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Slideshow (108 photos)

Joshua Tree (map)
 

Web site for climbing at Joshua Tree

 

Unknown: Allen begins a lead

 

John organizes the rack on an early visit to Joshua Tree

Flowering joshua tree (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

  Bighorn Mating Grotto
 

Dangling Woo Li Master: Steep ground in the Bighorn Mating Grotto

 

Taped up hands after a day of climbing in the Bighorn Mating Grotto; notice the Disney band-aid on the middle finger

  Chimney Rock
 

Pinched Rib: Steck's favorite route

 

Kimbrough in the early morning

  Disneyland Dome
 

Enchanted Stairway: High on the runout plates of Disneyland Dome

 

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Lori approaches the first belay; the ledge is actually a dike that, if continued, turns into Mental Bankruptcy

  Echo Cove
 

Hang Ten: Phil places gear at the intimidating roof near the start of the climb

 

Hang Ten: Clipping the gear at the roof; hard to believe it's only 5.8

 

Eileen Dover: This interesting route starts with a hard boulder problem, then traverses just left 5 bolts about 10' above the ground, then finishing straight up to some chains

 

Eileen Dover: A little further along in the traverse; lots for the hands, but little for the feet

 

Effigy Too: The opening, unprotected moves of Effigy Too

 

Effigy Too: Effigy Too is a nice route for sunny days as it's in the shade. The huge boulder high and left is the EBGBs boulder.

 

Effigy Too: The climbing eases near the top of the route

  Echo Cove Rocks
 

Sitting Here in Limbo: Eric belaying at the top, construction in the background

  Freeway Wall
 

Lucie, Allen, and Joe (and his dog)

  Hall of Horrors
 

Casual: John leads yet another bolt-protected face climb

 

Diamond Dogs: Strenuous underclings are required right off the ground on a fragile flake

 

Pullups To Pasadena: Unprotected knob climbing at the start of yet another Swain route

 

Todd demonstrates a pretty lizard

 

Garden Angel: Andrew watches the action on Garden Angel

 

Garden Angel: Weird layback moves up the arete of Garden Angel

Garden Angel: Weird layback moves up the arete of Garden Angel

 

Lazy Day: Matt makes the opening moves on Lazy Day

  Headstone Rock
 

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

 

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

 

Southwest Corner: Yvon at the opening moves on the Headstone

 

Southwest Corner: Yvon high up on the Southwest Corner

 

Practice Crack #1: John leads a too-short crack on the backside of the Headstone

 

Lori and Jim pose on top of the Headstone

 

Southwest Corner: Working through the crux of the Southwest Corner, a spectacular easy route on the Headstone

  Hemmingway Buttress
 

Painting of the "snail"

  Hemmingway Buttress, East Face
 

Poodles are People Too: Joe following the first pitch of Poodles

 

Head Over Heels: Tall people can simply reach left and bypass any difficulty; not sure what short people do

  Hidden Tower

Wild Wind: Yvon nearing the top of Hidden Tower

  Lenticular Dome
 

Dazed and Confused: Thin face moves characterize climbing on this route

 

Dazed and Confused: Runout climbing in a sea of granite

  Lost Horse Wall
 

Bird on a Wire: Lori reaches the top after a long, rope-stretching 2nd pitch

  Manure Pile
 

Lori and Jim pose on top of the Manure Pile at dusk

  Mel's Kitchen
 

Left Mel Crack: Allen at the crux of Left Mel Crack

 

Checking out the pencil cactus

 

Left Mel Crack: Climbing the height-related crux of the Left Mel Crack

  Pea Brain
 

Joan Jetson: At the second bolt, high on the Pea Brain

  Peyote Cracks
 

Allen laces up for the Peyote cracks

  Quail Springs
 

Having lunch near Hound Rock

  Real Hidden Valley
 

Coyote near the road; if you look carefully, you can see a second coyote in the background

 

Illusion Dweller: Pulling the final difficulties on Illusion Dweller

 

Clean and Jerk: Long reaches on overhanging rock constitute the crux of Clean and Jerk

 

Clean and Jerk: One of the best hand/fist cracks in the park

 

Ball Bearing: John belays a climber on Ball Bearing

 

Beverly describes her experience on Illusion Dweller to the others

  Rusty Wall
 

O'Kelley's Crack: Opening moves -- despite the rating of 5.10c, the initial moves are 5.11a

  Ryan Campground
 

Simon, waiting for his morning coffee

The gang, gathered in Joshua Tree

 

The whole gang

 

Hanging out at Ryan Campground

 

Joshua Tree in the early morning light

 

Hanging out at the campfire in Ryan

 

Lucie avoids the wind by sitting in a rock alcove

 

Lucie on her way to painting at the end of the day

 

Joshua Tree near Ryan Campground

 

Allen gets organized around camp

 

Late afternoon relaxation at camp

 

Deep contemplation

 

Beverly warms around her morning coffee

 

Breakfast at the Jones'

 

Breakfast at Ryan

 

Maguy enjoys her morning coffee

John enjoying the conviviality at camp

  Sentinal

Illusion Dweller: Low on the all time perfect crack

 

Illusion Dweller: Lost in a sea of rock

  Sheep Pass
 

Walk on the Wild Side: Eric and Lucie lounging at the belay at sunset

 

Junk Food: The route Junk Food traverses the Junk Clump formation on a quartz dike; it begins with two bolts, then crosses three other routes

  Shorter Wall
 

Born in a Barn: A route on the Shorter Wall, the right-hand side of the Rock Garden Valley

  South Astro Dome, Northeast Face
 

Solid Gold: Martin shredding his fingers on Solid Gold

 

Solid Gold: Following up the sharp edges of Solid Gold; this climb is quite the finger shredder

 

Solid Gold: Simon leading the lower section of Solid Gold

  Split Rocks

Rubicon: Jim and Allen on Rubicon

  Sports Challenge Rock - West Face
 

Beverly racks up for Sphincter Quits

 

Sphincter Quits: Beverly sews up the lower crack, then moves up to the rest alcove

  Surprise Rock - West Face
 

Trembling Toes: Beverly moves up to the first bolt

  The Flying Fortress
 

No Self Confidence: The crux is the section just before the roof on the left where the crack is tight hands

 

No Self Confidence: Steep, sustained crack climbing in the midsection of the route

 

No Self Confidence: Feeling pumped, this is the last rest before running it out to the top

  The Manure Pile
 

Allen Steck Memorial Route: At dusk on the Memorial Route

  The Old Woman

Double Cross: Following the all-time classic hand crack

 

Orphan: Leading the initial stemming corner of Orphan; if you can stomach the off-width at the top, this is an excellent climb

  The Red Obelisk
 

Boogers On A Lampshade: Tad climbing the "burnt penis"

 

Boogers On A Lampshade: Tad climbing the "burnt penis"

 

Boogers on a Lampshade: Making the crux moves on Boogers; the high bolt protects this section

Boogers on a Lampshade: After the crux; the next piece is the tied off chicken head visible just above

  Wonderland of Rocks
 

Pretty rocks

 

Tad and Chris in the Wonderland with the Astro Domes in the background

 

Chris near Disneyland Dome in the Wonderland

 

Cool rocks in the Wonderland

 

Lunch break on the ledge system in front of the Astro Domes

 

Lucie walking through the Wonderland

 

Drop Zone: In the midst of the crux at Sheepbugger's Wall; the difficulty here is that the protection is at your feet while making the crux .11 moves…below that is a ledge!

 

Allen resting in the Wonderland

 

Figures on a Landscape: About to make the crux moves on the first pitch

Figures on a Landscape: John traverses across to the first belay

 

Pack adjustments on the way into the Wonderland

 

Lori hiking around the Wonderland

 

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Joe gears up for "Mr Toad's"

Solid Gold: Tom sends Solid Gold