Sports Challenge Rock

BETA PHOTO: A very nice looking pillar!

Description 

This formation is, by its position and merit, the centerpiece of the Real Hidden Valley. There are more routes with stars to be done on the various faces of this wall than on most other formations in the area. The variety of climbing alone is remarkable with cracks, faces, overhangs, roofs and even a girdle traverse to be done.

The routes are generally on solid, chocolate-colored stone and with routes facing all directions there is always something in or out of the sun depending upon the temperature. The fixed anchors on top can easily be reached from above by almost any of the routes for a rap to the ground. Note: Vogel's 92' guide has a picture of the west face (page 154) that's numbered incorrectly by eleven.

Classics here include the popular and thinly protected Sphincter Quits (5.9), the thuggy Clean and Jerk (5.10c), the tenuous What's It To You (5.10d) and the classic-looking Leave It To Beaver (5.12a).

Getting There 

Enter the Real Hidden Valley via the south and look for a huge grey and tan bulbous rock in the center of the loop trail. Approach via a well-worn trail from the south, which splits to go to the east face (right) or west face (left). Some easy scrambling is required to reach the base of a few of the routes.

Please do not shortcut the trails here, as the pressure of too many people doing so is harder than necessary on the desert plant life; there is no shortage of established trails to follow.

The Classics

Featured Route For Sports Challenge Rock

Clean And Jerk 5.10c  CA : Joshua Tree National Park : ... : Sports Challenge Rock-East ...

What a classic line! Approach Sports Challenge Rock on the southeast side and scamble down into the shaded "slot" on that side. Near the left end of the east face, and just left of an large pine tree, you'll see a prominent curving crack that starts about 20 feet off the ground and arcs upward to the top of the rock. A few scoops and seams lead up though steep terrain to this crack. Boulder up scoops and seams up and left through a slight overh...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

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Colorful Nolinas (Nolina parryii) near Sports Chal...