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Dark Shadows Rock

California > Joshua Tree NP > Indian Cove > Indian Cove Cam… > Indian Cove CG East
Warning Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

This is a small south facing rock with a low-angled backside. As such, there are relatively few routes on it, but those I sampled are fun. The south face is a pleasant winter climbing spot, and is very close to the road (see the picture on page 533 of Vogel's "old" guidebook).

Maybe one of the reasons I didn't see other parties on it was that it is just off of the road, and squeezed up against the back of a nice campsite. Shoot, it's great to rack your gear off of the picnic table and sit on the bench to change shoes before casting off to climb...but if someone is camping there it would be a pretty major intrusion. Suffice it to say, climb this one when nobody is around.The rock is mostly solid and the pitches more or less average length for Indian Cove. Although there are no "must do's" there a solid climber can have a good time there for a while. Even the 5.9+ s-rated climb given no stars was quite good, deserving of stars and NOT deserving of the s-rating.

Getting There

Approach as for Feudal Wall or Billboard Buttress - Willit Pillar and Dark Shadows are the two walls in between their south faces. Willit is further west while Dark Shadows is just to the east. It is literally only 15 meters from the road and across from an outhouse on the opposite side. The routes face the road.

Routes from Left to Right

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Dark Shadows Rock, Joshua Tree NP
[Hide Photo] Dark Shadows Rock, Joshua Tree NP
Dark Shadows Rock
[Hide Photo] Dark Shadows Rock
Dark Shadows Rock.<br>
Photo by Blitzo.
[Hide Photo] Dark Shadows Rock. Photo by Blitzo.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] This small wall is behind campsite #6 Jan 29, 2011
Zacharia Nicola
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
[Hide Comment] Group Campsite #5 Oct 15, 2018