froodish

I think one of the things that throws most people on their first trip or two to JT is how grippy the rock is. You'll often look at something and think it's much harder than it really is. It's amazing what you can stand on there. Cracks at JT are often flaring and take a bit of getting used to gear-wise. I haven't climbed a 11worth, but be aware that the bolts can be spaced generously on moderates at JT. +1 for the (SE Corner) on Headstone Rock. Fun moves and brilliant exposure for a short route. Cryptic (5.8), just to the right is fun too.

It's almost always sunny, the big factor that'll change the day from nice to frigid is the wind. I used to call the Circle-K in JT for a wind report, but these days there's great info at the NOAA website: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=34.01282694464166&lon=-116.16531372070312&site=psr&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

More stoke pics...

Sheesh Bill, at least you could have waited until a few more people posted. I mean who's gonna follow that showing? ;-)

Yeah, that's a tough week to land a campsite. As Goatboy notes, when things are full, walking/biking the campgrounds and talking to folks is the key to squeezing in somewhere. One tip if you're pulling in late and need a place to throw down: Blackrock campground is outside the main park and not ideal for climbing, but it will usually have open spots when everything else is packed. Save you from doing the midnight campground cruise. You talking about the "pit"? http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/986560/Camping_in-near_JT

I've beat a pair around for more than a year and they're holding up just fine. Seems like that's a bit hit and miss though - I've had some of the approach shoes delam. They always seemed pretty good about taking defective ones back, have you talked to the place where you purchased them?

Faded? Rubbish. I was at that anchor in August when I did Jill's Thrill and it was bomber and barely faded at all. Another month wouldn't have faded those out. As kevbone notes, good medium nut placement about 10' above the belay. I usually place a nut there on a medium length runner, pull over right onto the slab, then motor up to the crack on the slab.

Bogus about the anchors and "cleaning". As for the route off the belay below the slab, I think I've always gone that way - never even occurred to me to head up into that loose stuff. Been about a year since I've done the route, but I remember plenty of gear available in the crack on the slab.

I don't mark my gear... "That piece marked?" "Umm, no" "Must be mine" Oh, and Tricams rock. I carry in most areas and place them alot. Really like 2 of them them active and opposed at anchors.

The Pearl (Portland) 24hr fitness used to have one. Wasn't really the best climbing workout, OTOH, where else are you gonna be able to get 45min of continuous sorta-climbing indoors. I liked it. good for endurance. I think I was about the only one who used it though. When they did the re-model I suspect they decided that it was a lot of square footage to devote to a machine that didn't get used and out it went.

Easy to untie after loading too.

I do webdev and have numerous 'puters. I'm not a platform bigot. My main box is a ~3 year old MBP (the first of the Core2 Duos). It's the best computer I've ever owned - a real champ and I ride them hard and put them away wet. The new ones look even tastier and I'll probably pick one up before the year end. Price comparisons with a standard PC laptop don't really hold up. Apple doesn't sell anything but a premium lappy, and if you get into the range where components and build quality is equal to Apple's, there's really not much price difference. The "non-replaceable" battery issue is moot IMHO, even if they only get 4 of the 5 years they are predicted to last. You can take it into Apple or an Apple authorized shop (and I suspect there will be non-supported DIY kits too) and have them replace it for a small extra charge. I'll take that and the 6+ hour battery life. I run various flavors of Windows (XP, XP64, Server2003, Windows 7 RC, etc.) and *nix and I choose OSX for my main OS because I'm flat out more productive in it. There's also a few applications on the Mac that I think are unequaled on any other platform (big fan of the OmniApps and BBEdit). The Windows experience is really fundamentally inferior these days IMHO, and more and more, I'm recommending to folks that ask me: "get a Mac".

I really like the way tricams place, even at places like Beacon. I use them a lot in opposition at anchors too. Curiously, I think I place the pinky the least - #2 is prob. my fav. I've got doubles to #3 and usually rack a single set. For big cams (>4), I like the WC better than Camalots. They are wider and more stable.

New Dyneema sewn runner: 22KN. Take half that strength for a knot: 11KN. 0.5 Camalot in a perfect placement: 12KN. Perfect placement for a #1 Tricam: 12KN. Sure there's better ways to shorten a sling (doubling, etc.), and Dyneema slings do appear to lose significant strength with use, but if it was a newish sling, I wouldn't lose any sleep over a knot.

Honest question, not trolling here... For those of you who don't think a clove hitch on your tie-in rope is good enough, which part of that chain don't you trust as being enough? The anchor? The clove hitch? The rope? The 'biner? The fig 8 knot attaching the rope to your harness?

Here's all the goods: http://stores.lulu.com/jeffwenger Thanks Jeff!

Yeah, well, here's one old-guy-thinned-skined-dude that tapes _way_ more often than I used to -- but then I don't wear scabs on the back of my hands like badges of honor like I used to either. Tape or no tape, the main things are don't jam harder than you need to and do not _move_ the jams after setting them (visualize pulling down from your elbows.) HTH, -S

Excellent pics, thanks for the TR.

There was a good thread on the taco a while back...the google machine delivers: http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=560592&tn=0&mr=0

Many years ago, Chris Harmston (BD QA manager) pull tested some old ropes. Strength-wise, they held up amazingly well. Old ropes do lose elasticity though and this can increase the load during falls. Fish has some of the old wreck dot climbing articles collected here: http://www.fishproducts.com/tech/rope.html The crampon thing seems to be not worth losing sleep over either.

The rules at JT are kinda complicated as there are different rules for wilderness and non-wilderness areas of the park. Not sure what you mean by bolt spacing (route spacing, or frequency of bolts on a given route). Rules for JT are spelled out here: http://www.nps.gov/archive/jotr/activities/climbing/climbing.html And in the PDF linked from that page: http://www.nps.gov/archive/jotr/activities/climbing/bolts.pdf There are plenty of deftly filled holes in JT and other areas that even up close are very difficult to spot, even with a well-trained eye and frankly, in the right circumstances, some anchor bolts are probably less damaging than a descent trail.

+1 Illusion Dweller +1 Figures on a Landscape A few I didn't see mentioned... Run for Your Life The Comic Book SW Corner of Headstone Rock

Two hours will get you to either Joshua Tree or Idyllwild if you drive at a brisk clip ;-) Depending upon when in Spring you're gonna be there and what the weather is like on that day, either or both could be perfect for climbing.

Nice TR. EBGBs! Proud.