JT in April anyone?

My family will be staying in JT Fri-Sat, April 19-20, and I’m thinking about coming early to get a few more days of climbing in.

Questions:
 
Would anyone be interested in joining up for a day or two of climbing before the 19th? I started trad leading last year at the Gunks and feel pretty solid. I take safety/mindfulness very seriously. I’m been leading up to 5.7 but am still looking for my limit (no falls yet!). I have a rack and rope. No agenda…lead or follow...just looking to be vertical.
 
Do you have any basic suggestions for a JT first-timer? I’ll research the routes, but what about camping? Can I leave gear in a tent? Any place I must eat at? Super secret swim holes? Ancient rituals?

Andrew

Hey! If you are trying to get a campsite start looking now and keep checking until you leave if there are none available. They may all be booked up but as it gets closer people sometimes cancel and you can swoop in and scoop it up. Worst case you can backcountry camp which you can find instructions for how to do this on the JTree website.

I don't know about leaving gear in your tent. I have never had anything happen but have also never really risked it. As far as place to eat, Pie for the People is popular which can sometimes lead to a wait but if you grab a pre-made slice it makes it faster if you are in a hurry. :)

Enjoy your trip! 

Wow, my palms are sweaty just reading through stuff and contemplating this new area! If I do go early, I think I'll be staying at a motel one night and hiring a guide. I see there are several guide services available. Does anyone have any recommendations for guides and/or guide services that would be a good fit for someone who is already climbing lead, but who wants a full day of JT lead and cracks?

Andrew Hess wrote: Wow, my palms are sweaty just reading through stuff and contemplating this new area! If I do go early, I think I'll be staying at a motel one night and hiring a guide. I see there are several guide services available. Does anyone have any recommendations for guides and/or guide services that would be a good fit for someone who is already climbing lead, but who wants a full day of JT lead and cracks?

https://www.vertical-adventures.com/

Few guide services will let you lead. There are several guide services in Joshua Tree. The link above is for a good one (don't know if they'll let you lead).

I talked with one, and yeah, they aren't letting me lead. Okay, just climbing trad is enough.

Locker, I've got one day there to climb and I'm willing to pay a guide for her expertise in the area and ability to get me on a load of routes. The only partner I trust that will be w/ me is 12 years old and weighs 100 lbs. less than I do. :)

sounds like ideally you want to partner up with someone who happens to be a guide and has that day off to hit JT with you, to point you onto the classics and belay you all day, and you would give that person a hundred bucks or two just bec you want to      

Sean wrote: sounds like ideally you want to partner up with someone who happens to be a guide and has that day off to hit JT with you, to point you onto the classics and belay you all day, and you would give that person a hundred bucks or two just bec you want to      

I may be misreading this, but this sounds like a bit of an insult towards guides. I have nothing against partnering up with someone to climb. But a guide will be offering his  knowledge of the area, climbing skills, and be willing to spend a full day catering to my agenda. I won't have to negotiate with the desires of someone I meet at the campground. Or have to wonder about their attitude towards safety. Or be left alone when they decide they've had enough. The guide service I hire will also be providing equipment that I won't have to bring on the plane. 

By the way, what guides do you know that only charge $100?

insult? when did i denigrate any skill or knowledge of guides? give more than $100-200 in that scenario if you want to show how much you value everything else that goes with basically a day of talking, pointing, and belaying

but maybe best in your case to ask like you had, been told no, and just stick to that