PRINT: Rock Climb What, Joshua Tree National Park

What

5.8+, Trad, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches,

Avg: 1.1 from 19 votes
FA: unknown
California > Joshua Tree NP > Central Joshua… > Sheep Pass Area > Hall of Horrors… > Hall of Horrors > E Wall Inner (Exorcis…

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

The crux of this route is def. the off- width climbing the last 1/4.

Location

P1) Climb the dogleg crack in the center of the formation up to a wide ledge with a large flake, Gear - 3"
cont.
P2) Ascend offwidth crack (crux) to top out. Gear - 5"

Decent
1)-sling horn to rap. back to ledge, - may be too sketchy for some , otherwise
2) walk off (East) entailing
a) exposed fourth class moves to rappel bolts note: (60 m rope will just reach the ground w/ stretch)/ or cont. east to decent option
b) exposed 4th class boulder hopping move to gain access to the walk off.

Protection

pro to 5 inches, no bolts, sling horn or walk off.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Pitch 2 Rock Quality is Poor

What (5.8), Joshua Tree NP

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

DJ Reyes
Northern Nevada

I agree with John except for the gear reccomendations. I suspect that wider gear than a number 4 could be useful. Don Apr 22, 2009

Michael Richichi
Irvine, CA

The first pitch was enjoyable enough, but horns and knobs mean no offwidth technique is required. As soon as I saw the second pitch, I was like, “What?!” - one side of the crack is rounded and exfoliating, the other has a thin, flakey plate. Not worth climbing. Feb 20, 2023

Frodeman

Two stars for the part to the ledge, but the top is suicidally loose. Even when you get through the obvious exfoliating flakes inside the crack, the top right side of the chimney (after the good plate outside the crack) is fully detached. Probably a few hundred pounds of rock waiting to teeter off and kill you and your belayer. I bonked it with my palm and it vibrated for a very very long time. I down aided from here to avoid bailing off a 6, the whole time thinking I was going to have a thousand pounds of rock fall on my head. I don't think you could climb this without really yarding on this whole stack of trash, since it's both the inside right face of the chimney and the face holds out right. Nov 26, 2023