Joshua tree Favs.

[russ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Peter Puget:

I think someone mentioned Illusion Dweller. That climb is unbelievably overrated.

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Peter - do you mean overrated in difficulty or overrated in quality?

[Peter_Puget]

Quality. It is not a bad climb but not a zillion stars. Its diagonal nature does make it a long pitch by JT standards.

[goatboy]

Figures on a Landscape:

Stellar climb, but a pretty serious lead, in my view. I followed it in November, and recall that the crux move on pitch 1 comes about 20 feet above the first bolt, with a heinous pendulum and possible groundfall.

The climb starts on a ledge and goes far right to the first bolt. The crux is getting past a dike system to the 2nd bolt on very thin holds. At this point, you've clipped a single bolt and traversed up and right about 20 feet over a precipice -- so the fall would be GRIM.

If you bungle the sequence there, you're way committed and in a bad way.

I thought it was very hard for the rating, even to follow.

I am not a great climber, but not a bad one, and I felt that it was hard compared to other 5.10's in the Park.

Illusion Dweller: Good climb, cruxy off the ground and at the very top. Popular. I was so pumped by the time I got to the top that I ended up aiding the last move after multiple whippers onto bomber gear. Maybe another day . . .

[forrest_m]

i know someone already mentioned it, but i gotta put in a plug for my favorite 10 at josh, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE on the tumbling rainbow in real hidden valley. cool face climbing up the most prominent feature in the valley, crux at the last move, onto a real summit, plus a super fun descent that is more like canyoneering than scrambling. i love this climb.

[Matt_Anderson]

quote:

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Stellar climb, but a pretty serious lead, in my view. I followed it in November, and recall that the crux move on pitch 1 comes about 20 feet above the first bolt, with a heinous pendulum and possible groundfall.

The climb starts on a ledge and goes far right to the first bolt. The crux is getting past a dike system to the 2nd bolt on very thin holds. At this point, you've clipped a single bolt and traversed up and right about 20 feet over a precipice -- so the fall would be GRIM.

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I wouldn't disagree that figures is a tough lead, and its been like five years since I've been on it, but as I recall, the crux was just before clipping the anchors on the first pitch, with the lst bolt 15 feet to the right? Maybe its just because I was leading and not to happy about the thought of a pendulum.

I recall a tough section down low on the climb, but as I recall, you can place gear in a seam/flake and that piece is around your feet or someithing reasonable like that.

Are you sure that your leader didn't miss a piece?

matt

[goatboy]

Hmm, maybe he did . . . he lead it on bolts without placing any trad gear -- so if you remember supplementing the bolts with gear, then it sounds to me like he DID miss a gear placement.

Having a good piece nearby would have certainly minimized the pucker factor on that pitch . . .

[pope]

I remember really liking Rock Candy on Lost Horse's Shorter Wall. A steep face at about 5.9 with thoughtfully-spaced bolts. Spectacular and nicely featured. Also check out Diamond Dog for a nice integration of crack and face climbing.

I agree with Forest_M that Run For Your Life might just be the climax of your trip. EBGB's is a prize and you won't have to wait in line (first move is kind of dangerous, but when you commit to it, it ain't too bad. I followed this one. The upper face is superb friction.)

When you go out to do Gun Smoke, check out the chimneys between Steetcar Named Desire (a REAL bouler problem) and Gun Smoke.

Check out Comic Book for a nice slab/wide crack experience. Short but sweet is Heart of Darkness. Climb it early and you'll have some invigorating morning sun down in that hole. It's probably about 5.10+, kind of like a long Pisces Crack.

Finally, climb up Pope's crack (but don't linger).

[Crackhead]

You dudes rule... Kepp 'em coming! I'm compiling a list.

[miker]

Well I am gonna be out there this weekend (Sat-Tues) and hope to have a s%^tload of fun.

Has anyone done Figures on a Landscape? It's out on North Astro Dome near Solid Gold, 10c-d, 3 pitches.

My uncle has done it before and says it is the best climb in JTree, hands down, or more precisely, hands on anything you can find.

We will be hanging around the Hidden Valley campsite somewhere so if you see me say hi. I'm the tall guy with long hair...

miker

[bobinc]

Has anyone done stuff at Bighorn Mating Grotto? (I'm already scheming for next December.) I've never been out there, but someone I talked to gave it high marks for climbs in the 10 range. Vogel gives Caught Inside on a Big Set (10b?) lotsa stars but I read someone's account who had done it and was underwhelmed.

[Matt_Anderson]

quote:

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Has anyone done stuff at Bighorn Mating Grotto?

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What are you suggesting?

[W]

bobinc,

I've been to the Grotto. It's worth going there and the long walk. "Caught Inside" is a great climb, though I can't say it's a slam dunk for five stars. There's a steep and strenuous 10a (forget the name) 20 yards away that looked very cool, and a runout .10b called "Book of (something I forget)". that looked cool, just steep and with very thin pro. There's also a .10d in there that features sustained climbing on thin pro.Caught inside is overhanging easing to vertical, a fingery crack, then a hard span into a wide hand crack that gets wider. It's a long climb and I was pretty pumped by the time I reached the breakover near the top. Save your #4 camalot as long as possible because while easy, the top is sparsely protected and greasy/polished, and you'll want to fire in that #4 to keep you from winging if you blow it and grease off on the easier section above.

[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: W ]

[bobinc]

Great -- thanks, W. I think the next time down we will head over there. I assume it's not as confusing to find it as Room to Shroom (?)

[W]

Actually, it is confusing to find. Or at least, I suck and got lost on the way. I tried to hike up the next canyon south and then cross in northward. That canyon is filled with impenetrable cactus and yuccas. The correct way is to hike in the main, wide, wash until you are directly west of the Grotto. Then scramble up a weird trough with some loose rocks and gravel and up into the Grotto, which is very unique- a deep gorge hemmed in on all sides (which is why you can't get there any other way including my errant effort) and has green grass growing due to the shade. By the way, getting down from Caught Inside is difficult. Here's some beta that will save you time: Caught Inside is in the back of the Grotto cleft, on the right hand (north facing) wall. From the top of the climb (gear anchor- need 1/2"-2"), I scrambled up and over the ridge to the south, where I down climbed a little on the south facing wall and located a small tree with rap slings. Make a long rappel (need two ropes)to the bottom, then scramble west, then back up and over the same ridge at a deep notch (4th class/maybe low 5th) and downclimb the north side back into the Grotto. That south side of the notch is facing the canyon I tried to approach from initially, but when you rap down you don't get all the way down to all the nasty cactus and crap. For the other climbs, I believe you have to get to the top of the Dome (I think it's Diarrhea Dome -great name, huh) and then down climb to the left as you look up from the Grotto to get back to the base. There were no fixed anchors so be prepared for an adventure. Have fun and start early, the approach takes about an hour or more each way.

[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: W ]

[Peter_Puget]

I agree with Pope that EBGBs is a good climb; however, I can barely remember the first moves but certainly remember the top. Like many JT routes the unique texture of the rock takes getting dialed into and the top, while not a death runout by any means, is a bit nervey. It is fairly steep friction climbing. The start is more of a bouldering traverse. A good test before this would be to try Grain Surgery first. GS is easier, has good climbing and if you find its finish to be at all intimidating the post crux section of EBGS (85% of the route) would be far more so.

[pope]

Seems like the start of EBGB's leaves the top of a diagonal ramp which you then traverse out over while doing some fancy gymnastics. My buddy and I both traversed out and fell/retreated into the belayer/spotter and ramp, accumulating tender little abrasions on our sun-burned backs and butts. Once around the corner and onto the slab, I just remember incredible friction climbing, right on the edge of control. Do it early when it's still cool.

[Bug]

Zig zag? Is that that 5.9 south of Hidden valley that ends with a traverse on a tiny ramp? That was fun. I watched a guy launch off the middle of that ramp and leave half a pound of thigh flesh on the lip of the overhang. That was when the bolt was a manky 1/4". Now it's 3/8" and higher.

[tasmith513]

Yo Bug, Are you maybe thinking of Sidewinder? It sure sounds like it by your description. But the one I'm thinking of is more northwest of Hidden Valley campground if I remember correctly. Near the the Outback I think. Steve's Canyon or something like that? Well, either way its a great pitch.

[goatboy]

Check out this J tree website

[ 03-13-2002: Message edited by: goatboy ]

[Latch_Holeflaffer]

I agree with Pope that EBGBs is a good climb; however, I can barely remember the first moves but certainly remember the top. Like many JT routes the unique texture of the rock takes getting dialed into and the top, while not a death runout by any means, is a bit nervey. It is fairly steep friction climbing. The start is more of a bouldering traverse.

As I recall the start was the crux, but drilling those bolts on the ball bearing of the upper slab was real fun.

[Dru]

Two Words and a grade:

GRIT ROOF 10c

[Bug]

quote:

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Originally posted by tasmith513:

Yo Bug, Are you maybe thinking of Sidewinder? It sure sounds like it by your description. But the one I'm thinking of is more northwest of Hidden Valley campground if I remember correctly. Near the the Outback I think. Steve's Canyon or something like that? Well, either way its a great pitch.

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Yes. Sidewinder. Thank you for correcting my addled gray matter.Another classic 5.9 is Solid Gold near Barker Canyon Dam. Or has that been mentioned already? It is a sport route but still very ascetic.Oh and has anyone mentioned going into the Barker Canyon area under a full moon? Lot's of really interesting climbing that way not to mention wildlife. Figures on a Landscape takes on a whole new feel.

[goatboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

Two Words and a grade:

GRIT ROOF 10c

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We tried this one in November, with a buddy who lives down there who had climbed it before.

It is now easily 5.11 or harder, as a key flake foothold is now gone, leaving you to try a one-armed (left handed at that) pullup on an insecure jam with no feet instead of the 5.10c move that it used to be with the foothold.

I tried to figure-four the thing for fun (and in desperation) but to no avail -- too pumped.

Five of us tried it, and no one could do the move. Aided it in the end.

I'm very curious if anyone else has climbed this one lately and if they have a different take on it????

[Bug]

quote:

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Originally posted by russ:

Got to disagree with Solid Gold being a "sport route" - if you only do the first pitch I could see the argument, but IMHO you haven't done the route if you rap after the first pitch.

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AAAArgh. I only remember bolts and topping out. But my memory............uhm.....Bob was there.

[kevin_page]

Crackhead, If you climb all the routes suggested you're going to have some trashed skin, so for other things to do when you can't climb try rounding out your stay with these diversions. Find the steel door cave in the vicinity of Steve Canyon. I was told it had been built by a rancher with a mentally ill daughter as a place to keep her safe (it was probably for food storage). Also, scramble up into the "space station" on Chimney Rock, it's a big hueco overlooking HV campground. A moonlight solo of "The Eye" on Cyclops Rock is a must as is hopping on the back of an RV for a ride to or from Echo Cove or the Wonderland, at least hop one for a trip around the campground. The ultimate is to climb up the ladder and "surf" on the roof. That inspired the route name, Ride A Wild Bago. And climb Headstone Rock so you can buy the postcard for your non-climbing relatives.