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The Arraignment

5.10a, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 1 from 3 votes
FA: Richard Jensen and Mark Smith, April 1982
California > Joshua Tree NP > Central Joshua… > Barker Dam Area > Rat Rock
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Description

Approach this route by walking along the top of the dam and then scrambling over boulders to reach a rocky spot just right of Mirage (5.10b) and below the start of False Rat Ledge (5.8). The route parallels that of False Rat Ledge and is easily identified by it's start in an obvious dark-stained flake system.

Climb the flake (pro to 2") and then wander upward on somewhat vague friction past four bolts, cutting right after the last bolt to finish with the last moves of False Rat Ledge. Gear to 3.5" for the anchor in a crack about 20' back from the edge, which can make it difficult to hear your partner if you don't extend yourself out to the edge. Descend to the climber's left down slabs and blocks.

Although the climb feels a tad contrived at times it does provide some enjoyable friction moves in a nice setting, high above the water and thronging tourists. One star out of five.

Protection

4 bolts (3/8"), pro to 3.5"

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] We did this today. It's an odd route that doesn't follow the natural line up the dihedral but ,instead, wanders a bit left of the dihedral crack. The original party could have saved themselves the bolting by using the crack for pro and still moved out to the face for the friction- quite contrived. It's not a bomb but no stars either. Feb 27, 2005
C Miller
CA
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Having done both this route and False Rat Ledge my suggestion would be to combine the two routes. Climb this route to the third bolt and then cut right to finish up with the crux of False Rat Ledge. This link-up would avoid the awkward approach to False Rat Ledge, as well as that route's very easy initial section and avoid the somewhat contrived upper section of The Arraingment. Done this way the link-up might warrant one and half/two stars out of five. Feb 28, 2005