Best JTree climbs .10 and under

Lets have em.....what should I spend 3 days swearing my way up?

John Wilder wrote:

I seem to recall that there's a whole guidebook with 5.9 and under routes for jtree. I'd start there. 

Yep. Good one, too. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-trad-guide-to-joshua-tree-charlie-winger/1111869766?ean=9780972441391&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Core+Shopping+Books_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP78860

Sir Cam...check the back of any of Vogel's guidebooks for a list of climbs with stars/quality rating. Note of caution...there tends to be a bias towards climbs rated harder than 5.10.

These are all easy to get to and then have good climbs near them as well.  Should be a good way to get your feet wet:

Pope's Crack

Touch and Go

Sail Away

Colorado Crack

Watanobe

Double Cross

Stick to what

The Flake

Headstone Rock

John Wilder wrote:

I seem to recall that there's a whole guidebook with 5.9 and under routes for jtree. I'd start there. 

I disagree. I've climbed most of the routes in there any many shouldn't be in there in my opinion.

Keep in mind that 5.10 is a real sweet spot for JTree grades, in that there are far more classic 10s than among all the lower grades combined. Some favorites of mine are: Run for Your Life, Solid Gold, Can't Believe its a Girdle, Illusion Dweller, Bird on a Wire and O'Kelly's Crack.

For lower grades, the Trad Guide is a useful resource, even though the routes aren't quite as spectacular.

Mental Physics 5.7.  Dazed and Confused is fun slab next to it that can be TRd after.  Life's a Bitch and Then You Marry One 5.7 easy and good warm up before heading to MP.

High Strung 5.9 Is on the hike to/from Mental Physics.  There is a sweet, hard slab that you can TR on the left of HS, can't recall the name.

Anything on Atlanis Wall on Lost Horse is fun, easy, topropable(if need be).

Maggie's Farm and Rainy Day Woman 5.7 or 5.8.  Both on Lost Horse.  Fun, easy, easy approach.

Gem 5.7 and Colorado Crack 5.9 both at Conan's Corrador.  Fun, easy walk off.

Planet X and Planet Y, the trad routes NOT boulder problem.  Fun, easy approach.

Future Game Rock at Split Rock has Continuum 5.8 and Invisibility Lessons 5.9.  Bendix Claws is on same wall, hard 5.11 but can set up TR to play on it.

Isles in the Sky is also at Split Rocks.  Dolphin 5.7 if you like the wide and own BD #4-6s.  Bird of Fire 5.10 is next to it.  Other fun climbs in area, rougher approach to this spot.

The Overseer, Norwegian Wood, High Strung, Western Saga and The Flake are all great.  I believe Touch and Go and Pope's Crack (rightward finish) live up to the hype

Curt Veldhuisen wrote:

Keep in mind that 5.10 is a real sweet spot for JTree grades, in that there are far more classic 10s than among all the lower grades combined. Some favorites of mine are: Run for Your Life, Solid Gold, Can't Believe its a Girdle, Illusion Dweller, Bird on a Wire and O'Kelly's Crack.

For lower grades, the Trad Guide is a useful resource, even though the routes aren't quite as spectacular.

I came here to say this. If you can climb 5.10 there's wayyy more worthy routes in J Tree, even just 10a/b. And half of them will feel easier than the 'classic' 5.7s and 5.8s that have parties in line all day and are super polished.

Benjamin Chapman wrote:

Sir Cam...check the back of any of Vogel's guidebooks for a list of climbs with stars/quality rating. Note of caution...there tends to be a bias towards climbs rated harder than 5.10.

Don't blame Vogel, blame the rock... Josh rock just doesn't lend itself well to easy routes, not sure why.

nathanael wrote:

I came here to say this. If you can climb 5.10 there's wayyy more worthy routes in J Tree, even just 10a/b. And half of them will feel easier than the 'classic' 5.7s and 5.8s that have parties in line all day and are super polished.

Don't blame Vogel, blame the rock... Josh rock just doesn't lend itself well to easy routes, not sure why.

I disagree. The rock is so damn sticky that lines tend to go at a lower grade than a similar one would elsewhere on different rock. 

I's always enjoyed Jaws (5.6R) 

It even has a sign pointing to it. Classic!

One of my favorite MP functions is the 'browse classics' in any size area. For Jtree:

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/classics/105720495/joshua-tree-national-park

57 of these are between 5.4 and 5.9