PRINT: Rock Climb Cakewalk, Joshua Tree National Park

Cakewalk

5.8+, Trad, 90 ft (27 m),

Avg: 3 from 255 votes
FA: Chick Holtkamp & John Lakey, February 1978
California > Joshua Tree NP > Lost Horse Area > Freeway Wall > Upper Freeway Wall

Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures Details

The Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent's Compendium states that:
1. Vegetation is not allowed to be used as an anchor.
2. Only neutral or rock colored bolt hangers are allowed.

For a complete list of climbing rules and closures visit:
nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/…

Description

Cakewalk climbs an obvious crack on the south side of Freeway Wall, fairly high up the gully before reaching the highpoint of a small pass.

Climb the nice thin hand crack up to where the wall steepens and the crack thins. Traverse left a few feet to a juggy hand crack going over a small overhang. Head up and a bit right on the crack as it goes from hands to fingers to fist.

This is a nice sustained pitch. Pretty easy for 5.9 - this is a good lead for those breaking into 9.

Protection

Stoppers, cams to 3 inches.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Cakewalk

Nice pic of Cakewalk. This guy was a Vet dermatologist. Can you believe it?

pretty photogenic climb.

Top rope setup

cakewalk

Scott Nomi makes a long reach on the traverse of Cake Walk

Shane on Cake Walk

Very nice climbing on cakewalk.

I found the crux to be up high, not where I am right now.

just after the "crux" traverse move (I agree it's easier than 5.9). heading up the crack from here felt a little awkward.

Home stretch of Cakewalk

Cake Walk

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Josh Beck

5.8-

This is probably the softest 9 I've done at jtree. I'd call it 5.8 or maybe even 5.7 though I don't remember it THAT well. I recall it seeming easier than a lot of 8's that I did at approximately the same time (Continuum, Nurn's Romp, Dappled Mare, Dogleg, etc)... Dec 3, 2002

Randy
Lassitude 33

5.8

Very soft for a 5.9; it will be 5.8 in the new guide. Otherwise an excellent climb and well worth doing.

Jan 28, 2003

Rick Booth

I'll buy the 5.8 rating. It is an exellent route but soft for 5.9. Feb 25, 2003

Woody Stark

I'm glad the rating for this route will drop to 5.8. As per some comments vis a vis changing ratings, JT is infamous for sandbagging. It does no harm to refine the ratings over time. Most ratings that change will be lowered and a few raised. I've heard on more than one occasion both guides referred to as the book of lies. Both Vogel and Bartlett do their best, and one way to do so is through recommendations from climbers. May 13, 2003

Dynomight510

5.8+

Great route. Good pro all the way up. Nice traverse move in the middle. Aug 21, 2003

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

5.9-

Difficulty depends on height. The traverse move is hardest for shorter climbers, at least if my partner is a fair judge of that. This climb would be 3* if it had kept going as for the first 20M, but the top kicks back to low angle and is a little junky (loose blocks and dirt in the crack) and this robs the route of what it could have been by one star. Still very fun though. Jan 11, 2004

Mike Hack

5.8

I found it similar in many ways to Sail Away: good stances for gear, great nut placements, fun route, similar difficulty. But no queue at the base! Nov 8, 2004

Joe Brophy
San Diego

5.8

Like others have said, a very fun route and I could also see how there would be a long line if it was located in Hidden valley campground. Great pro for those leading near their limit. Jan 18, 2005

Adam Stackhouse

5.9-

Very very nice, fun route. Highly recomended. Jan 28, 2006

Chris Owen
Big Bear Lake

I've seen short people work harder at the traverse (look at my picture of Scott).

I climbed this route in the late afternoon of a perfect day one year, I was in good form (for a change) and had a fantastic time on it, almost an epiphany, for some reason it just stuck in my head.

A lot of the so called classic climbs at JT don't have a view of the desert floor half as good as this. The traverse adds a little spice and character, the rock is perfect, it's steep, the moves are athletic, there are no ledges anywhere, it's sustained at its grade. I think it's a classic - maximum stars.

As far as ratings are concerned the more people who offer an opinion the more accurate the grade - grades are built by consensus. So, I'd say 5.8. Apr 26, 2006

David Wang
San Francisco, CA

5.8-

Awesome route with lots of features on the face and around the crack. The holds at the crux are unbelievably "ergonomic"! Not too bad at all if you are tall enough and likes face holds. Nov 5, 2006

Will S
Joshua Tree

5.9-

As mentioned, the crux traverse move is totally height/reach dependent. At 6' this will feel like 5.7, at 5'3" it will feel like hard 5.9. Mar 30, 2007

tallmark515

5.9

Did this a couple years back and remember it being super classic, one of my favorite moderate routes in the park. The traverse is awesome. Dec 14, 2009

Eric T
St. Augustine, FL

5.8

A fun warm up if you are confident at the grade. If you are pushing the grade a great climb that is easy to protect with many bomber nut placements. I'm 5'7 and found the traverse to be a bit exciting, but not bad once you figure out the feet. You can place a super good large nut before you make the traverse, quickdraw and sling it, then another bomber nut on the left crack, quickdraw and sling it. Do this and you will have very little rope drag.

I'd call it 5.8. Sep 27, 2011

Ross Hokett
Great Falls, MT

this route is really great,and gets excellent sun in the morning I welded a stopper on this thing a few years ago looking forward to revisiting it Oct 23, 2012

Canon

5.8+

The long traverse move left onto the huge jug is easy, but I spent a good five minutes at the stance before the traverse trying to figure out a "5.8" way to go straight UP the crack. So, look around. Fun climb, but not a great one. Lots of nuts and .5-1 BD cams. Nov 17, 2012

Phil Esra

Fun! Loved the traverse. Would call it more like "hard 5.8" than soft 5.9. Dec 9, 2014

rosie pine
Oakland, CA

5.9+

I'm 5'5", and the traverse felt hard for 5.9. I had to get a high right foot and move out dynamically, unlike my taller partner who could just reach the jug from a smear. I was glad I followed this! Would be a hard first 5.9 lead for shorter climbers. Jun 17, 2016

Fernando Cal
SLC, UT

5.8

Awesome climb with fun traverse! Probably one part where I felt a little awkward past the crux section. Very well protected and eats nuts! Hands and feet are all there, and superb view once of area after topping out. Easy terrain for top out. Jan 3, 2017

steverett
Boston, MA

At 5'10", I found the traverse very easy, 5.7 or so. For my shorter partner, it was more like 5.10. Feb 5, 2018

Dustin Stephens

Among the best 8's at Josh imo Oct 8, 2018

Christina Moon
San Diego, CA

I'm 5'3" and did the traverse statically...but it did take me awhile to figure out the exact beta. I'm glad I was pushed to lead this without any knowledge of the climb because I would have hesitated if I read any of these comments or the guidebook beforehand! Jan 20, 2020

Ty Zang
Huntington Beach, CA

If you are 5'11 or taller, the traverse is fairly simple as you can reach a nice juggy hold. The mistake I made was thinking that the climb was over after the traverse. The upper half is still fairly sustained. Extend both the pre-traverse pro and the post to avoid any drag.

FYI I built an anchor up top with a green .75, blue 3, and yellow 2. Nov 29, 2022