Mississippi

Mississippi (former "Mississippi Burning") is the classic Red Wing hard route. Very technical, crimpy, and pumpy; it climbs like a series of difficult boulder problems with hard moves coming all the way to a potentially bitter end. Like many of the harder routes at the bluff this one seems much harder until you figure out all the little tricks. Down low a long lockoff to a fingerlock sets you up for the first crux; either a big reach out left to bump off a very poor gaston or a wild three foot deadpoint all the way to the great incut edge up high. A few more tricky moves brings you to an excellent rest just left of Barnburner. The next fifteen feet of intense climbing takes you through a big stab out left for a pocket, powerful laybacking, and finally the crux of the climb: a traverse left to a decent rail. For those fortunate few over about 6'3" or with a ridiculous ape-index, the rail can be reached all the way from the decent holds out right. Everyone else must bump using a slopey sidepull/pinch, a perpetually slimy crimp, and some worthless footholds with the difficulty inversely proportional to your height. The sustained nature of this section makes it very tiring to link because of the difficulty of clipping the bolts. A better option is to clip high and downclimb back to the good rest, then climb all the way from the jug to the rail without stopping, then clip the bolt at your knees. This way saves precious energy but requires a little more psyche as you contemplate the whipper while crimping the life out of that slimy edge! Once through the crux, it's not over yet. Another difficult boulder problem from the rail finally gets you to a hold worth writing home about. Ten more feet of moderate climbing leads to the anchors and, for most, the exhilarating experience of clipping the chains pumped out of your mind. Phew!

Bolts; the bolts are unfortunately a bit too far left at the bottom making the clips a little awkward.