This is overall, a mellow, very enjoyable 3-pitch climb on a warm, interesting wall. As you hike up to the base, but before you get there, while you still have a good view of the wall, locate the big brown splotch or dot, and then the brown ring with the lighter rock inside (looks vaguely like the sun) which is above it to the right of the first spot. There is also a less obvious ring below and left of the dot, which if you are very hot and dehydrated, might look like a sun with a big flame on it. [All guides since 2006 show route correctly] Once you find the "sun" and other dot I talked about, look for an obvious horizontal ledge below it. Look left and below, following that ledge until you see an obvious crack, which starts from the ground, angling up and to the right and then to the left. This is your start. Hike up and begin.
P1: Short, but tons of rope drag. Start in hthe crack (5.6) described above, until you reach the ledge, and begin to traverse right (5.6). Leaders, don't forget to protect your followers here. They could be in danger of decking with a swing if they fall here if you don't protect this traverse. Move to the right, until you see an obvious crack/small chimney and go up. Set a belay in the slot about 10 - 15 ft above, where it is comfortable. This will be just to the left of the burning sun. ha ha. I'm serious.
P2: Head up above the crack/chimney, then stay right up a thinner crack until you can face climb up and right into another crack that becomes a left facing dihedral. Belay on a ledge in the dihedral.
P3: Continue up the corner until you are about 15 or 20 feet below an overhang atop the dihedral. At this point, make a somewhat inobvious traverse right and up onto and around the arete to the right ofbthe kocorner system (5.7). Face climbing above this will lead to the crack system of Dappled Mare. Continue up the somewhat discontinuous cracks (5.7) up to the summit of the formation. Top out, set up an anchor and belay. Congrats!
Descent: To return to your bags, head right, then down a short distance off the back of the formation into a gully of sorts. Continue down and right over slabs and boulders. With a bit of route finding, it won't exceed class 3.
[Delete this comment, but the original description of pitch 2 is completely wrong. Following the crack up and left is not the route and has lead to a number of climbers getting lost. We had to "rescue“ la group of climbers last weekend who followed the description as originally posted and couldn't figure out how to get back right (or surmount the overhangs) to back on route. Also, references to the very early Josh Classic guide - long out of print - are not relevant. Joshua Tree West (2006), Miramontes' guides (all 3 editions), Joshua Classic Routes & Boulders (2010), Joshua Tree Climbs (2015) and Bob Gaines Selected guide ALL describe the route correctly.]
Also, the last pitch is definitely hard to find. From the belay, a small roof crack up and left looks appealing, but it's hard! Don't go that way unless you can climb 5.9 - I made it but just barely. Apparently The Swift pullls a small overlap to the right before you would traverse left to the roof crack.
Jan Wellford Apr 24, 2003
boulder, co
Los Angeles Area, CA
Kernville, CA
Whidbey Island, WA
Idyllwild, CA
Pitch 1 - Go up only about 20 feet, traverse right. Set up anchor in chimney right of mini-roof. Pitch 2 - One section is a bit run-out, but where the climbing is easy. We set up a belay about 100 feet up pitch 2 by slinging a large, flat boulder (above a stuck silver nut). Pitch 3 - When you see a roof with a couple of crack options, turn right and get up on an arete with a jammable crack. This crack is the crux. After that it's a walk up. Used #3 and #4 cams to build anchor at the top. Feb 12, 2010
Palm Desert, CA
Anyways, my suggestion is to pay close attention to two reviews posted on this route... Jason Shatek and chuckwalla... at least that makes the most sense given our ascent of the route. P2 is longer than you think. I made the mistake of belaying of the slopey ledge instead of cruising up a little further to the tree. For P3, if you do manage to belay at the small tree, look straight ahead - don't be tempted to head to the right. Follow Jason's advice.
The descent... as with all things Josh, ended up being an adventure. We followed Jason's advice (probably not the best in this case) and it spit us out by the Rock Garden - pain in the ass walk. Not the best, but it worked. In retrospect, rather sound descent advice is given in the main route description. Dec 5, 2010
Encinitas, CA
Lubbock, TX
SoCal
Altadena, CA
el cajon, CA
P1- if you can do the 5.8 variation 40ft right from the "start" its not too hard if you keep moving but definitely harder than the 5.7, its the obvious crack that leads right up to a big rock that you come out on and stem ... once above the 13ft big rock section on your right you will see another obvious upward and right traversing crack (this crack is flared and makes for difficult placement). This will lead you to a vertical crack, if I remember correctly good placement for medium cams but if the crack proves too difficult I remember it being pretty juggy faced as well. A little ways above the end of the vertical crack will lead to 2 good belay stations on ledges try to go as high as the rope allows. This start makes for 2 good pitches with little to no rope drag.
-small to medium cams
-60m rope required
P2- This is tricky... I myself spent time checking out all 3 avenues to find the best route... from above your belay station, stated above, and that you can't see in any of the pictures( I will post one) you continue up into a dihedral mostly scrambling (A wall to your right). -If you follow what feels like the route straight up, it will push you up into a box dihedral looking up at a maybe 2 do-able hand cracks to choose from. An up and right hand crack( looking up and left) or a finger crack that runs out with another crack parallel to it (looking straight up)... these are both horrible choices unless you are a .10b leader...
-now I had read that there is a chimney option around 5.5 ... thats retarded because you have to traverse over about 40ft to the left, it just didn't feel right...
-So what I did ( and I did search all three avenues, yes lots of searching, down-climbing, and traversing lol) which felt very good is, on the wall that is on your R shoulder while you are scrambling up from the belay, face that wall (east) and look for different colored rock, like grayish, the is a very do-able section to get onto the face of that wall, almost like a step that can get you onto that face or "arete"... the trick is you cant protect until you get up to the crack its exposed, run out, and committing but not crazy, focus and find your line... once you hit the hand crack, (if your too freaked out there is a slab dish thats probably much easier to climb, approx. 5ft to the right) protect and climb up to another scramble, depending on where your last belay was run the rope to length and bring up your buddy. Great natural protection in this area
Good climb
-small-medum nuts/hexs/cams Feb 25, 2013
Kamas, Utah
Bend, OR
Bozeman, MT
P2 is wicked fun. If you have doubts about where to stop/belay, just keep going and it's the last obvious ledge before the giant roof.
P3... difficulties are short lived and easily protected.
Fun outing. Climbing itself isn't very consistent or hard but good belays and a great view, summit, and walkoff. Good multipitch for beginners. Feb 16, 2016
Lassitude 33
Los Angeles, CA
Bishop
Fresno
Twentynine Palms, CA
Wasn't a fan of the direct start, though. Backed off when I couldn't protect the (non-trivial) opening moves well due to the flare of the crack. Was still able to link P1-2 by slinging traverse pro long and back-cleaning the gear in the chimney as I went. May 10, 2021
Basically, find the easiest way into the left-most left-facing corner on the wall. The corner is gigantic up high and shrinks down low before forking. One side of the fork goes down and left to this route, the other side goes down and right to the base of Bird on a Wire. You want the left fork. To get into this fork, either climb the direct line at flary 5.8 or start farther to the left and climb up, then traverse right (5.6) A really easy way to find the start is to find the highest boulder leaning against the wall. The 5.6 start is on the left of this boulder, the 5.8 is on the right.
1. Getting into the left fork can be done a few ways, the easiest is a short zig zag crack (5.6) left of the highest boulder leaning on the wall. Go up and join the horizontal, then traverse right around a bulge to a large hanging tooth. You could also go straight up to the the tooth from below at flary 5.8, though we didn't. Climb either side of the tooth (right easier) and belay before the traverse right into the corner.
2. Traverse right however you want, then climb the corner. Immediately do some awkward moves, then climb cruiser corner. Stop on a large ledge to the left that is actually the top face of a humongous detached panel of rock, below the obvious steep exit corner. There is no tree here, but about 30 feet to your left there will be a large bush in a neighboring crack. You want to be a little higher than this bush on the super obvious ledge. Probably about 50m - 60m depending on where you belay for the first pitch.
3. Climb up a few feet, then do an airy step right around the arete on jugs and grippy feet. Stellar. Pull up on to the secure ledge, and place hand sized cams. Pull the crux crack (secure 5.7 hands). Wander to the summit, low fifth. The best way to exit is to go right and climb the exposed 5.8ish patina flake that juts out into space. Also stellar. If there are people exiting dappled mare or bird on a wire, you'll cross the streams. Belay from a gargoyle mounted on a giant boulder or various floor cracks.
To descend, walk climbers right. Pay attention to the edge (now skiers right as you go down the slope) and when it all seems to get steeper, switch back hard right around a corner into a corridor. From here its pretty easy, just keep finding the easiest way down. Class 3/4. Nov 29, 2021
Los Angeles, CA
The rest was fun and smooth sailing. Did it in 2 pitches with a 60m. Jan 8, 2024
Huntington Beach, CA