 3.5" single set of small cams and stoppers. Bring an XL runner and 7 extendable draws