Lightning Bolt Cracks 

I should add, FYI that the horrifying 5.12 off-width roof crack/chimney to the right of this route (the continuation of the right-hand variation on P2, actually) is called Liquid Sky, a.k.a. "A Critique of Pure Squeezin'" for you Kantians, and it appears from a little distance that this crack separates practically the entire main tower into two large pieces of sandstone--no doubt the right half will soon fall off. FYI.

The 2nd pitch is 5.9/10 only if you can get fist jams in the crack at the bulge. If you can't fist jam it, it's 5.11 OW.

I agree, the wide section on the first pitch seemed way hard to me. I grabbed a flake back in the crack and desperately cranked on it, to my terror it shifted and started sliding out (it may well be gone by now). How to do this section is not obvious like the 5.11- thin crack start.

The easiest way to do the second pitch is to start up the left crack, but switch to the right crack before the roof. There is a big pod in the left crack, move up past this but before it's too late span right to the right hand crack. The right crack is slightly thinner through the roof, I was able to hand jam it (but I have big hands) and would rate the pitch 5.10 or easier this way. I recommend belaying under the big roof at the end of this (2nd) pitch.

This climb has quite the long approach, and as a result was the scene of one of my most interesting climbing memories... I'd discovered while packing my bag that one of my old blue LaSportiva Kaukulators was delaminating badly. I tossed it aside and decided to take up my new brown one for the left shoe. I hiked to the climb with one of my old shoes and one of new shoes... or so I thought. I had not known that my partner, who wears a size 7 ladies shoe, not a size 10 men's had also brought a brand new pair of Kaukulators, and I was not attentive to teh size of the shoe I had tossed into my pack.

I realized this mistake while at the base of the cliff. There was no chance of stuffing a foot into her shoe, even if she'd have let me. I wore her tennis shoe on my left foot up the climb. As a result, I found that the 5.10 roof with the slabby traverse was in fact the crux. This was mildly amusing only in hindsight. I wish I could have seen my own face at the base.

Just did this one - wow!!! An amazing chunk of rock that I'd been looking at for a long time. I was real glad on that first pitch that I had ran into a friend hours before who loaned me a 5 camalot. Unfortunately it did not fit for what I had brought it for which was that 'squeeze' at the top! Man was I bumming. I might have been able to squeeze in there but I knew I'd get stuck and die there. With the sun getting low I had no choce but to thrash my way up the outside of it and pray I didn't get spit out. I found the second pitch bulge super hard too even though I could get a fist (3.5 cam is perfect). The first part of the third pitch (before the squeeze) has got to be one of the desert's finest - wild climbing and what a location!

I've done at least 60 tower routes and this is one of the five best.

For a full pump, do the route in two pitches; link together the first two and belay at the start of the last 5.10 section. Then blast from there to the top. Prudent runner placements under the roof will alleviate any rope drag. Also, the approach is much better from the west side. Rather than turn at Davis, take the next left and drive until you are virtually a couple hundred yards from the base of the scree slope. Leave your packs on the west side for the rappel and you'll be set to jaunter back to your car. Happy trails!

The second photo down there is very cool: first, it shows both bulge alternatives on pitch 2, and even better, just to the left of the climber, above his head, is an excellent view of the very intimidating looking 5.10 bombay/chimney roof on pitch three--probably the highlight of the route. Right of this in the huge roof is a perfect view of the positively horrifying 5.12 squeeze roof "Liquid Sky"!

Holy Crap, that climb is top drawer! Tips to offwidth on pitch 1, do a hairball traverse left and start with fingers again! We strung 1 & 2 together and probably should have with 3& 4, rope drag was negligible. A very sweet bit of climbing with something for everyone. If you belay in some blocks below the base of the squeeze chimney take a piece of 6 mil cord, you can sling a chockstone and use a few small cams (aliens to .5 camalot) to beef up your anchor. The price of admission for us was high, maybe 4 miles of trudging and lizard chasing but it's definitely worth every step.

Who can't be jealous of all the stellar first ascents Ed Webster did? He's the man!

I did this route on my 29th birthday! It rained for three days prior and, as luck would have it, stopped the night before my birthday. My partner was very hungover in the morning, so we ended up starting late. Luck was once again on our side, as it was also a full moon that night. So after an amazing desert tower, we strolled down the talus cone in the moonlight. Best birthday ever!

I climbed this route last weekend. I had the pleasure of leading every pitch, including linking the last two. Before the final chimney, I decided to take a breather before jamming my body into the crack. As I was standing there, I peered into the back of the crack and saw a rather odd sight. Way in the back was a skull. It was pretty big, like a large mammal. I'm thinking it was a deer or something. Anyway, it scared the bejesus out of me. I kept climbing and finished the route. I guess I blocked it out of my memory because I am remembering it now for the first time. I was just wondering if anyone else has seen this skull. How did it get up there? I don't ever recall seeing a deer that can climb 5.11.

-Dave Stewart

We summitted LBC on Thursday, November 18, 2005 and found the anchor in a mess. 2 old star drives were just laying there still attached to the webbing. The rock was shattered on top. Another star drive was still in shattered rock and we pulled on it and a dinner plate sized rock came up with the bolt. One old star drive with half the shaft remaining and one 1/4 inch bolt near the shattered rock was all that remained. We left a nice new .75 cammalot to back up the anchor. So....anyone who goes up and puts in a nice new bolt will be rewarded with a nice new cam. Don't try to take it without fixing the anchor though!

Also...we approached from the West and found a nice clean path to the base. It seemed a good bit less steep and loose than the east side.

This route and summit are the distillation of all that is right in the universe. Um, yeah, well anyway: RE 11/2005 Gear Alert: On 7April2006 my pard and I (mostly my pard:sorry dude)drug a bolt kit up to the summit and installed a 1/2" SS Rawl with a Fixe Ring anchor(5,800 lbfs! in 500 lbf rock). We removed the 30+ feet of girth-hitched rope/cordalette/runner garbage that was strung across the summit and presumably left by whoever snagged the above noted .75 camalot (bummer, man). So there is now one good bolt, one spinner, and one worthless 1/4" p.o.s. to start the rappel off. The bad news: the second rap station is in an even greater need of updating. Somebody else's turn, though. . . .

Also, just wondering: does anybody know what those empty bolt holes (approx. 15) scattered about the summit are all about?

I'm not sure why the guides call P1 the crux of the route. If doing the true 2nd pitch of LBC (right of the wide P2 of Liquid Sky), you have a beautiful, thin, off-fingers splitter for 25 feet before the 5.10 wide hands roof. That was definitely the crux for me. What an amazing place to be! VM, thanks for adding the bolt on the 1st rap, it looks like there was a recent addition to the second rap as well.

We did LBC on Thanksgiving Day this year. Easily one of my Top 10! We took the "Corral Pocket" approch as George Bell describes and found it to be much shorter. 4WD not needed. Try to follow the same tracks as previous parties - lots of crypto soil. If more people start using this approach we will have to consider the impact issues.

P1&P2 can be run together, otherwise belay at the chockstone at the top of the P1 offwidth.

I'm a bigger guy (about 190) with a wide chest and I didn't fit into the P4 squeeze very well. (It was so tight I rubbed the sheath off my rope!) There is pro in the back, but I couldn't come close to reaching it. I brought a #4 Big Bro and it was essentially the only protection on the pitch. Unless you are small or comfortable running it out, I suggest bringing the Big Bro. It also works well to backup the chockstone belay on P1.

Bring two 60m ropes you can rap from the summit to the ground in one rap. About 185ft.

"Bring two 60m ropes you can rap from the summit to the ground in one rap. About 185ft."

Are you sure about the 60 meters? We did a single rap on two 70 meter lines (back to same side where LB line is) three days before you and were about 5 feet short (should've used EDK instead of fishermans).

Forest Dramis and I dragged the drill and about 30 pounds of chain up the peak to fix said anchor. The drill, being a piece of crap bosch and not the better designed hilti, literally caught fire when I started the first hole. The motor burned up, and there we were. Being ASCA guys who eat red meat and love women and song, we were undaunted, and continued on with just the bit and the hammer. The result is chain anchors at both stations using the good previously placed bolts and our 4 1/2 X 1/2 inch SS bolts... someday the tower will fall down but our anchors will still stand (lightning effects withstanding).
You can rap the route with one seventy (Two raps).

For more reading, click: http://www.joshuatreeclimb.com/Stories/prensixshooter.htm

An amazing tower. We had warm weather and sunshine for the hike in and out, and a nice Spring blast of icy wind driven snow at the top. Classic desert tower and classic desert Spring weather. Nothing like climbing something like this with your mates.

The route went well and quick since we began climbing after noon. The rock was great, it had a smooth finish and very sustained in my mind.

What a spectacular climb. Starts thin but soon gets & mostly stays wider. Outstanding scenery, great climbing, heaps of exposure, and a stellar summit. Can descend with 1 double rope rap off the back side from chains.