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Kemosabe and Tonto

5.9+, Trad, 100 ft (30 m),  Avg: 2.6 from 58 votes
FA: Ted Chapin & Jim Boone, 1979
California > Joshua Tree NP > Hidden Valley Area > Real Hidden Valley > Great Burrito
Warning Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

This route starts at the base of the large cleft and next to the yuccas. Climb the crack system directly to the top. The original party rated this route 5.9. I would rate it 10a/10b; it's strenuous with a tricky start.

Protection

Standard rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Kemosabe and Tonto - Patty Black on the first day of 2010
[Hide Photo] Kemosabe and Tonto - Patty Black on the first day of 2010
You'll get your money's worth on this one. Great long route
[Hide Photo] You'll get your money's worth on this one. Great long route
"Kemosabe and Tonto".<br>
Photo by Blitzo.
[Hide Photo] "Kemosabe and Tonto". Photo by Blitzo.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Good route- a little balancy to start and some 'bad' placements may confuse the protection issue with an inexperienced leader. Albeit that I think this route is only 5.9, I'd agree that it would be a poor route to try to push your limits on.The route was fun though, at ~35 meters length, it checks in longer than most real hidden valley routes. Fun overall with tight grain and good rock most of the way. Nice variety to the climbing movement- it deserves more traffic than it gets. Jan 9, 2006
Darshan Ahluwalia
Orange, CA
[Hide Comment] Interesting route name.

Kemosabe is a 10a in Red Rocks to the left of The Ragged Edges Wall. To the right is the 5.5 Tonto. Feb 23, 2007
Jason Halladay
Los Alamos, NM
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Nice route up the center of an obvious wall! I also consider this route to be 5.10-. The crux roof at about 2/3rds the way up is tricky and committing but protects very well. The start is tricky and unprotected for the first 10 feet but has a decent landing if you blow it. You can setup a super TR with a 70m (bolted rap anchor is just left of the top of the route). Otherwise take two ropes to rap. Jan 4, 2009
Kevin Dahlstrom
Boulder, CO
  5.10 PG13
[Hide Comment] This route deserves 3 stars and a 5.10 rating. A bouldery start followed by engaging, technical climbing with a couple of no-hands rest stops. Bomber pro except for a couple of 5.easy sections. The crux roof protects well but felt really awkward and burly -- definitely harder than other solid 5.10's at JTree. Maybe I missed something. There's a 5.8 variation a few feet to the left if you don't like what you see.

You can rap the route with one 60m rope - it barely reaches but knot the ends anyway! Jan 17, 2012
Colin Schour
Big Bear Lake, CA
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] I really liked this route. Three stars and a 5.9+ rating. At the roof, throw a nut in (or two, like I did), and trust that jam! Mar 5, 2012
Russ Walling
Flaky Foont, WI. Redacted…
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] Good route... bouldery start with walk-out not carry -out finality. Upper roof seemed burly and well protected with pro in your face. Bolts on top sorta good, but one was finger tight and they have no lower offs, just hangers. Downclimb to climbers left and see you in 20 minutes or to climbers right and see you after a rigorous and sketchy down climb 7 minutes and 40 seconds later. Pick one... they both kinda suck. Jan 19, 2014
susan peplow
Joshua Tree
  5.10
[Hide Comment] Bouldery start isn't that bouldery with flat landing. Unless you leaned way back, I guess that could be bad. This is a good route with a few roof moves of varying grades. The final roof seems to be the crux in public opinion and has a crack to fit everyone from fists for the men to hands (deep) for the ladies. Protects well and probably about as difficult as Desperado so I'm rating the grade as 5.10 . Good and probably worth a trip to the Great Burrito if you're looking for long routes, in the sun, that you likely will never see anyone at even though it's 2 minutes scramble from the loop trail. Jan 20, 2014
[Hide Comment] Fantastic route. One of the better climbs I've done at JTree. Apr 7, 2014
Sean
Oak Park, CA
[Hide Comment] anchor bolts left of topout now has slings with rap rings. rap with one 70m rope leaves about 5 ft to spare on each strand Dec 28, 2016
tony grice
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Good clean route. Tricky start, not for the uninitiated. No 5.10 climbing anywhere on the route. Solid pro throughout. May 2, 2018