Happy New Year from JT

Echo Rock, featuring EBGBs et al on 12/31/2013
We were hoping to do the line called "Stitcher Quits" this day.
Luckily the sun came out TOMORROW.

Happy New Year from our Base Camp to Yours. We are lucky enough to have spent the week in Joshua Tree (and you thought we'd had enough of the holiday weekends after Thanksgiving.)

It turned out to be a "little" less crowded, and a  LOT (lot) colder.  But I really feel like I've made progress in my tolerance to cold.

We put in a reasonable number of routes for our age group.  Considering it was just the "two of us" and not JZ and the Boys, we were able to climb at MY rate with a few extra routes for Jim.

  

New Year's Eve (day) snow plows on the Park Blvd.

Wednesday the 31st was the only day we couldn't climb, so we went out and took pictures of the park.  Saw at least two snow plows working the main road and the parking lots and the temperatures were mid 20's.  Too cold, even for the hardest of the hard core.  

As expected however, when the sun came out in the New Year, so did the climbers.  

The right number of layers and the right attitude can make all the difference in the world.   Yet no matter how many layers you wear, or how many pep talks you can give yourself, it's very hard to take your boots off in the snow to put on climbing shoes. But that's just what we did.  

Jim as always, ready to jump on, but ME....

  

I'm SO Proud of ME !

So here's the trip timeline.  We left Tempe at 5 am on Sunday.  Arrived before 10am at Jumbo Rock campground and while everything looked FULL, we drove right up to a site that accommodated our new Base Camp just perfectly.

That's right, I said BASECAMP!  We have treated ourselves to a perfect little travel trailer (circa 2001) and we had HOT WATER (aka: washed dishes and hair) an XM radio so basecamp ROCKED, and a heater that kept us around 40 degrees all night long. A blessing because while Sunday and Monday were beautiful weather the landscape in the winter can change dramatically. 

Monday Morning - Crisp, breezy but beautiful.

On Monday we were armed with beta from Steve.  A few ideas to stay out of the wind and IN the sun, we headed off to Quail Springs area and Trashcan Rock.  There we did a couple of routes.  As predicted however it was a bit of a zoo (fun, but a zoo) with tourists, families of climbers with the kids on the ropes and just a little too crowded for us.  Added to the Ticklist however was: B2 - a little 5.3 crack up to the top (some would free solo but not when you climb with your wife) setting up  a TR for me, and then one for him on the face to the left, Profundity 5.10a.  Then we moved around the corner and did Cranny 5.8 little set of double cracks.

JZ on top of B3, with Profundity on the near left face. 

Cranny, runs up the cracks just to the righ of the sun.
This was as much shade as I wanted!

Waiting (and belaying) at the TOP.  MY handsome husband.

Close to the West Entrance and needing gas (remember we drove the Dura Max, Diesel and pulled basecamp) we decided to go into town to fill up and grab a new guide book.  The second we left the park however we were reminded that it was a holiday weekend.  The line to enter the park went nearly 3 miles down the road.  REALLY.  Luckily we were staying at Jumbo Rock and it made more sense to go down to 29 palms and come in the other entrance.  Giving us the perfect opportunity to stop at Stirrup Tanks for a little reconnaissance for Steve and a chance for Jim to TR an unknown line (even with the new book) he had eyed last trip.  3 bolts but no info so maybe with the boys he'd have lead it, but with your wife.... he listened to that little voice in his head... cuz it was ME.

Bolts.  3 of them. Not in the book.  Jim TR'd and votes it a 5.10+ (d maybe?)
Next time Steve will put in his vote, so stay tuned and if you know what this is, please let us know.

This is for you Steve.  We have more and will share on Thursday!

Coming back into Jumbo Rock for the evening we were so happy to have arrived the day prior. There was a constant stream of people arriving and searching for a site.  Most were disappointed, but if they read this blog, they'd have a back up plan...right?  (see previous Thanksgiving post)

Tuesday we got up and again looked up into blue skies and sunshine.  The temperatures had dropped however and as we drove from Jumbo Rock further IN to the park, it was clear that the storm we had heard about was going to happen.

The storm was coming, but there was still time.

But there was still a little time.  Armed with our new guide book we headed to Little Hunk Wall at Echo Rock to look for a 2 star 5.8 called Incandescent.

Guidebook or not, it took us a while to sort out the Little Hunk East Side, West Side, and Right side ;) until we went "around" the formation to the North East Wall and the Right Side became clearer.  There we found it and more.

We may have spent a little too long checking out the area before starting to climb, and then it didn't help that Jim forget his climbing shoes at the truck and had to jog back.  (Sucked for him - I just layed in a cave and watched little white flurries start to come down)

Little Hunk North Side, kept us out of the wind but nothing could stop the snow.
By the time he was done it was SNOWING, and it didn't stop until the next day!

This is our fire on Tuesday evening.

This is how it looked on Wednesday morning.

So Wednesday (New Year's Eve) found us and everyone else, in parkas and boots, sneaking out for an hour or two every now and again.  A couple of hikes, games of Scrabble, the Allman Brothers Concert on XM Radio, a lot of Patron (along with other libations)

Basecamp was VERY VERY good to us.

and we brought in the New Year in a way that we hope to do many more times in our lives.

Basecamp at Joshua Tree National Park.  Does it get better than this?

We ended up celebrating an East Coast countdown (ie: were in bed early) and hear a few hoots and hollers as the California clock struck 12.

On New Year's Day we headed to Echo Cove Left side (as a result of our own research, in our new book, taking into consideration the wind and the sun and aren't you proud of us Steve? ) where we were alone for about 30 minutes and then the other climbers came out to play.  It's fun to have something in common (besides the calls of "Happy New Year" with the younger generation) and we found ourselves in the midst of our kind.  A little hungover, yes, but we were out there.

Jim and I started the day sending the 5.7 sport pitch called Swing Low, followed by a little chute called (appropriately) Chute Up 5.2 or 5.3. and then setting up a TR to do the 5.8 faces next to it,  The Sound of One Shoe Tapping and W.A.C.  and then we headed back to the line we were hoping for the day prior, Stitcher Quits 5.7.  We weren't the only ones however and so we waited and watched another young couple (reminded us of ourselves 30 years ago) as he (Matt) led up, and she (Tara) belayed and followed.

They were setting a TR for other friends, so Jim and I took the opportunity they offered to jump on their rope in the mean time.  Tara and Jim had clipped thru one of the bolts (as was my plan) to leave for the others and were lowered down.  Half way up the route, it was decided that the others were not coming back and that I would have to clean the anchor from the top and be lowered down.

Now I know this post is getting L O N G but I also know that no one really reads it (except my close friends and my husband) but if you are reading this, you might just care to know that I passed a milestone on this day.  Unaware at the base when I started that it would be up to ME at the top to secure myself, untie from the rope, run the rope through the links that were up there, tie back into the rope, remove the other sling anchors and get lowered down.

Easy enough, but I've never done it.  Nor have I ever found myself alone at the top without a quick lower off a Top Rope.  My partner(s) are always there.  But this was up to ME.  It took me a little more time than maybe my waiting husband (and others at the bottom) may have liked, but they were very patient.  I double checked and triple checked everything and proudly got myself ready for the descent.  I guess you can teach an old (belay) dawg new tricks.

After this route Jim noticed this shadow on the rocks and decided he wanted to climb that Joshua Tree.  Of course this would not be legal in the realest sense, but I love these next two photos!  I'm sure he'll be posting them to Facebook or something.

Friday morning came too soon and we had to leave the campsite.  We packed up basecamp and then took a quick drive out to the turn off where we can get a signal to call home.  Everyone was fine and we had time to go back for one more route or two.  With basecamp in tow, we parked at the Hall of Horrors and did some little 5.9 face called something like House of the Homeless?.  I had a HARD time with it.  I need to get back to the gym.  So we stopped there, walked around the Horror Rocks some more and then headed home.  

Never satisfied, we added a few to the ticklist but far more to the wish list this week.  We will be back very soon.  We'll plan for February or March, but UNSANCTIONED trips happen all the time. Stay tuned.  I'm thinking Jim wants an appointment at Henrieta's Day Spa, if you know where I mean.

In the mean time, I need to hit gym.  I got tired easy.  Flailed on some easy smearing attempts (but that may be that I need to go to REI and get new shoes ;) and felt just all around not as strong as I thought I was.

But my accomplishments (though small) were huge for me this weekend.  Just being there in the cold.  Getting ON the rock when I really wanted to stay IN my parka layer, and getting myself off of the route Stitcher Quits.  I did not quit.  Yea ME.

Kay Z

more photos follow for those who care ;) including JIM. 

Just Right Click on any photo here and choose to save to disk, to have your own copy.

Holiday Weekends at Joshua Tree NOT for Everyone

Well if THAT is true, why was EVERYONE there ??

We pulled in on Black Friday just after lunch to find every campground FULL and the day lots looking like an LA freeway at 5pm.  Being the young, near 60 somethings that we are,  we decided to climb first and worry about where to sleep later. Because that's the way we roll.  Dodging strollers and big bus loads of tourists at The Real Hidden Valley we finally parked at Intersection Rock and walked back. There the guys got to put their hands in the Broken Glass that was keeping Steve busy in his dreams.

The atmosphere created by the after Thanksgiving family traffic was very Disneyland like.  Constant chatter wafted up as Steve, Jim and Brian worked their way up the 5.10 split crack route.  We saw a ranger around 4pm.  Knowing we had no campsite we asked him about overflow camping.  He had the beta we needed.  Just outside Joshua Tree (the town of) is a BLM space where camping is permitted free.  Pulling in as night fell, we parked in the middle of the playa (aka: sort of a dry lake bed) and quickly set up a mini camp.

FREE Camping on the Playa
BLM land outside Jousha Tree, CA

Morning revealed we might have chosen a better spot on the outskirts of the playa, as it appeared we were in the center of "the spot" for motocross and ATV fun. Good thing we were on the move anyway.

Up early we hit the McDonalds (in the WalMart on Highway 62) for coffee and breakfast then drove back into the park hoping Karma would help us find a campsite.  Trolling through Jumbo Rock we found what we needed.  A family, clearly packing up to leave, was kind enough to leave our stuff at the site when they left and we took off looking for a lesser traveled crags. There may be crowds, but people who love our National Parks are usually good, trustworthy sorts. My kind of folks.

Once again Steve's vast knowledge of all things JT paid dividends as he navigated us to just what we wanted. A warm, quiet spot. He knows (because I've made it pretty clear) I'm a wimp when it's cold. It was one of those days where you see people (like me) bundled in 3 layers and a stocking cap, while others walk around in shorts and flip flops.  68 degrees, colder in the shade, warmer in the sun and don't get me started on the wind ;)

So where do you go to beat the crowds and bask in the sun at JT?   Echo Rock, SW Face (aka the Solarium) where we put in a 5.7, 5.9, 5.10+ and a fun little 5.3 for good measure.  A couple of leads, a couple of Top Ropes and there's something for everyone on this wall.  There were harder routes and we could have spent more time, but the rest of JT was calling.

AND where do you go to guarantee a waiting list to get on the route?  The Headstone Rock at Ryan's Campground.  Why then, you might ask.  Because it's a classic and worth the wait!

GREAT Beta: Did you know there are two little ground level cracks (The Headstone Cracks - right and left) for you to pass the time, waiting for your turn at the classics above you.  Here's a link to a little more beta (and some photos & videos) on these cracks.

ME on The SW Corner of The Headstone Rock.
This is THE place to get that classic photo
of yourself to scare your mother.....
mine is 80 and can not understand this at all ;)

The Headstone Rock makes for great photos for everyone who braves the step off over big air (only a 5.6 and again, a LOT easier on the bottom end of the rope ;) Even though the wind added its intimidation with its cold temperatures, we did it and I got the first ever "really cool" photo of myself to show my kids, parents and Facebook friends.

As I said, there's always a line and we climbed on the left while another party was on the right. Topping out together we all quietly waited our turn to rap off the other side and out of the relentless wind.   AND like I said, crowded or not these are my kind of folks, as we each took photos for the other and they lent us the use of a long sling to clip to as the crowd progressed down off of The Headstone and back to our packs.

I stood up ONLY for this photo.
Clipped in to the anchor of course, but
even THAT is scary from up there. 

Brian stayed on the ground to get these great summit shots from down there as well as a few good rappelling shots too.  Oh Headstone Rock you provide so much validation for this obsession we have.    Usually climbing photos are but shots or selfies at the base before you put the camera phone safely away.   But this rock and the people we met on it have made for a great batch of digital memories.

Thanks Brian for some GREAT shots.

THANKSGIVING thoughts.....This year and every year, I am Thankful for my Husband, our family (you know who you are but are likely not reading this anyway) and our climbing partners.

Steve Smelser (see you on Thursday at the gym) Brian Anthony (you'd better get your butt to the gym with us or number 1,000 might have to be a TR;) and Bill who had other plans this past weekend but attended via stories around the campfire and all of the others who came before and will be in the future.

Left to Right: Brian Anthony, Steve Smelser,
Jim and Kay Zahn.

I'm thankful for the sun (and the wind) and the rocks.

These same rocks that have been here for generations waiting for our fingers to touch our shoes to stick and our memories to build around them.  This trip we shall name JumboPlaya. Steve, Jim, Brian and I will remember what that means.

Until next time, as Brian would say, "go get yourself some of that."  Stay safe and love your neighbors on and off the rocks.

submitted by: Kay Zahn
Mountain Project Link to ME