The Splitter Tour of Joshua Tree

Taking a ride on the Josh classic, Illusion Dweller

I'm just going to say it... I am addicted to crack!!! The first step is to admit it right? But I don't want to quit this new addiction and the more I try it, the more I want!

Crack climbing is not something that came naturally to me. Infact I would say that it was quite the opposite. But all I needed to do was put in the time, face my weaknesses and practice the skills. After a short stint in Yosemite, Joshua Tree seemed like the perfect place to go to crack school, repeat old classics and try new ones of all sizes. These new skills are making me feel so alive! Motivation is high. So I racked up for the "Splitter Tour" of Joshua Tree. It was time to really process these skills.


Handjams, check.

Gary Posey came to learn some new crack skills too. Illusion Dweller offers a wide variety of crack techniques.

Natures rock castles

Gary Posey and Deanna Furnival enjoy Dogleg. What was once a terrifying handcrack, is now one of my favourite 5.8 cracks in the park

I made a hit list that consisted of anything from fingers to fists to roof cracks. It was too much fun to just go battle up this stuff. The learning curve is incredibly fast when you just get out there and do it.

I had two memorable onsight experiences this trip, starting with Coarse and Buggy, a quintessential classic 5.11 that I had stared at everytime we passed through Joshua Tree. It used to look so intimating, so it was really cool to climb it with style this trip. We also hoofed it out to Queen Mountain for a day and I onsighted probably the best 5.11 gear route I have ever been on in my life. Mojave Queen is a huge 140ft, incredibly exposed route on perfect granite. The overhanging patina finale was some of the best climbing I have done in my life. It was absolutely wild to be up so high, so pumped and so exposed.

The hardest I had to battle all trip was for a 5.10b called "Fisticuffs". This little monster starts with fists, widens to teacups and then widens to scream and scrape.
A great battle! (said with scottish accent).

Splitter Mission accomplished and right to the bitter end with a last day send of More Monkey Than Funky, a 5.11+ roof crack (and my first ever roof crack!) that had some of the most amazing moves I've ever done on a route. I was literally swinging around like a monkey on hand jams. I so wish we had photos or video of it, but you'll have to settle for watching Bachar do it on this video instead (he does it totally different however). This route is shown at 1:16 in the video. And yeah, he solos it.




SO many sick routes, I could go on for ever. It felt kind of like my first trip to Josh. Now that I have these new ninja crack skills, many doors have opened and so much more fun to be had.

Kyle begins the perfect Coarse and Buggy corner

Coarse and Buggy follows this classic corner that kicks out to some steep jams at the end.



Jerry Brown is a fun little spicey route with tricky small gear



Down pulling? on Jerry Brown. Weird.

Ouch.

 

Kyle cleans the amazing Rubicon, a must-do

Kyle rides perfect fingers all the way to the top of Rubicon

Since I was feeling so awesome with my new skills, I decided to check out Equinox, the most perfect splitter in Joshua Tree. I was given the old Joshua Tree ego check and rudely awakened to how much I still suck. So beautiful, so alluring but yet so painfully hard. Micheal Reardon soloed that thing, WTF!??
Equinox still remains a life long project.
It is the hardest route in the world.



Equinox, a perfect stand alone splitter in the middle of the desert.

Hands down, the best climbing trip I have had in Josh. Confidence is high.
But as per usual, the highlights of our stay wasn't just the climbing, but the people, the scenery and that J-tree desert energy that I can't ever seem to get enough of.


Full moon is approaching



Left and Right ski track standing proud.

Our Hidden Valley home 

The stars aligned in our favour this trip and we were suprisingly joined by our wonderful friends Don and Michelle from Canmore and our great buddies/neighbours Gary and Deeana. We also got to hang with our favourite local creatures, Seth and Sabra, owners of Cliffhanger Guides and great people to boot. Weather was as splitter as the cracks and we were graced with a beautiful full moon that casted amazing shadows across the desert landscape.


Full Moon Rising






Team Thornbury unite!

Fire in the sky



Deanna and her shadow dance on the classic 70ft Gunsmoke traverse.



Gunsmoke Traverse



Gary races up High Noon to a quick lesson in the Joshua Tree beached whale top out technique.

Gary Posey on a flash attempt of the Bachar classic, Pig Pen



Gary in action on Pig Pen

Josh has really become a home crag of sorts for us. Infact, I think I know it better then home because I get to climb more there! We are both feeling prepped and ready for our upcoming trip to Australia. We leave on Dec 28th for 3 months of blissful rock climbing and sunshine! Life is grand.



Another Canadian couple enjoy the tasty crimps of Oyster Delicacy.

Pizza night at D & M's trailer :)

Sometimes you need more hands...



A wonderland of rocks.

Oh ya, and here is a little video I whipped up of Gary Posey hiking a couple tall classic J-tree boulders.


Two From Josh from LestheMess on Vimeo.

T-Minus 18 days!!!!!!!!!