Climbing Photos - Joshua Tree Weekend (February 2006)

Jason, Devin, Jeff, & Shelley

Jeff, Shelley and I arrived early Saturday morning to Sheep's Pass Group site that Brian had reserved for a large San Diego crew to climb at. Being the first ones to arrive, the Rangers accosted us concerning discrepencies with the reservation dates. However, we setup camp and left notes for the rest of the team, including Devin who was to join us from L.A. He wound up finding us on the trail back from Saddle Rocks after we did the first pitch on "Walk on The Wild Side": 5.7+ **** (2+ pitches) but we just did the first.

Jeff makes it to the top

Shelley makes her way up.

She is over the little overhang

And makes it!

Shelley raps down, then I start out to the left. The route meanders quite a bit

Pulling one of the several kinda tricky moves on this route. Notice the trailing rope. This is so Jeff and I can rappell off of that very high up first belay station. You need 2 ropes to do this.

A pause at the overhang

Success! And time to come down, Jeff is freezing from being exposed to the Winter wind up there for close to an hour

We head over to "Watergate Rock" in the Comic Book Area. Jeff gets ready to lead the sketchy start of "The Big Lie" 5.8. Only 2 bolts and kinda run out. Watch out for that shakey pinnacle at the start!

Jeff leads the well-bolted classic "H.R. Hardman" 5.8 *

An mpeg of this route

H.R. Hardman

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Shelley is on one of the 3 routes we did out here on Watergate Rock. All very slabby and tons of fun

That's it for Saturday. Back to camp to change then in to town for a nice Thai Buffet. Quite good! And then stories and friends around a nice campfire to finish the day.

Sunday we head out to Lost Hoars area and my favorite climb of the day "Classic Corner" 5.7* just above the "Cockroach Crags". Maybe my favorite climb ever?

After we did "False Classic Corner" 5.8? as well Jeff wanted to take a stab at "R.S. Chicken Choker" 5.11b** !! After lots of hang-dogging and figuring out the sequence he actually made it up the route.

Devin made it up over the hump then lowered.. Then I give it a go, but this is as far as I could get, just didn't have the arm strength to hang upside down by my left arm as I needed to lunge up with the right to make the move

So lower away . . .

Shelley actually made it the furthest of the rest of us

After a long walk back to the car and a nice picnic lunch on the tailbed of the truck. We head home to S.D. after a satisfying weekend at J.Tree.