Possible new offwidth route near Echo Rock, Joshua Tree

We are trying to figure out if we did a first ascent of a fun offwidth, or, baring that, wondering what it was rated. There is an established route near Popes Crack at Echo Rock in Joshua Tree called "Eff Eight".
If you are walking toward Eff Eight from the parking lot you will walk right by Popes Crack on your left. As you are walking, if you look back to the right beyond Eff Eight you will see a 45 foot high split boulder. It's about a 5 minute walk to climbers right up the canyon from Eff Eight. It looks like the Hobbit Hole offwidth, but it's about 3 times as high.

The boulder is split completely through from the ground to the top. We led the sunny side which starts vertical then gradually domes over, ending about 10 inches wide. The shady side is overhung and looks much harder.

I led it with a blue Camalot  #3, a 5, and two big bros: a purple and a green. You can see them in the photo. There is no anchor on top, so we had to rappel off each other to get down. If you have a #6 and or a valley giant you could make it quite safe. It was fun, and much easier than the Hobbit Hole offwidth. We rated it somewhere between 8 and easy 10a. You can see the crack in the screen shot I got from google maps.

It is an old school Boulder problem. Something like a V1.

Maybe 5.6ish? 

You FA’d an old boulder problem.  That doesn’t look 45’ high, maybe 15’. 

If it's in Joshua tree and it's near a popular climbing crag such as echo rock, the chances of you doing an FA are slim to none. Think about those who climbed there before you.....

Toss it on MP and add the route, don’t give it a name or do and suggest someone find more info to change it if they want ... FA: unknown ... but spray that fun little route all you want

Saw a fellow  boulder out that crack then downclimb it many years ago. Dont  know who that was though.

Cool, thanks. I'm not a boulderer but I'm sure you are right. I should have looked in a bouldering book. Been home 3 days after a 3 week trip and miss that place already.

Its not in any book and its not on mt project so you should post it up!

The earliest ascent of which I am aware (likely FA) was Matt Cox in about 1974-5 - OFD boulder problem.

Randy wrote: The earliest ascent of which I am aware (likely FA) was Matt Cox in about 1974-5 - OFD boulder problem.

Does it have a name...and or, is it in any bouldering guides? Sorry...but what does OFD mean?

Mark, none of these guys can prove anyone else did it first. If it's not in the bouldering guidebook it's your FA and you should post up with a name of your choosing.

It's common that whenever a new route is found in an established area the old men who used to climb there take offense that they didn't find it first and will say anything to cover up their loss.

Human memories are very fallible, do you think you could remember what you climbed 30 years ago?! 

The rock did feel very raw and grainy, like it rarely if ever gets climbed.  A big tree prevents easy access to the start, and the ground where we roped up was covered in bushes...another clue that it's rarely done.

But yeah, anyone who likes big cracks would definitely head over there. I have no desire to claim a first ascent. But I do think it should be listed in the guidebook, FA unknown perhaps.

As an offwidth, I enjoyed it as much as Fisticuffs...though it's shorter, and much easier...on the order of Double Cross...assuming you can do hand stacks. Perhaps it is just a highball boulder problem. If it does get listed somewhere, it should be mentioned as having a challenging descent. I've never had to rappel off my partner before.

Once you get on it, it feels taller than it looks in the photo. It domes over, and the first 15 feet is behind the tree. Ya'll should climb it. It's a purty little thing.

As to the question: "could you remember what you climbed 30 years ago?", it depends. Certain climbs, if they were special, stick in my memory. I vividly remember climbing Sail Away in 1978 and walking back to camp afterward, marveling at the stars in the moonlight, and how lucky we were to be there.

Another photo of the split boulder offwidth:

Greg Opland wrote:

Yup. I know dates, pitches, how it went, and who I climbed with.

Edit: Interesting to note that I'm pretty sure I sent a photo of that crack to Russ sometime in the last five years asking about it. North face of Snickers is a popular place on the summer circuit.

Science has proved that humans routinely overestimate their ability to remember.  

Mark, POST THE ROUTE! Perhaps with "FA Unknown" to appease the egos of old men. 

Tradiban wrote:

Science has proved that humans routinely overestimate their ability to remember.  

Mark, POST THE ROUTE! Perhaps with "FA Unknown" to appease the egos of old men. 

Hey Trollollol....do you know who that "Randy" guy is up thread?

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

Hey Trollollol....do you know who that "Randy" guy is up thread?

Is he a memory expert?!?

Tradiban wrote:

Is he a memory expert?!?

0/10.

As a guidebook author of Joshua Tree he has rather voluminous records of such things. 

Why is everyone so mad about an 8 inch space between two rocks that stands 20 feet tall in an area that has thousands of them?

master gumby wrote: Why is everyone so mad about an 8 inch space between two rocks that stands 20 feet tall in an area that has thousands of them?

we're just trolling Failiban.

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

0/10.

As a guidebook author of Joshua Tree he has rather voluminous records of such things. 

Show me the record of this boulder problem.

Sounds like there isn't one and regardless if there is or isn't there's no reason Mark can't post it on MP. He would also be well within his rights to (gasp!) Give it a name.

You guys get sooooo butthurt when someone finds something you may have missed. Your attitude is very counter productive to the point of the MP database and progress in general.

What gives?! Are you afraid your contribution to climbing will be forgotten? Because it already has, get over it.