Statistics for trad climbs at Joshua Tree:

You may click on a location (in the left-most column), a climb type, or a person's name to show only the climbs in that location, of that type, or with that person.

Route
Click for details.		 Date Rating Type Pitches Partner(s) Comments
                                                                                                                        
Right Peyote Crack
The Outback (Peyote Cracks)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 My first crack climb. I struggled a bit at first, and fell a few times on the initial vertical (or over-vertical?) section. It was thin and flaring, probably not a great one for me… more
Middle Peyote Crack
The Outback (Peyote Cracks)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Ironically, though I fell on the previous one, I didn't on this one.
Left Peyote Crack (Bailed at start)
The Outback (Peyote Cracks)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.10 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 The start of this is virtually impossible to protect. Aaron took two (fortunately short) groundfalls trying. Ballnutz might work, but even the black alien wouldn't go. I think… more
Season Opener
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 A bit awkward because the crack traversed right, but not hard.
Double Cross
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.7+ **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Awesome crack... the first time I got to feel a really good hand jam.
Sail Away
Real Hidden Valley (Hidden Tower)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.8- **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Nice route... thin crack, but off-vertical. Got a bloody finger from a banged-up cuticle. Guess I should work on my thin crack technique.
Wild Wind
Real Hidden Valley (Hidden Tower)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Loose Lady
Real Hidden Valley (Houser Buttress)
 Tue, May 6
2003		 5.9+ **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Classic Joshua Tree friction climb. It was nearing dusk and getting pretty cold, and a gale-force wind kicked up. Feeling pretty sketched out, I stupidly climbed past the first… more
Room to Shroom
Barker Dam (Room to Shroom Area)
 Sun, Oct 5
2003		 5.9 **** 1 pitch
I followed.
Room to Shroom
Barker Dam (Room to Shroom Area)
 Sun, Oct 5
2003		 5.9 **** 1 pitch
I led.		 My first trad lead! I had just followed it and thought it was pretty easy, and we had hiked way out to the middle of nowhere, so I decided to try leading it. I knew the moves and… more
Dung Fu
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sun, Oct 5
2003		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Fun, and pretty easy. Unfortunately we didn't realize we needed a second rope for the rappel.
White LightningTrip Report
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sun, Oct 5
2003		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 The Chimichanga Epic (I bet you didn't think it was possible to have an epic at Joshua Tree. Okay, so it wasn't a real epic, just a delay of dinner, when we were starving for… more
The Labyrinth
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.7 1 pitch
I followed.		 Deserves a star or two
Wet Pigeon
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I followed.
Taurus
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.
Men With Cow's Heads
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.5 1 pitch
I led.
Solar Technology
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.
Annointed Seagull
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Mon, Jan 19
2004		 5.8 1 pitch
I followed.		 Deserves a star, maybe two. A little stiff for a 5.8?
Fiendish Fists
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 My first lead fall, onto a yellow alien. Followed very shortly thereafter by my second, onto a number 1 camalot. A good route overall, with thin hand crack up to off-hands.
Friendly Hands
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I followed.
Third World
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun, and not too hard. Traverse right well below the big roof, then move up the dihedral, mostly liebacking if I remember correctly.
The Harder They Fall
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Very fun, and not too hard at all. Even easier than Third World if you carefully look for the right moves, especially when moving around the roof. A “thinking man's crux”, just… more
The Dike
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.10c R ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Short Stop
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Wed, Mar 24
2004		 5.10a 1 pitch
I followed.		 Deserves a star. Fun, but really really short. Like 20 feet. Just a really thin finger crack.
Overhang Bypass/North Overhang
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Thu, Mar 25
2004		 5.9 *** 2 pitches
I led 1.		 I led the first pitch of Overhang Bypass (5.7) (we meant to do North Overhang, but started at the wrong place) then Aaron led the second pitch of North Overhang (5.9). The second… more
Tabby Litter
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Thu, Mar 25
2004		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 Pretty fun actually. We just did this to get up to Geronimo.
Geronimo (Got off route...)
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Thu, Mar 25
2004		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 We didn't really do this one right... the whole point is the roof crack. Someday we'll go back and do it the right way. Leave it to Joshua Tree to have a wide roof crack that's… more
Straight Flush
Hidden Valley Campground (Outhouse Rock)
 Thu, Mar 25
2004		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 Deserves a star. Really nice crack for the first 30 or 40 feet.
Dolphin
Split Rocks (Isles in the Sky)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun climb, and a good warm-up for the new J-Tree season. Beautiful hand crack down low, which opened up into an offwidth, but fortunately a low-angled one, toward the top.
Bird of Fire
Split Rocks (Isles in the Sky)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.10a **** 1 pitch
I led.		 My first 5.10 crack lead! It was a very good one, and not too hard, really. It looked like it would be harder at the top, where it overhung a little, but actually that part was… more
Grounder
Split Rocks (Isles Corridor)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.9 1 pitch
I followed.		 Fun, but short. Really good crack for the most part. Deserves a star or two.
Crack #5
Split Rocks (Isles Corridor)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.9+ *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Also fun but short... looked almost identical to Grounder, but it was a little harder near the top (mainly because it got wider.) I'm not sure why this one gets three stars when… more
Crack #6
Split Rocks (Isles Corridor)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 HEINOUS! This one got wide at the top, and there was a small overhang right where it started to get wide. I came reeeeally close to falling off this one; I actually started to fall… more
Crack A
Split Rocks (Isles Corridor)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.7+ 1 pitch
I followed.		 Very short, easy, and again very wide at the top, but by that point you don't need to use the crack at all.
Crack B
Split Rocks (Isles Corridor)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.9 1 pitch
I followed.		 Very short, and easy. Like two or three moves that might be 5.9. Then the crack opened up wide, but it was off-vertical enough that you didn't need it.
Exorcist
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Awesome thin crack, followed by giant jugs on the face. The crack reminded me very much of some of the thin cracks at Yosemite.
It
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.9 1 pitch
I followed.		 Fun climb, in two distinct sections. The lower one was a nice hand crack, a bit burly for the first few moves, then a bit wide higher up. This took you to a huge ledge, from which… more
Tiptoe
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.7+ ** 1 pitch
I led.		 The “midget staircase”, as Julia called it, which Aaron has told me about a few times. This was fun, and actually a bit harder than it looked.
Profundity
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Oct 16
2004		 5.10a 1 pitch
I led.		 This was only my second J-Tree friction climb (the first was Loose Lady, the first time I came here) and yet here I was leading it. Even though it was really short and should have… more
Conservative Policies
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.8 1 pitch
I followed.
Ain't Nothin But a J-Tree Thing
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.6 1 pitch
I followed.
Sarah followed this one, then I followed after her.
Count On Your Fingers
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 Mostly real easy...
No Calculators Allowed
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was cake until the very top, where there was a short overhang. The crux was pulling through that with thin hand jams... nice thin hand jams.
The Face of Tammy Faye
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.8 1 pitch
I followed.
This was also pretty easy. Sarah followed it, and didn't have much trouble.
Butterfingers Make Me Horny
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.8/9 1 pitch
I led.
This was way easy for a 5.8/9. Sarah followed this one too, and only had trouble with one move.
Chocolate Is Better Than Sex
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.9+ 1 pitch
I led.		 A bit weird and tricky at the start, but cool once I figured out the right technique. Totally cake after that.
Almost Vertical
Real Hidden Valley (Thin Wall)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.7 1 pitch
I followed.		 Complete piece of cake. Really, everything on Thin Wall was pretty soft.
Winds of Whoopee
Real Hidden Valley (Miles of Piles Rock)
 Sat, Oct 30
2004		 5.11a *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was Aaron's crazy idea... we were going to do Loose Lady, nearby, so that I could lead it. But there was a line at the base of it, so Aaron decided to do this climb instead.… more
200 Motels
Indian Cove (Rattlesnake Buttress)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.8 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Awesome, beautiful finger crack. Unfortunately it only lasted for about 20 feet. After that, the climb was basically over.
Taken For Granite
Indian Cove (Rattlesnake Buttress)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.8 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Very fun, albeit quite easy, route. Not such a stellar crack as the previous one, but still fun.
Cactus Cooler
Indian Cove (Rattlesnake Buttress)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was an excellent climb, which looked a lot harder than it actually was. Unfortunately, it's not very clean, so you have to be careful. Aaron led, and managed to place gear on… more
Right V Crack
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun route, and fairly difficult (for me anyway). I led it, and fell once. Dammit. I was so close to getting through the crux. (A lot of people have called this a 10c rather than… more
Bombay
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun. Easy. Good gear. (I used an offset nut.)
Calcutta
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Thu, Nov 11
2004		 5.7+ * 1 pitch
I followed.		 A one-move wonder. That one move is awkward, and warrants the 7+. The rest is barely fifth class.
Double Decker
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I followed.
Mr. Misty Kiss
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.
Biological Clock
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.9+ * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Definitely fun and deserves a star, but SO not a 5.9, and especially not 9+. This is a one-move wonder, and that one move is really more like 5.7 friction with a bolt right in… more
Frosty Cone
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Super fun. Nothing but jugs the whole way. Probably my favorite on the wall.
Scrumdillyishus
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Also super fun. Again, nothing but jugs the whole way. Aaron's favorite on the wall. Maybe mine too, especially with the fantastic knee-bar that I found.
A Hot Fudge
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.9 R * 1 pitch
I followed.		 It's indeterminate whether we did this one right, but I think we did the 5.9 (outside the huge groove, on the face) rather than the 5.10 (which I think goes up just inside the… more
Walk on the Wild Side
Sheep Pass (Saddle Rocks)
 Sat, Dec 4
2004		 5.7+ **** 2 pitches
I led 2.		 This was really fun, and gave me a little more (much needed) practice on J-Tree friction slabs. Actually, few moves were true friction moves, as there were lots of edges (hence the… more
Lean To (left)
Geology Tour Road (Perpetual Motion Wall)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.8 1 pitch
I followed.		 Got a little wide at the top... yuck.
Lean To (right)
Geology Tour Road (Perpetual Motion Wall)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.10 1 pitch
I led.		 The right crack was better than the left crack. Very thin, and a little funky at the top, but a good climb. Probably 5.10a, though the book doesn't specify.
Georgia O'Keefe
Geology Tour Road (Perpetual Motion Wall)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.10b 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a super fun friction route. I finally got some good practice doing friction climbs, and was able to lead this without falling.
Perpetual Motion
Geology Tour Road (Perpetual Motion Wall)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.10d *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was the goal for the day. Aaron led it of course, and he managed to onsight it, which was quite an impressive feat. I flailed quite a bit at the crux, unable to secure good… more
Orphan
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a pretty fun route, but a serious gruntfest at the top, where it got nasty wide.
The Flake
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This is an awesome route because it includes a little of everything. And of course, true to Joshua Tree style, even though it's a 5.8, it's not trivial. It starts with a chimney… more
Cranny
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Jan 22
2005		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
The Mikado
Indian Cove (The Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.6 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
La Reina
Indian Cove (The Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a pretty cool crack. The crux is at the very bottom. I stopped early on at a tricky stance to place pro, and after a minute my right foot slipped. Minor groundfall... oh… more
Crown Jewels
Indian Cove (The Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Duchess
Indian Cove (The Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.6 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was fun and easy, and probably the longest climb of the day since I went basically all the way to the top of the rock. During this route we also tested using a Cinch for… more
The Castrum
Indian Cove (The Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.10a * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a fun lead for me. The crux was fairly low, and involved very balancy moves with only a tiny finger-lock for one hand. Of course, the only good place for pro was in this… more
Cool Wind (aka The Rabbi or Red Beckey)
Indian Cove (Billboard Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.10a * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was fun and tricky. The crux was right at the top. The rest was definitely easier. The pro is pretty good all the way through.
Gait of Power
Indian Cove (Billboard Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.		 This climb is essentially a friction boulder problem with a long easy topout. The crux is a very tricky friction move right off the ground. I took three groundfalls in a row before… more
We Dive at Dawn
Indian Cove (Billboard Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was fun, and the crux involved a little bit of awkwardness, if I remember correctly.
Who's First
Indian Cove (Pixie Rock)
 Sat, Jan 29
2005		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a really fun little lead.
Yei-Bei-Chei Crack
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 A good, fairly short, not too hard crack, right next to Watanobe Wall, our real goal for the morning.
Watanobe Wall
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Good crack, with a well-protected crux near the beginning, then much easier after that.
Double Cross
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.7+ **** 1 pitch
I led.		 Still an awesome crack... although the awesome part is really just the first fifteen feet or so. And I really don't get why people claim this thing is so hard. It's definitely not… more
Geronimo
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Aaron led this, then we just pulled the rope through so I could lead it. As a result, I didn't actually have to place my own gear, but so what. This was super fun. Probably the… more
Heart and Sole
Echo Rock (West Face)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.10a **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was a fantastic climb. Aaron led it, but I wouldn't mind going back to lead it myself some time. It was quite a heady lead. I don't think I've ever seen Aaron take so much… more
Touch and Go
Echo Rock Area (Echo Cove)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.9 **** 1 pitch
I led.		 Great crack, and not entirely easy. There was a section at the beginning that was awkward and pretty tricky.
Stichter Quits
Echo Rock (West Face)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Great little friction route, and for a 5.7, it was tricky! Definitely required faith in one's rubber. NOTE: If you rappel this with a 60m rope, it will only get you to about… more
Looney Toons
The Outback (Rock Hudson)
 Sat, Feb 26
2005		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Really fun climb... soft for a 5.9, I thought. There was a mildly difficult section near the beginning, and an offwidth at the top, but otherwise it was easy. The offwidth gave me… more
Over The Hill
Quail Springs (Hound Rock)
 Sun, Mar 6
2005		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 We were in this area to do nearby Tossed Green and Right Baskerville Crack, so I was going to warm up on this one. It was kinda crappy, and we were freezing our asses off, so we… more
Papa Woolsey
Hidden Valley Campground (The Blob)
 Sun, Mar 6
2005		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This is a classic friction climb that I've been wanting to do for a while, so I'm glad I finally got a chance to. I fell at the first crux twice before figuring out a good… more
Buissonier
Hidden Valley Campground (The Blob)
 Sun, Mar 6
2005		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Corinne led this, to get some practice leading cracks. She had some trouble with it, and had to hang on gear a few times. Her placements were mostly pretty good, but still not all… more
Chalk Up Another One
Hidden Valley Campground (The Wall)
 Sun, Mar 6
2005		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was an excellent climb, mostly bolted, but with a little bit of crack at the end. A gray alien was sufficient pro. I almost fell at one point, but caught myself with a wee bit… more
Pumping Ego
Hidden Valley Campground (The Wall)
 Sun, Mar 6
2005		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was also fun, every bit as good as the previous one. Corinne led it well, and showed me up yet again, as I fell at one point while following it.
Palmreader
Indian Cove (Palmreader Wall)
 Sun, May 1
2005		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Great little hand crack, but way too short.
Scare Way
Indian Cove (Dos Equis Wall)
 Sun, May 1
2005		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Really a pretty nice climb. The lower part was pretty flaring and slanted significantly to the right, which made it technical (lots of smearing on the face with the right foot)… more
Flare Play
Indian Cove (Dos Equis Wall)
 Sun, May 1
2005		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was hard. To me it seemed quite stiff for 10b, although in retrospect, I suppose if I had seen the correct sequence at the crux, it might have been easier. Suffice it to say… more
Gem
Jumbo Rocks (Conan's Corridor)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Awesome hand crack. Truly awesome. This should have three or four stars. Aaron led this, for which I am exceedingly jealous.
Colorado Crack
Jumbo Rocks (Conan's Corridor)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.
This is the true classic of the area. Will (a.k.a. the Brit) led this, and made fairly short work of it, using almost nothing but nuts. Good man.
Spiderman
Jumbo Rocks (Conan's Corridor)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I led.
As usual, after two spectacular cracks, I get stuck with the offwidth. Actually, the first 80% of this was pretty nice, especially the thin part. There were a few parts where the… more
Winter Wine
Jumbo Rocks (Conan's Corridor)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.10c ** 1 pitch
I followed.
This was a real nice climb. It looked like there would be no pro (or marginal pro) at or before the crux, but Aaron was able to place two bomber nuts in the thin crack, and without… more
Prepackaged
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.
This was a fine, fine climb. The Brit started leading it, but backed down at the crux, which was near the start. I took over, and finished it up. The crux involves a very thin… more
Poodles Are People Too
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I followed.
This is one that Aaron and I have been wanting to do for a long time. It was well worth the wait. The first time we had looked at it, it looked runout and scary, but in fact there… more
Overseer
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sun, May 8
2005		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.
Also a very nice climb, but probably not quite as high quality as the previous two. The Brit led this one. He had some trouble at the crux headwall, near the top, but he cranked… more
No Self Respect
Wonderland of Rocks (The Flying Fortress)
 Sat, Oct 15
2005		 5.10c *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Flaring, sharp, unpleasant, and horribly wide in a few places. I have no idea why this has three stars in the guidebook, nor why Todd Gordon calls this a “Yosemite hand slammer”,… more
No Self Confidence
Wonderland of Rocks (The Flying Fortress)
 Sat, Oct 15
2005		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This climb was much more pleasant than the one next to it. This one was actually a really nice hand crack most of the way, but steep, so it wasn't totally easy. There was a small… more
The Old Man Down the Road/New Hampshire, Naturally
Wonderland of Rocks (The Fortress)
 Sat, Oct 15
2005		 5.10b 1 pitch
I followed.		 These are two parallel cracks that are about two feet apart at the base, but get a little bit farther apart as they go up. The left one, “New Hampshire, Naturally”, is a 10b, and… more
Such a Poodle
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.8+ 1 pitch
I led.		 This was easy, except for a one-move slab crux. I fell, here, but actually managed to catch myself, then I realized I was supposed to go further left to get around the tricky spot.
Spoodle
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was a fun one.
Poodles Are People Too
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I led.		 So good! I'm glad I got to lead it this time. I wish they made a tricam smaller than the pink one... it would have come in so handy right before the second crux.
Head Over Heels
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This is one of the coolest routes ever. We did the super fun variation to the roof, namely, we both hung underneath it and heel-hooked until we could pull around the lip. Probably… more
A Farewell to Poodles
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 Nice climb. First part is slightly tricky, but then it's just easy splitter hand crack for the rest.
The Old Man and the Poodle
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.8 1 pitch
I followed.		 Pretty nice. The guidebook shows a traverse in from the left, but I actually was able to do a direct start that was no harder. Furthermore, there's pro directly below the route in… more
Space Walk
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I led.		 The start of this sucked badly (really really badly, like breaking off a giant chunk of rock from 20 feet up badly) but once I got into the actual crack, it was quite cool. A very… more
For Whom the Poodle Tolls
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Oct 22
2005		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was the final Hemingway-named poodle route, and it was just as good as the other routes in this area. Just like the other 5.9 next to it, it had a slightly tricky start,… more
Double Cross
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Nov 5
2005		 5.7+ **** 1 pitch
I led.		 I went to J-Tree today with a bunch of friends from the UCLA Rock Wall, since Aaron was out of town for the weekend. Most of them just went to boulder or hike, or just relax, but… more
Scrumdillyishus
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Nov 19
2005		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Just as good as I remember it being. John had no trouble following this, although he did have trouble removing an alien until he remembered to pull the trigger instead of pushing… more
Frosty Cone
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Nov 19
2005		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun fun fun. If I remember correctly, Steven didn't have trouble with this one, but he was shocked to find blood on the rock. Oh the horror!
Mr. Misty Kiss
Lost Horse (Dairy Queen Wall)
 Sat, Nov 19
2005		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 As excellent as before, and it gave Steven (and Danielle and I think also John) a good bit of trouble at one or two places.
Butterfly Crack (Didn't get it this time...)
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Nov 19
2005		 5.11c *** 1 pitch
I led.		 I had been fantasizing about this thing since we'd first looked at it a month ago, and I really wanted to try leading it. We worked on a few moves at the start (the crux), and I… more
Practice Rehearsal
Lost Horse (Playhouse Rock)
 Sun, Nov 20
2005		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.		 Pretty nice, and easy. Gave our friends a wee little bit of crack experience.
The Playwright
Lost Horse (Playhouse Rock)
 Sun, Nov 20
2005		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.		 I ran up this, and Aaron quickly followed, just because it was a crack that looked like it had some potential to be good. Oh well. I guess to get our crack fix for the day, we'd… more
Butterfly Crack
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sun, Nov 20
2005		 5.11c *** 1 pitch
I led.		 I F***ING REDPOINTED THIS! Pardon my french, but damn, that felt awesome. I've had my eye on this climb ever since I first looked at it a month ago, and worked out some of the… more
Poppa Spider
Indian Cove (Spider Wall)
 Sun, Dec 4
2005		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Kinda fun, but quite short, and the rock quality here was not the greatest.
Momma Spider
Indian Cove (Spider Wall)
 Sun, Dec 4
2005		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 Interesting and a bit tricky for about one or two moves.
Direct South Face
Indian Cove (Moosedog Tower)
 Sun, Dec 4
2005		 5.9 *** 3 pitches
We did it in 2.
I led 1.		 Excellent, though the best part is definitely the roof. Other than that and a single balancy move at the very beginning of the last “pitch”, most of the climb is fairly easy, but… more
Third Time's a Charm
Indian Cove (Moosedog Tower)
 Sun, Dec 4
2005		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was awesome, and I was quite glad I got to lead it. It looked like the crux was going to be a wee bit runout, but it actually protected quite well. The crux is the short… more
Lucky Charms
Indian Cove (Moosedog Tower)
 Sun, Dec 4
2005		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 5.7 my ass. More like two moves of 5.5 followed by lots of 4th class and 5.easy. Okay, actually we did this slightly wrong. This climb and Third Time's a Charm cross each other, so… more
The Swift
Lost Horse (Lost Horse Wall)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.7 ** 2 pitches
I led 1.		 This was pretty fun and easy. The “improbable move right” was not too improbable, and was heavily chalked.
Bird on a Wire
Lost Horse (Lost Horse Wall)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.10a *** 2 pitches
I led 1.		 This was excellent. I led the first pitch, and unfortunately for Aaron I ran it almost to the top, leaving him with only a 30-foot easy pitch. I also protected the climb almost… more
Dappled Mare/Roan Way
Lost Horse (Lost Horse Wall)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.8 ** 2 pitches
I led 1.		 I led the first pitch of Dappled Mare, then Aaron did Roan Way instead of the usual finish, since he had done Dappled Mare before. Both pitches were nice. The second was a full 200… more
Right Lizard Crack
Lost Horse (Lizard's Hangout)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was fun, and a bit tricky, but quite short.
Left Lizard Crack
Lost Horse (Lizard's Hangout)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.10d R * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was super fun, with a very short crux. And I highly disagree with the R. The crux protected well with nuts, and probably would have taken cams as well. The upper part was… more
Chicken Lizard
Lost Horse (Lizard's Hangout)
 Tue, Dec 13
2005		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.		 This seemed like the hardest climb of the day, because it was pretty sustained. And this one deserved the R, not Left Lizard Crack. It protected decently well, but the hardest… more
Rock-A-Lot
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 A good easy start to the day.
Young Lust
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Really nice climb, but a bit soft.
Euthyphro
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Really nice climb, but a bit soft.
Spitwad
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Excellent climb, but also a bit soft for 10a. More like 5.9.
Smithereens
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Very nice climb.
Split Personality
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Good one, and it felt harder than all the 9's and the 10a on the left side of the wall. The upper part is an excellent thin crack. At the top of this, while belaying Aaron up, a… more
Rock Candy
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Fun, and definitely more solid for the grade than the stuff to the left. While Aaron was leading, the peregrine falcon I'd seen at the top of Split Personality flew by again, but… more
Double Dogleg
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun and easy... but maybe harder than the 5.8 further to the right! At the top of this climb, the peregrine falcon I'd seen on the previous two routes flew by again, this time even… more
Beck's Bet
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Very easy. Aaron on-sight free soloed this without even meaning to. He just ran up it without feeling any need to place gear.
Uncle Fester
Lost Horse (Left Hand of Darkness)
 Sun, Jan 29
2006		 5.10d * 1 pitch
I led.		 I onsighted this! This was probably my hardest onsight yet, so I was quite proud. It's an outstanding, clean, super-thin crack, and the crux is very short: about two or three moves… more
North Overhang
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Feb 12
2006		 5.9 *** 2 pitches
I led 1.		 We warmed up on this one. Aaron took the first easy pitch, and I took the second. Quite embarassingly, I fell at the crux of this. Especially weird considering that I've followed… more
Lower/Upper Right Ski Track
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Feb 12
2006		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was a pretty cool climb. The crux protects pretty well, but you have to really decide whether you can fight the pump long enough to place gear. Aaron found it easier to just… more
Left Ski Track
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Feb 12
2006		 5.11a *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 I flashed this! Too bad I was following, but still, I was pretty psyched about it. Aaron had to hang a few times, but this was at least partly because he was worried about the… more
Half Track
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Feb 12
2006		 5.10a * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a great little route, and pretty tricky. The start is nearly impossible to protect, and is probably the crux, with delicate friction moves and a few tiny crimps. The seam… more
Keep the Ball Rolling
The Outback (Rollerball Formation)
 Sat, Mar 4
2006		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 Fun and pretty easy. Looked like it had some loose stuff, but it was mostly pretty solid.
Rollerball
The Outback (Rollerball Formation)
 Sat, Mar 4
2006		 5.10b **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Sweet climb. The roof was a bit pumpy, but the jams were just unbelievably good. Aaron onsighted this. I unfortunately fell at the lower technical crux, mostly due to carelessness.… more
Illusion Dweller
Real Hidden Valley (The Sentinel)
 Sat, Mar 4
2006		 5.10b ***** 1 pitch
I led.		 AKA The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. I finally got to climb this classic, and after all the hype from various friends of mine, I was really glad I onsighted it.… more
Clean and Jerk
Real Hidden Valley (Sports Challenge Rock)
 Sat, Mar 4
2006		 5.10c **** 1 pitch
I followed.		 I freakin' flashed this! Once again, though, I was following, and in this case, that made a huge difference. With Left Ski Track, which we did the last time we were here, I felt… more
Ace of Spades
Quail Springs (White Cliffs of Dover)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Nice hand crack. I started up the dihedral and delayed the decision of which of the two beautiful three-star 5.9 hand cracks to choose. When I reached the point where they… more
Popular Mechanics
Quail Springs (White Cliffs of Dover)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Aaron led the right hand crack, up the main dihedral. Also really nice.
Digital Watch
Quail Springs (White Cliffs of Dover)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.10d ** 1 pitch
I led.		 I led this, and unfortunately hang-dogged it quite a bit before I figured out that the best approach was to layback it. It was tricky, but not too bad, and it protected quite well.
Jack of Hearts
Quail Springs (White Cliffs of Dover)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This started out as a really really nice hand crack. I think it loses a star or two at the end, but it's not really bad or anything. However, Aaron got the rope pinched in the… more
Tossed Green
Quail Springs (Hound Rock)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was an excellent thin crack, and one I'd wanted to do for a long time.
An Eye to the West
Quail Springs (Hound Rock)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was the decent looking 5.9 hand crack to the left of Tossed Green. It was pretty nice, but probably nothing to write home about. After this climb, as we were walking around to… more
Right Baskerville Crack
Quail Springs (Baskerville Rock)
 Sun, Apr 30
2006		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 An excellent, short, tricky climb. The crux was really one fairly pumpy move, essentially doing a pullup on a large crimp, and desperately reaching for a finger-lock. The move was… more
S.O.B.
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Sat, Nov 25
2006		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.

This trip was to give my noob friends a little more trad and crack experience, and maybe even let them lead something super easy. Basically, most of the weekend was “Will's… more
Donna T's Route
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Sat, Nov 25
2006		 5.5 1 pitch
I led.

A second easy crack for the crack workshop.
Court Jester
Indian Cove (Feudal Wall)
 Sat, Nov 25
2006		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.

A third easy crack, and a much longer one. I ended up having to belay one person at a time from the top, and lower each one individually.
Tom's Solo
Indian Cove (Pixie Rock)
 Sun, Nov 26
2006		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.

This was fun, albeit a bit dirty. It was also a tad pumpy for a 5.7, so my friends all struggled a bit. Erica was also a bit hungover.
Who's First
Indian Cove (Pixie Rock)
 Sun, Nov 26
2006		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I led.

Fun and easy, just as before.
Double Crack
Indian Cove (Short Wall)
 Sun, Nov 26
2006		 5.3 * 1 pitch
I led.

I led this, then set up a top-rope and a fixed line next to it. Erica, Danielle, and Steven each took a turn “mock leading” it, with someone belaying them on the top-rope, but… more
Sail Away
Real Hidden Valley (Hidden Tower)
 Sat, Dec 9
2006		 5.8- **** 1 pitch
I followed.
I hadn't done these since my first trip to Joshua Tree over three years ago, so I decided they would be a fun way to end the day. Brian led this one.
Wild Wind
Real Hidden Valley (Hidden Tower)
 Sat, Dec 9
2006		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I led.
We just barely got up this one before dark. John made it up with basically no real difficulty, which was good.
Stichter Quits
Echo Rock (West Face)
 Sun, Dec 10
2006		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I followed.
Brian led this one. Easy and fun.
Double Dip
Echo Rock (West Face)
 Sun, Dec 10
2006		 5.6 ** 1 pitch
I led.
Fun, and about as easy as a Joshua Tree slab gets (i.e. still not trivial).
Heart and Sole
Echo Rock (West Face)
 Sun, Dec 10
2006		 5.10a **** 1 pitch
I led.
I really wanted to lead this, as I remember how heady it was when Aaron led it. This really is an awesome route, both as a slab and as a crack.
Pope's Crack
Echo Rock (South End)
 Sun, Dec 10
2006		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.
Brian led this. Quite a nice crack.
Annointed Seagull
Lost Horse (Atlantis Wall)
 Sun, Dec 17
2006		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.

This was a cold December day! I thought we would find morning sun at Atlantis Wall, but we had no such luck. After one climb, we left the area to seek sun and warmth elsewhere.
The Flake
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Dec 17
2006		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.

It was still freezing here, even though this faced what little sun was in the sky. I wanted to do this excellent route to give Jackie and the rest of the gang a taste of ALL that… more
Karpkwitz
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sun, Dec 17
2006		 5.6 1 pitch
I followed.
Will really wanted to lead something with his shiney new set of nuts, so I figured this would be a good choice. I followed first and checked out his gear placements, which were… more
Damper
Hidden Valley Campground (Chimney Rock)
 Fri, Feb 2
2007		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I led.
I never thought I would really enjoy a fist crack, but this thing was pretty sweet! Really locker fist jams! Getting down from the top in the dark was almost an epic though.
Pete's Handful
Hidden Valley Campground (The Blob)
 Sat, Feb 3
2007		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Nathaniel led this. It was fairly short, but pretty damn pumpy for a 10a.
Chicken Mechanics
Lost Horse (Ken Black Memorial Dome)
 Sat, Feb 3
2007		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.
This was super fun, and I'm glad I got to lead it.
Poultry Pilots
Lost Horse (Ken Black Memorial Dome)
 Sat, Feb 3
2007		 5.7 1 pitch
I followed.
Aaron led this.
Blackheart
Lost Horse (Ken Black Memorial Dome)
 Sat, Feb 3
2007		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.
This was devious! At one point I just stood there for a minute or two trying to figure out what the hell to do next. It ended up being a pretty cool move, not too terribly… more
Hands Off
Hidden Valley Campground (The Wall)
 Sun, Feb 4
2007		 5.8 *** 1 pitch
I led.
Very nice finger crack! Danielle had little difficulty with it. Indy also enjoyed hanging out at the base of the route!
Mike's Books
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Feb 4
2007		 5.8 ** 2 pitches
I led 0.
After having a very lazy climbing day, because we were all just really tired, we decided to finish up on this. Aaron led both pitches, and Danielle followed with little difficulty.
Palmreader
Indian Cove (Palmreader Wall)
 Sun, Mar 4
2007		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.
I of course wanted to do some crack, and we were camped a stone's throw from the world's shortest perfect splitter hand-crack. So as soon as we were all up and about, I got some… more
Plain But Good Hearted
Indian Cove (King Otto's Castle)
 Sun, Mar 4
2007		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I led.		 After Palmreader, we were looking for something easy to set up a top-rope on for a few of Erica's friends who had never climbed before. This was a fun and easy route, but I again… more
Main Face (a.k.a. Call of the West)
Indian Cove (Willit Pillar)
 Sun, Mar 4
2007		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I led.
This was fun, and gave me a chance to do something at least a little challenging. Danielle followed, but got stuck at the final right-slanting crack (which was a bit tricky), and… more
Just Another Roadside Attraction
Lost Horse (Roadside Rock)
 Sun, Oct 14
2007		 5.7+ * 1 pitch
I led.		 I've driven by this route more times than I can count, and I've thought about doing it many times. Aaron has mentioned it many times, I think just because it was rated 5.9 in the… more
Baby Roof
Wonderland of Rocks (Ellesmere Island)
 Sun, Oct 14
2007		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was really fun, but way too short. From far away, the roof looks pretty big and difficult, but it's quite easy. In fact, the old book rates this 5.8, but the new one… more
Aftermath
Wonderland of Rocks (Ellesmere Island)
 Sun, Oct 14
2007		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Freaking awesome crack! The old book gave this three stars, the new one only two. I've kept it at three, because in my humble opinion this route deserves four or five. The first… more
Baby Face
Wonderland of Rocks (Ellesmere Island)
 Sun, Oct 14
2007		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.		 This was fun, and as J-Tree slabs always are, a bit spicy, even for a 5.7. The bolts were old rusty button-heads, and there were only two of them.
Andromeda Strain
Quail Springs (APFA Rock)
 Sun, Oct 14
2007		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This one was recommended to us by a couple we met early in the day at Roadside Rock. It was fun, and relatively long for a J-Tree route. I had lost a nut and quickdraw on Roadside… more
Silkworm
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sat, Oct 27
2007		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.

Started with a long scramble up a gulley. The actual 5.6 crack after that was pretty good, but short. I just stayed at the top and belayed the others up from there, since it just… more
Wilma Rubble
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sat, Oct 27
2007		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a really nice crack, and deserves at least a star or two. Easy, but really good. I led it and just set a top-rope for Jeremy, Sharon, and Janet to use. They all got up it… more
Smooth as Silk
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sat, Oct 27
2007		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Excellent crack, and deserves more than just one star. Without a doubt the best easy finger crack that I've climbed in the monument. I led it, set a top-rope, then rapped off so I… more
Thigh Master
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sat, Oct 27
2007		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a very cool route, with a very non-trivial crux. I think it took me a solid two minutes to figure out what to do with my feet at the crux move. Unfortunately, the crux was… more
Butterfly Crack
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Oct 27
2007		 5.11c *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Since we had Jeremy's crash pad with us, and I wanted to climb something harder than 5.9 today, I decided to revisit this old friend. I bouldered through the crux once, to refresh… more
Freeway
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sun, Nov 4
2007		 5.7 R * 1 pitch
I led.
This was an interesting route. Mostly very easy, and not as run-out as it looked. Some of the “exits” off the freeway looked a bit interesting, but I wasn't thoroughly inspired to… more
Cake Walk
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sun, Nov 4
2007		 5.8 *** 1 pitch
I led.
This was quite nice, but if I were assigning the stars, I'd give Dinkey Doinks three and this one two. This one had a more discontinuous crack and I got very few really satisfying… more
Dinkey Doinks
Lost Horse (Tiny Tots Rock)
 Sun, Nov 4
2007		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.
This was excellent, and felt quite easy to me, but both Danielle and Marisa had significant difficulty with the initial part of the crack. For me the crack was marvelous, as were… more
Date Rape
Lost Horse (Tiny Tots Rock)
 Sun, Nov 11
2007		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Despite the name, this is a really fun route. I'm thoroughly amazed at the plethora of high quality routes in this small area. Jackie had some difficulty with the start of this,… more
Tinker Toys
Lost Horse (Tiny Tots Rock)
 Sun, Nov 11
2007		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Jackie didn't think she was up to doing this one, so she followed Darrin up Cake Walk while Brian followed me up this, even though he had just led it.
Nobody Walks in L.A.
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sun, Nov 11
2007		 5.9 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 For a long pitch, this is a bit of a one-move wonder, and then it's all jugs (which made it quite fun!) From the ground, with several little roofs to climb through, it looked like… more
The Talking Fish
Lost Horse (Freeway Wall)
 Sun, Nov 11
2007		 5.10c/d *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Incredible route. The first half is sustained, sport-like slab-ish climbing on edges protected by bolts that follow a seam, though you rarely actually use the seam. There's one… more
Dogleg
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Mon, Nov 12
2007		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Since I wanted to warm up on something easier before we tackled the harder routes we had planned for the day, and I wanted Jackie to have a chance to climb something reasonably… more
Hobbit Roof
Hidden Valley Campground (The Blob)
 Mon, Nov 12
2007		 5.10d ** 1 pitch
I led.
I wish I had tried this one earlier this year when Aaron and Nathaniel and I were considering doing it... it would have been a great confidence boost! This route is SOOO not .10d!… more
Coarse and Buggy
Roadside Rocks (Dihedral Rock)
 Mon, Nov 12
2007		 5.11a/b **** 1 pitch
I led.		 FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC! One of my goals for the weekend was to finally get on this route, and I'm really glad now that I did. This route is absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately I… more
Butterfly Crack
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Mon, Nov 12
2007		 5.11c *** 1 pitch
I followed.		 Brian wanted to look at this and boulder the start, and maybe actually climb it. I convinced him to rope up and climb the whole thing, and then followed him up it. It felt so much… more
Kate's Bush
Lost Horse (Bush Dome)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.8 * 2 pitches
We did it in 1.
I led 1.		 This was a nice, fairly straightforward warmup. I don't know why on earth the book gives this two pitches, except for the fact that there happens to be a big ledge halfway up. But… more
Chestwig
Lost Horse (Bush Dome)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.10a ** 2 pitches
We did it in 1.
I led 1.		 This started with a nice thin crack, and ended with a decent hand crack. The crux was definitely the lower part, but it didn't feel too bad to me.
Other Voices
Lost Horse (Mel's Diner)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Matt wanted to try leading something fairly easy, so he decided to try this one. About halfway up, it becomes a real crack climb, and you have to hang on hand and foot jams while… more
I Love Brian Piccolo
Lost Horse (Mel's Diner)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.8+ * 1 pitch
I led.		 Since the last climb brought us up to the upper right end of Mel's Diner, we decided to do this climb, since we had seen it from the ground and it looked kind of nice. Of course,… more
Left Mel Crack
Lost Horse (Mel's Diner)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.10b/c *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was quite sweet. The real crux is down low, not actually on the slab at the beginning where I expected it to be, but in getting around the first little overhang. After that,… more
Right Mel Crack
Lost Horse (Mel's Diner)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.10c ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was harder but less sustained than the previous one, hence the rating and the stars. The crux was basically one move, right near the beginning and well protected by two nuts,… more
Lizard Skin (a.k.a. Blue Belly)
Lost Horse (Lizard's Hangout)
 Sun, Dec 16
2007		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was fun and mostly easy. It was basically an easy boulder problem at the beginning, then a short jug-fest after that. I placed two nuts.
Dappled Mare
Lost Horse (Lost Horse Wall)
 Sat, Jan 12
2008		 5.8 *** 3 pitches
We did it in 2.
I led 2.		 A very good climb. The traverse down and left on the last pitch seems like a less aesthetic variation than continuing straight up the crack (going straight up is “Roan Way”, which… more
Mare's Tail
Lost Horse (Lost Horse Wall)
 Sat, Jan 12
2008		 5.9 * 3 pitches
We did it in 2.
I led 2.		 This was fun, and only had a few slightly tricky spots. It did have a slightly scary section, where there was a large block sticking out of the wide crack, and you had almost no… more
B-1
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Jan 12
2008		 5.1 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 We did this just so Janet could practice placing gear and building anchors. She placed one nut and three cams. The first placement (a #13 Stopper) was completely and utterly… more
Hans Solo
Stirrup Tank (Zippy Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a very fun, albeit short, climb.
Free As Can Be
Stirrup Tank (Zippy Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.7 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was a good little route, and Janet's gear placements were much better than the last time I saw her lead. They still weren't perfect, but very good.
Die Young
Stirrup Tank (Zippy Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 This was an interesting little route. It was really more of a slab climb than a crack, but with a shallow seam for gear.
Gargoyle
Stirrup Tank (Zippy Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.6 1 pitch
I followed.		 This is an outstanding amazing excellent hand crack, and deserves at least three stars. Janet led it with no trouble at all, and her gear placements were very good.
Peter Easter Pumpkin Eater (Start was hard!)
Stirrup Tank (Stirrup Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.10c 1 pitch
I led.		 There's NO way the start of this thing is only .10c, unless I missed some serious beta or something. The line itself looked quite striking from a distance, when I saw it from the… more
Do Or Dike
Stirrup Tank (Stirrup Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 This was an odd but fun climb, up a steep dike/crack kinda thing.
Jugular Vein
Stirrup Tank (Stirrup Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 A very pretty line, and a lot of fun. I fully believe several of the climbs in this area, including this one, deserve a star or three, but I think the area was rarely visited at… more
New Toy
Stirrup Tank (Stirrup Rock)
 Sat, Mar 8
2008		 5.6 1 pitch
I followed.		 This was fun and easy, and Janet led it without any difficulties.
Jessica's Crack
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sun, Mar 9
2008		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.		 Janet started up this, but bailed when it got really wide near the top. From the beginning it seemed like her head wasn't really in it. Her gear placements were mostly very good… more
Lazy Day
Sheep Pass (South Horror Rock)
 Sun, Mar 9
2008		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Janet again started up the first few feet of this, but her head just wasn't in it again, so I took over.
Jaws
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sun, Mar 9
2008		 5.6 R *** 1 pitch
I led.		 I saw this in the book, and someone we were talking to recommended it, despite the R rating. It was definitely VERY runout, but a good introduction to easy chimneying. I placed a… more
Diamond Dogs
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sun, Mar 9
2008		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was excellent, and I'm really glad I finally got to climb something a little bit hard on this trip. Aaron and I had looked at this a few years ago, and I don't remember why we… more
Skinny Dip
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Dec 6
2008		 5.7 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Crazy route! And kinda cool. You really have to be skinny to do this thing. Seriously, I think I'm about as skinny as a healthy man can be, and I could barely fit through the part… more
Tennis Shoe Crack
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Dec 6
2008		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a really nice crack, but quite short. The most fun part for me was watching Peter follow it without jamming. He started out liebacking, and promptly fell. Closer to the… more
Super Roof
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Dec 6
2008		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was interesting, and kinda fun, but it really wasn't a “roof crack” as I'd always heard. The crack you follow out the roof is huge, so to actually crack climb it would make it… more
Toe Jam
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Dec 6
2008		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 I'm glad I finally got to do this one. There wasn't even a line, although there was a party of four people doing the route just to the right of this, a .10b called Judas that… more
Judas
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Dec 6
2008		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.		 This is the one right next to Toe Jam. It's basically a thin hands boulder problem, followed by a super easy slab, then one 5.9 slab move, then the second half of Toe Jam. The crux… more
Whiskey
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.6 1 pitch
I led.		 This was short and easy, but reasonably good, basically a one-move wonder, with the crux right off the ground. Thuy followed it without difficulty.
Gin Fizz
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.7 R 1 pitch
I led.		 Another short one, also with the only tricky move coming right off the ground. Also not really all that runout.
Scotch
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.6 R 1 pitch
I led.		 Another short one, also with the only tricky move coming right off the ground. This one was runout, but the runout was in the really easy middle section.
Scotch With a Twist
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.8 R 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a little trickier, but still mostly a one-move crux right off the ground. This also wasn't really that runout.
AA
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.7 1 pitch
I led.		 This was short but really nice. The thin crack down low was fun, and the hand crack up above was awesome. The first part of it was a little wide, so Thuy had to use fists for a lot… more
The Haberdashery
Indian Cove (Circle Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 This was pretty nice. I thought it was quite a bit better than most of the other routes on this rock. The crux involved rather shaky flaring hand jams, but on low-angled rock, and… more
Genuine Cowhide
Indian Cove (Campfire Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a pretty good one, and felt fairly tricky for 10a. But the crux was really just kind of pumpy face climbing on pretty good holds, protected by a bolt. Once you got into… more
Heart Slab
Indian Cove (Campfire Crag)
 Sun, Dec 14
2008		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 The guidebook says this has five bolts, which is a lie. Furthermore, it indicates that two of them are below the big horizontal gash in the middle, and not only did I not see any… more
Mental Physics
Wonderland of Rocks (Lenticular Dome)
 Sat, Jan 31
2009		 5.7+ **** 2 pitches
I led 2.		 I think this is the first time I've ever hiked way out into the Wonderland looking for a particular crag, and actually found it without getting completely lost for at least a… more
Dazed and Confused
Wonderland of Rocks (Lenticular Dome)
 Sat, Jan 31
2009		 5.9 *** 2 pitches
I led 2.		 This was an excellent slab route. Thuy fell once on the first pitch, but otherwise had no difficulty. Like Mental Physics next to it, the second pitch had no pro other than one… more
West Face Overhang
Hidden Valley Campground (Chimney Rock)
 Sat, Feb 21
2009		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 It's funny the kind of attention you get if you take a beautiful, voluptuous blonde to Joshua Tree for some climbing. I unfortunately attracted a little attention myself while… more
The Flue
Hidden Valley Campground (Chimney Rock)
 Sat, Feb 21
2009		 5.8 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was an outstanding climb: a fun juggy start, followed by a long right-slanting crack that afforded excellent jams most of the way. I can hardly believe I've climbed so many… more
Howard's Horror (direct start)
Hidden Valley Campground (Chimney Rock)
 Sat, Feb 21
2009		 5.10b * 1 pitch
I led.		 I had a little trouble figuring out the start of this route at first, but once I got the idea, it was mostly a one-move wonder. With the regular start, the route is only 5.7. I was… more
Bat CrackTrip Report
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sat, Feb 21
2009		 5.5 * 2 pitches
I led 2.		 This was pretty fun for me, but perhaps not so pleasant for Amanda. Also, I have to admit it felt a little stout for 5.5... but I guess I'm not a wide-crack hardman like back in… more
Tiptoe
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sat, Feb 21
2009		 5.7+ ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Amanda had no real difficulty with this, but was slightly sketched out, and climbed past a bolt without unclipping it once. Funny... reminds me of my first trip to Joshua Tree.
Nurn's Romp
Sheep Pass (Hall of Horrors)
 Sat, Feb 28
2009		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This is an outstanding crack, and I really don't know why I haven't done it before, considering that I've climbed routes on this wall at least twice before. Perhaps it was always… more
Walk on the Wild Side (Not enough time)
Sheep Pass (Saddle Rocks)
 Sat, Feb 28
2009		 5.7+ **** 2 pitches
We climbed 1.
I led 1.		 It's quite a bummer having to add this to my climbing log... didn't make it up a two-pitch route in Joshua Tree before dark. Jeez. Really, it was pretty dumb of us to think we… more
Invisibility Lessons
Split Rocks (Future Games Rock)
 Sun, Mar 1
2009		 5.9 **** 1 pitch
I led.		 This is a fantabulicious crack! The lower part involves some technical footwork before you get to the actual crack. The crux is a 10-foot section of thin hands immediately after a… more
Continuum
Split Rocks (Future Games Rock)
 Sun, Mar 1
2009		 5.8+ *** 1 pitch
I led.		 This one was also excellent, although not as high quality as Invisibility Lessons. The start was probably the crux, a steep but short section of thin hands (with other more… more
Overhang Bypass
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Mar 1
2009		 5.7 *** 2 pitches
I led 2.		 I can't believe it has taken me this long to get around to doing this über-classic that's right there in the Campground! I think every other time I've considered it, it's been… more
The Eye
Hidden Valley Campground (Cyclops Rock)
 Sun, Mar 1
2009		 5.3 *** 1 pitch
I led.		 Holy crap this is a fun easy route! Next time I'm in the general vicinity of the Campground with a noob, I should do this. Or for that matter, next time I'm in the Campground and… more
Right Sawdust Crack
Quail Springs (Trashcan Rock)
 Sun, Mar 1
2009		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This is another route that I can't believe I haven't done before, considering how often I finish the day at Trashcan Rock. It's a pretty nice crack that starts at thin hands and… more
Mr. Bunny versus Six Unknown Agents
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I led.		 A fun route, but short and mostly really easy. A nut that I placed got stuck pretty badly, and Thuy worked on it for a while with no success. So I decided we could do the route… more
Mr. Bunny's Tax Shelter
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.5 1 pitch
I led.		 This was easy, but quite fun. I think I'd give it a few stars.
H & R Block
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Thuy's first lead! I had noticed this in the guidebook, and when we got to the top of Mr. Bunny versus Six Unknown Agents and I saw it up close, I immediately thought it would be a… more
Tax Man
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.10a **** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was of course the goal for the day. This is one of those routes that I've been meaning to get on forever, and I can't believe I've gone this long without trying it. It's quite… more
Bloody Tax Break
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.10b ** 1 pitch
I led.		 An excellent climb, and it actually seemed somewhat easier than Tax Man, just because it had really nice rests throughout. I placed nothing but nuts until the very end, where I… more
Mr. Bunny's Refund Check
Lost Horse (IRS Wall)
 Sun, Apr 26
2009		 5.10a ** 1 pitch
I led.		 Yet another beautiful straight-in thin crack, albeit a little shorter than the previous two. Clearly, if you like 10a/b finger cracks, IRS Wall is a prime spot. Thuy once again… more
The Old Man and the Poodle
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 16
2010		 5.8 1 pitch
I led.		 All of these Hemingway poodle routes were just as good the second time around as I had remembered them being. This one deserves a star or two. This time I again did the direct… more
For Whom the Poodle Tolls
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 16
2010		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 This one deserves at least two stars in my opinion. Just as I had remembered, it had a couple of tricky moves at the beginning, but the rest was much easier. Amanda struggled with… more
A Farewell to Poodles
Lost Horse (Hemingway Buttress)
 Sat, Jan 16
2010		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 This one also deserves at least two stars, in my opinion. I think it's not as sustained as For Whom the Poodle Tolls right next to it, but the quality of the climbing on it is… more
Walk on the Wild SideTrip Report
Sheep Pass (Saddle Rocks)
 Sat, Jan 16
2010		 5.7+ **** 2 pitches
I led 2.		 This was a truly sublime way to finish the day, although getting down turned out to be a mini-epic. I really should try to start being more attuned to the, shall we say,… more
The Enforcer
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.		 Although very short, this climb was pretty decent. Helene found the crux move to be really reachy, and actually had to pull on a piece of gear to get through it.
The Hit
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.9 1 pitch
I led.		 This was a one-move wonder. That one move was maybe 5.9, but the rest was cake.
Biscuit Eater
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.10a * 1 pitch
I led.		 An excellent and really interesting route! I rather stupidly fell on it just as I was exiting the crux section. I just got kind of sloppy, I think... really dumb. After I fell, I… more
The Bruiser
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.10c ** 1 pitch
I led.		 This was one of my goals for the day, and I flashed it. That made me pretty happy. It was mostly just very technical, with reasonably good but not excellent rests along the way. It… more
SniperTrip Report
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.11a ** 1 pitch
I led.		 I flailed on this pretty badly, although really only on the crux section. I would say that this is a pretty serious lead. Even after having finished it, I don't know if I would… more
Woman's Work Is Never Done
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.10c ** 1 pitch
I led.		 As soon as I saw this crack from the base of Hit Man Rock, where we started the day, I thought it looked amazing. When I looked in the guidebook, I was not surprised to find out… more
Blue Collar
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.4 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Helene led this just to practice placing gear. She placed mostly nuts, because she thought she especially needed practice placing those... and, well, she was kind of right. Her nut… more
Corn Flakes
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Feb 14
2010		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I followed.		 Helene led this one to practice placing leading and placing gear. Apparently she is a very fast learner, because her nut placements were much much better this time than on the… more
Double Cross
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.7+ *** 1 pitch
I led.
Geronimo
Hidden Valley Campground (The Old Woman)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.7 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Sidewinder
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.10b **** 1 pitch
I followed.
Super Roof
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I followed.
Pinched Rib
Hidden Valley Campground (Chimney Rock)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.10a *** 1 pitch
I led.
The Flake
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sat, Oct 16
2010		 5.8 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Lurleen Never Tried It
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Sat, Oct 30
2010		 5.7 1 pitch
I followed.
Live From Tasmania
Lost Horse (Jimmy Cliff)
 Sat, Oct 30
2010		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.
Mr. Michael Goes to Washington
Lost Horse (Rock Garden Valley)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.7/8 * 1 pitch
I led.
North Overhang
Hidden Valley Campground (Intersection Rock)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.9 *** 2 pitches
I led 2.
Rollerball
The Outback (Rollerball Formation)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.10b **** 1 pitch
I led.
Keep the Ball Rolling
The Outback (Rollerball Formation)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.
Woman's Work Is Never Done
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.10c ** 1 pitch
I led.
Corn Flakes
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.6 * 1 pitch
I followed.
Working Overtime
The Outback (Steve Canyon)
 Sun, Nov 14
2010		 5.9 * 1 pitch
I led.
Pope's Crack, Direct Finish
Echo Rock (South End)
 Sat, Nov 27
2010		 5.10b *** 1 pitch
I led.		 I hadn't realized it the first time I did this, but we did the wrong finish. Apparently what Schuster did then was the finish of Moment's Notice (5.6 R): near the end of the… more
Effigy Too
Echo Rock Area (Echo Cove)
 Sat, Nov 27
2010		 5.10a/b *** 1 pitch
I led.
Dummy's Delight
Real Hidden Valley (Houser Buttress)
 Sat, Nov 27
2010		 5.9 *** 1 pitch
I led.
Sphincter Quits
Real Hidden Valley (Sports Challenge Rock)
 Sun, Nov 28
2010		 5.9+ *** 1 pitch
I led.
Leaping Leaner
Real Hidden Valley (Locomotion Rock)
 Sun, Nov 28
2010		 5.6 ** 1 pitch
I followed.
Snnfchtt
Real Hidden Valley (Locomotion Rock)
 Sun, Nov 28
2010		 5.8 * 1 pitch
I led.
Jumping Jehoshaphat
Real Hidden Valley (Locomotion Rock)
 Sun, Nov 28
2010		 5.7 * 1 pitch
I followed.