All Locations > California > Joshua Tree NP > Indian Cove > Indian Cove Cam… > Indian Cove CG West

Iron Hand Rock Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Iron Hand Rock

L › R R › L A › Z

	Brown Cave, The T 5.2 3 8 II 8 D 2c R
	Dogleg Right T 5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b PG13
	Iron Hand T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a PG13

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GPS:	34.0907, -116.16414 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	3,103 total · 13/month
Shared By:	Brian Reynolds on Apr 28, 2004 · Updates
Admins:	Greg Opland, C Miller, Gunkswest, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

Access Issue: Seasonal Golden Eagle Closures Details

NOTICE OF PUBLIC CLOSURE:
CLIMBING ROUTES SLATANIC, RATTLESNAKE BUTTRESS, MARGARET THATCHER SPIRE, STEPPING STONES, BULKHEAD, DUNCE CAP, AND COMMISSIONER'S BUTTRESS ARE CLOSED DUE TO NESTING GOLDEN EAGLES
Dates of Closure: February 8th to June 15th, 2022

Description

The guidebooks list three routes on Iron Hand Rock: a couple of 5.10 crack climbs and the Brown Cave (5.2). I can't speak for the two cracks -- the only reason we were up there was to climb the Brown Cave (inspired by a night of drinking around the campfire ... yeah, let's go climb the Brown Cave ... heh, heh). The picture in the Vogel guide makes it look like a tiny little cave just behind Apparition Rock. Rest assured that the cave is MUCH bigger and MUCH further away than it looks in the picture (or, for that matter, from the road). A lot of the rock in the area is crumbly ... hell, crumbly is a major understatement. There's a bunch of rock up there that disintegrates if you look at it funny. It made for a bit of an adventure.

Getting There

The Iron Hand is located high up on the hillside behind Apparition Rock and the walk-in campsites, over toward the west end of the Indian Cove campground. From Apparition Rock, cross a large gully and scramble up the bouldery slope, tending a little to the right. The easiest approach seemed to be to go west up the gully itself until you're directly under the formation, then head straight up the hillside. It's a lot further than it looks.