First time to Joshua Tree questions

I plan to be in JTree solo around Dec 10 -14 and coming in from Vancouver, BC. Hope to get some climbing in as I have to be in LV afterwards as the family arrives there so we can head off to Death Valley.

Was wandering if anyone has an opinion if I should fly into Palm Springs/Ontario and rent a car and fork out the drop off fee as I'm leaving the car in LV or fly into LV and drive to JTree and drive back to get the fam?

I suppose it's a tossup between losing a day if I arrive in LV and driving down or paying extra for the car dropoff and having a bit more time at JTree.

Also, is the drive to LV through the Mojave National Preserve whindy and have alot of elevation gain? During that time of the year, will I have to consider snow on the roads?

Finally some climbing/camping questions. Someone posted that they will be there around dec 20-24 and judging by the responses, campsites will be hard to find. Is it because it's around Xmas time or this is high season? Will I be having the same issue?

Will there be group climbing around that time that I can join? 8 years ago I used to lead 5.9/low 10s trad but with the family, climbing has been very limited so you can say I'm very rusty and I'm just hoping to second or top-rope some climbs. I hear that JTree is very old school and I'm not sure if I should consider leading.

I know there's alot of research I can do on the net but it's getting close to the dates I'm leaving, plane tickets are going up and I'm trying to get some advice as fast as possible so I don't lose out on the chance of being away from the family for a few days !!! :)

If it's way cheaper I would just fly into Vegas and drive. It's not THAT far, and it's kind of a pretty drive if you like the desert. No worry about snow.

You might find a group that you could hook up with, and you might not. My suggestion is troll Hidden Valley campground and meet people and you'll have a good chance. Wandering around Indian Cove will also help. Tons of climbs within a short distance that you can at least hop on TR if people are cool.

Camping will be tough on weekends but if you're solo you might have some luck sharing a site. Don't be shy about asking to share or swoop in when people leave in the morn. Thats my advice from my very limited expirence compared to others on this site..

Have fun it's great that time of year!!

It is unlikely you will find snow an impediment. It may snow, the elevation is such that is does get cold enough, but it will probably not accumulate to any depth that will be an issue. High winds are always a possibility, but with a standard car, they are manageable.

As for where to fly, is cost a consideration? I am guessing that LV will be cheaper, and Palm Springs will be much more expensive. There are other options beyond Ontario, with LAX, SNA, Burbank and San Diego all within a few hours. Absent traffic (which can be a huge factor), Las Vegas is 3 hours, Ontario is 1.5 and LAX, SNA, Burbank and San Diego are all somewhere in between. There are rental agencies that waive drop off fees (National Car rental was actually cheaper to pick it up at LAX and drop it off in Vegas than bring it back to LAX).

As for a campsite, Black Rock and Indian Cove both have plenty of sites available for reservation.
recreation.gov/campsiteSear…

I find the grades at JTree not uniformly sandbagged, but the routes are definitely old school when it comes to bolting. If your head is not in the game or you are unsure of your level of rust, top roping or following is definitely the way to start.

Matt and Andy give good advice. I would only say that Black Rock CG is not a viable option. It has no climbing and no climbers. It is geographically isolated from the rest of the Park and you will have to drive into Yucca Valley and then head into the Park either through the town of Joshua Tree or Indian Cove.

According to google, there is a nonstop from Vancouver to Palm Springs. Don't rule that out. At first, I just assumed that PS would be more expensive and involve multiple layovers, but that may not be true in your case. I would not recommend ONT over LV, however. The drive time is not significantly different and much less scenic, and every time I have flown into ONT the wait at the rental car pickup was very long, sometimes an hour.

As for camping, Andy is right about trolling HV and swooping in. People are generally friendly there and looking to climb as well. If you bring a lot of firewood, your odds of being welcomed into a group will increase substantially. In December, campers can easily start a fire at 4:00pm.

As for climbing, I would say go for it and do some leading. There are plenty of really fun low grade routes. You can start with the eye, upper right ski track, and the bong, and go from there. If you can place gear, your options are plentiful. Most routes are easy to protect.

You're gonna love it there!

I've only climbed at Indian cove 5 or 6 days but it seems like the climbs there are a bit more sandbagged. Its also lower, less windy and closer to Vegas. Its a half hour from there to HVCG, arguably the center of climbing in the park. We found a new rib place in 29palms that we liked last spring when we got rained out at Vegas. You'll have a great time!

Randy wrote:Matt and Andy give good advice. I would only say that Black Rock CG is not a viable option. It has no climbing and no climbers. It is geographically isolated from the rest of the Park and you will have to drive into Yucca Valley and then head into the Park either through the town of Joshua Tree or Indian Cove.

I have never stayed in Black Rock, it is just one of the two options where you can reserve a non-group site. It does sound like it wouldn't be a good option though. I do like Indian Cove. Yes, it is a bit of a drive back to the main park, but I like the climbing in and around the campground, it is not as cold (lower elevation) and there are climbs right there in the campsites.

Thanks so much for the reply everybody. I did use gooogle fair and to Palm Spring is a bit more and almost the same if you fly out of Bellingham but the car rental so far is much more expensive. There's a site in case people want to know rentalcars.com who's one way prices are almost the same as same drop off point prices but the reviews seem very unsastifactory.

Hope to see some of you at JTree!

Raphael

maybe unnecessary to mention, but bring plenty of warm gear.
It can get balls cold at night and if you're rolling solo you will appreciate that 0* bag.

I think everyone else's advice is correct. Start on something well below your comfort zone and work up from there. You should be able to find a spot but may have to go farther away from hidden valley campground such as Belle or white tank.

I live 5 mins away from John Wayne airport (SNA) and it takes us 2 1/2 hours to get to hvg. Therefore I would fly into Las Vegas.

Is it because it's around Xmas time or this is high season?
I don't think anyone specifically answered this question. It is definitely because it is over the Holidays and many more people have time off from work and school. IMO December is not "high season" for climbing in Joshua Tree. Although the daytime temps can be perfect, they can also be cold (50s) and windy. It really just depends if there is a storm system rolling through and there is no way to predict that. Nighttime temps can be in the 30s, so be prepared.

You don't say why you want to head to Joshua Tree. It is a gorgeous place and that is reason enough. But if you fly into Las Vegas you have the option of staying there and climbing at Red Rocks sandstone, heading up to St George area limestone, or heading to J Tree granite. You could make a relatively last minute decision based on the weather forecast.

December is generally beautiful in JT but can be unpredictable too each day being different than the next and the day start getting SHORT in December so you'll definitely want to be optimizing climbing and bivy conditions.

As a person who travels with some frequency I highly recommend the option of flying into Vegas. It is for certain my first choice for flight travel. The drive to the airport is 3 hours from JT/29Palms, non-stressful and beautiful.

Added bonus of flying in/out of Vegas provides some other climbing options should the JT thing not be looking so glorious. You of course consider Red Rock, options along the AZ strip, St. George area and even over to Northern AZ can provide some good back-up plans.... if weather is lousy in the whole quadrant you might enjoy some of the local cuisine/shows/options that Vegas has to offer.

~Susan

Again, thanks for the reply. I decided to fly into PSP as visiting wasn't primarily about climbing but to visit the Nat'l Park as well.

I'll be getting there late so any suggestions for a cheap night stay at a hotel/motel before I head out to the park early in the morning. All I need is a clean room/bed.

Raphael

Hello Raphael, I'm from Vancouver Too.

Hopefully your not like me, and your first J-Tree experience isn't after solely climbing in Squamish. Otherwise, prepare to be humbled! Needless to say, my girlfriend and I absolutely love it there. We've been back 3 times since over Christmas break.

I've had good luck finding sites at Hidden Valley by showing up midweek in the past. Last year I stayed at the belle campground due to lack of sites at Hidden Valley. It was nice alternative for a few days as it offers a few nice moderate climbs that are rarely busy, all walking distance.

Like others said before, be prepared to be cold at night. I've frozen my butt off there on more than one occasion... This coming from a fellow Canadian.

For the most part, this miniguide I wrote some years back is still good. Note that there is no longer "The Pit" as a camping option outside the park. I tried to edit it out just now but the page is being "edited" by the Hub Pages team, and we authors don't have access to our own editing during this period. I will redo it ASAP.

hubpages.com/travel/firt-ti…

I'll second, or third, or fourth, the Vegas fight. The drive through the Mojave is special.

Also - happy to add that I will be coming to Joshua Tree again this winter, after missing out last year. Man, it feels like soooo long ago. Cannot wait to see the park, to climb, and to see what has changed in town ad the surrounding area.

It may be easier and faster to fly into LAX late at night ( when theres no traffic haha) rent a ride and drive there. It's only a 2 hour drive from there. Although if you fly into Vegas and hit red rocks on the way.

just some food for thought for options to stay right outside of the park.

You might also want to consider camping in the dry lake bed or Jousha Tree Lake Campground.

Lake Bed: its free to stay there as it is BLM land. It is only about 6-7 miles from the park entrance but its also primitive camping (no toilets or water) but hey its free.

JTree Lake Campground:
They have showers and flushing toilets and potable water. The camping fees are about $20 a night. The campground is about 5 miles from the entrance of the park.

I guess it depends on how close to the park you want to be.

Considered LAX as there is a late flight, but wife didn't like the idea of me driving late at night by myself in a place I've never been before?

I plan to camp at JTree Lake CG on my last night before I head to LV to get the family - so I can shower beforehand. Thanks!

The only decision I need to make now is whether to camp at HV or a campground lower down. Easier to get a partner camping at HV or just as easy driving to HV in the morning while camping lower down?

Unless you plan to climb in Indian Cove ( or Rattlesnake Canyon) don't camp there. It is probably a 35-40+ minute drive to HV from there. Only if it is particularly cold would you choose to stay/climb in Indian Cove for a first visit.

Ok From a Canadian perspective who spends the winters in Palm Springs ,climbs in JT and has a business in Vancouver and home in Penticton. If possible fly directly to Palm Springs with West Jet, less than 3 hours no stop overs,no more expensive than LA or Vegas. If you must fly to LA , Ontario is not that much closer or cheaper and last I heard no direct flights, time over money. You can rent a car in LA and return it in PS or vis versa , usually no charge. Rent through Costco they have the best deals.
Palm Springs also has a shuttle to LA if you can't drop off rental in PS.
I have driven from Vegas to JT many times in December, no problem for a Vancoverite, less rain and elevation than going to Whistler.
JT is my other climbing home, Todd Gordon the " mayor" is a good friend, him or I would be happy to show you around. Susan P is a respected local ,knows the scene and best routes.
Text or call if you need a partner or more tips six 0 four eight 02 5951.
If you need a place to stay the first night , we have room in our place at LaQuinta and I can drive you out to JT the next day, as long as it's not to late. Us geriatric climbers need our rest.
Rolfr

This could be a camping option for you:
gearcoop.com/joshua_tree_ca…