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Western Saga

5.9, Trad, 150 ft (45 m),  Avg: 2.9 from 235 votes
FA: Dan Ahlborn & Mariah Cranor, December 1976
California > Joshua Tree NP > Hidden Valley Area > Real Hidden Valley > Sentinel > Sentinel - E Face
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Description

This route follows a pretty direct line in a large dihedral, and then over a roof. It's on the right half of the east face of The Sentinel.This is a great route, with the crux in the lower half of the dihedral, and an incredible no-hands "head rest" just below the roof.

Protection

Gear to 3"

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A scenic view from Western Saga, Joshua Tree.
[Hide Photo] A scenic view from Western Saga, Joshua Tree.
Western Saga, Joshua Tree.
[Hide Photo] Western Saga, Joshua Tree.
Western Saga
[Hide Photo] Western Saga
Western Saga
[Hide Photo] Western Saga
Climbers on Western Saga (5.9), Joshua Tree NP
[Hide Photo] Climbers on Western Saga (5.9), Joshua Tree NP
Just above the crux.
[Hide Photo] Just above the crux.
Looking down while stepping out onto the dihedral arete at the roof lip.
[Hide Photo] Looking down while stepping out onto the dihedral arete at the roof lip.
Protecting the roof before moving out.
[Hide Photo] Protecting the roof before moving out.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] I led this route many years ago and again yesterday. I believe the first moves at the start of the dihedral are 5.10a. Those I've climbed it with concur. Apr 30, 2004
Will S
Joshua Tree
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Pretty typical J-tree 5.9. Slightly awkward, varied climbing. Kind of a long pitch, and a circuitious walk off that goes a bit right from the top of the route to gain the top of the formation, then goes back left to the south end of Sentinel to descend low angle terrain. Feb 16, 2007
Darren D.
  5.9
[Hide Comment] A pretty nice route. When thin wall is crowded (always), stop here and do this one instead. You won't be disappointed. Apr 2, 2007
[Hide Comment] If you are inclined to rappell there are chain anchors on the southwest part of the formation. A little scrambling and down climbing to the opposite side of the formation (climbers right of Western Saga) will lead you to the rap. Did it with a 70m but am sure a 60m would be fine. Nov 13, 2007
ssp
[Hide Comment] Western Saga haunted me for a couple of years. I was always looking across RHV from where we were doing other routes staring at this beautiful line. Dihedral, Roof, a bit of face climbing above, everything one looks for in a great route at J-Tree.
And the odd thing is I never see anybody on it, maybe due to shady in the afternoon evening hours. Slightly out of the way across from the trade routes.
When we topped out two F-15s flew right thru RVH did a high speed turn and came back over must have been only 200 ft off the deck !
What a sight. Oct 25, 2011
Russ Walling
Flaky Foont, WI. Redacted…
 
[Hide Comment] Did this thing today. I'm big as a house, haven't climbed in months, and decided on this as a season opening warmup for hopefully better things to come. I thought it was pretty strenuous, sorta awkward, and I trusted about 70% of my pro. Typical season starting paranoia I would guess. Anyway, I placed a few nuts from small to large and popped in a few cams, that all seemed pretty good. Under the roof-let a #4 Camalot would fit like a dream in the offset, ballooning crack. A couple of funky moves get you past the roof and into some solid cams of the 1.5" to 2" size. Easy to the top from there, the top being a sit down saddle stance with some nuts and a couple of cams behind you. As stated above, move up out of this belay to climbers right then scramble up onto the summit slabs. The whole thing is mostly pro under 2", with the exception of the piece I would have liked under the roof, a #4 Camalot. A cool and varied route. Sep 29, 2012
susan peplow
Joshua Tree
 
[Hide Comment] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Pffff to the above! Gear was solid the entire way. Wow! It's been a while since being on this route, 10 years? 20? What a gem!! Really nice moves with an obvious line, nothing tricky or route finding here less maybe the top out which is either left and finish Fote Hog or right and up a scramble to the summit.

Fun fun fun! Adding to my tick list next, may even go back in a few days during my hopeful tick and look for our escapee nut that popped off during Russ lead. Love those moderate gems! Sep 29, 2012
Canon
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] Hard for 5.9! We broke it into two pitches, belaying at the base of the dihedral, which is hard to get up into, but the crux is pulling the roof. Great gear though. Nov 22, 2012
Sean
Oak Park, CA
[Hide Comment] def doable in one pitch with a 60m rope, approx 155 ft from ground to the higher Fote Hog topout Oct 5, 2015
J Sundstrom
San Diego, CA
  5.9
[Hide Comment] #4 definitely unnecessary, easy to do as one pitch. Great comfy belay at the top. Mar 26, 2016
Daniel Evans
Phoenix, AZ
[Hide Comment] There was a party starting up the route when I arrived to the base, who overheard me mentioning the #4 comments on here to my partner. When the leader reached the bottom of the roof he yelled, "oh what the f***, BRING THE #4!" I brought two of them and ended up placing both in the top half of the dihedral. The alternative to bringing a #4, is hanging out longer underneath the roof in an uncomfortable position in order to place pro between the wedged chockstone that isn't the most confidence inspiring. If you are climbing well above 5.9, it is probably not necessary but for someone at their limit (like myself), a #4 would be nice. Dec 27, 2017
Jacob Kantor
Asheville, NC
[Hide Comment] Amazing route, but definitely felt very soft for a Joshua Tree 5.9, which is still way harder than most 9s. Dec 5, 2018
[Hide Comment] Sweet route with a awkward grainy middle section that only slightly detracts from it. One pitch to the ledge on top of the roof and a quick 4th/5th class scramble to the summit. Was one of my fist leads in josh and after repeating again remembered how fun it was! Maybe its just nostalgia... Dec 10, 2018
Simeon Deming
Phila, PA
[Hide Comment] one of the best climbs in the real hidden valley, in my opinion. Long and sustained for the grade. Amazing line. Dec 19, 2018
Matt Hagny
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] Need a #4. #3 is useless. Dec 28, 2018
Nolan Slade
Hamilton, ON
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Really enjoyed this climb. From the comments, I expected the roof to be harder than it actually was. Protects beautifully and really isn’t hard when you use that great foot to the left. Loved the bomber hand crack in the midsection, too!

I would certainly not bother bringing a #4 on this. Admittedly, I tried to wiggle a #3 into the spot without avail, but ultimately just ended up taking one more step and putting bomber gear into the roof. Didn’t place anything bigger than #2, and the climb as a whole protects very well.

Would climb this one again. Had some serious crowds watching us on Memorial Day, which was a bit interesting. Proximity to the trail is a blessing and a curse, I suppose. Nov 11, 2019
Miguel Castro
socal
 
[Hide Comment] #4 definitely not needed. Just take one more step up and place pro in the crack below the roof Dec 12, 2019
Etha Williams
Twentynine Palms, CA
 
[Hide Comment] If you're planning to do the Fote Hog top-out, you'll probably want to extend your last piece in the crack above the dihedral pretty long due to the big, featured ledge between the dihedral and the Fote Hog layback crack. I didn't, and opted out of the Fote Hog finish as a result. The scramble off right to the summit isn't too bad, but does have some fourth or maybe low-fifth moves.

I personally felt no need for the #4 (didn't even end up placing it), and I'm not a particularly bold or strong leader. You can get a great piece in the roof, in solid rock below the chockstone, and the stance to place it from is just fine. Ymmv. Jan 22, 2021
Connor Brass
Kansas City, MO
[Hide Comment] youtu.be/QDSNrorsXyg

A video edit of the climb, very cool looking route!! May 20, 2022