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Kenygl
Trad climber
Salt Lake City
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Josh in winter is great. Yeah it gets cold, I've been there in a driving snow storm with a partner projectile vomiting out the tent door(another time I'll share the story, avoid Edchatas if it still there!!:) and then it'll warm up real nice. It's a great place to climb in winter hence it's universal popularity. Glad I was there 20 plus years ago.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
www.climbaddictdesigns.com
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http://www.squidoo.com/firt-timers-guide-to-joshua-tree
This is a min guide I created for first-time visitors to Joshua Tree. It includes all the basic information, except that which should not be posted online. But it is certainly enough to get you started.
I am here for the winter, mostly staying at the Pit, which is a fine place, especially now that Giant(Hearted) John Stannard swept it clean as a whistle. You can recognize me by my little white fluffy dog, Teddy, who is usually at my side. If you see us, stop and introduce yourselves!
The showers are pay showers and take quarters. Not anymore(and haven't been for several years at least!) It is $4 for a 7.5 minute shower. You get a token from the shop to put into a machine that starts the shower water.
Always Always Always lock your gear away out of sight. This is so. A few weeks ago we had a thread from a person upset his backpack was stolen - out of the bed on his open pickup truck! Common sense goes a long way, but in JT, you have to also take extra precautions. Don't provide an opportunity, and take special care to camouflage when you leave a vehicle in even a parking lit at the grocery store in Yucca.
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verticalbound
Trad climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 3, 2013 - 07:13pm PT
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How bout guide books?
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tinker b
climber
the commonwealth
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nice site happie... the only thing i saw missing was joshua tree healthfoods. if you stick to the bulk foods the prices aren't bad. the folks there are really knowledgeable if you are sick or hurt as well. also grateful desert is a great place for herbs, chocolate, tea, salve, ect.. sister's cafe offers amazing organic food.
okay there's my two cents.
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micronut
Trad climber
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We'll be there the last week in January. Adam and I are ach renting RV's and driving down with wives and children in tow. Eleven kids between us. Should be a junk show. See you there maybe? We're driving down the 24th and will be there till the 27th
Have fun!
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Guide books galore. Stop at Nomad's and browse. The Trad Climber's guide is popular, goes from 5.6 to 5.9 IIRC. Randy Vogel's guides gives you an immense amount of info. If you can still find the Bartlett guides, they are very specific to certain areas.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Yeah, it can be totally toasty in January, and if you choose your climbs right you can mostly avoid the wind while climbing. But it can also suck when a cold front comes through and the wind is blowing. Being from Anchorage your idea of suck is probably different than mine.
Recommend you book a site in advance if you will arrive Friday or Saturday, During the week you should be able to find a site without too much trouble. Several campgrounds are first come first serve, but if it is a weekend you are likely to be screwed. Go to recreation.gov for reservations. Indian Cove is at a lower elevation and will be warmer and has water at the entrance station; most other campgrounds you will need to bring it in.
The RV crowd generators can drive you nuts, so look for a site well away from them. I find myself going to JT less and less because it sucks to be enjoying a quiet sunset and then the generators kick on until the 10:00 PM quiet time. If the generators drive you as nuts as they do me, scope out a place away from the campground during the day to drop your bag and pad and after dinner go stealth camp there.
All that said, JT is a wonderfull place to spend time and you will love it. Think the flintstones and bedrock. You did not say what difficulty you are looking for. For some easy introduction to JT start off at the short wall (zoo) in Indian Cove or Quail Springs (zoo II) where the noob antics will be thouroughly entertaining. Moosedog Tower in Indian Cove has some really fun, well protected routes in the 5.6-5.9) "ish" range. But mostly, if you are comfy with 5.8 slab climbing, you have to do walk on the wild side at saddle rocks between Hidden Valley and Jumbo Rocks; one of my favorite easy routes ever (5.7).
Hemingway buttress also has some great moderate routes.
These are all popular climbs and moderate, so if you want solitude and don't want to wait in line (weekends) it would probably be a good idea to look elsewhere. If you want something harder than easy routes the options are endless. Most of the routes are short; protect early and often.
Cheers and enjoy.
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verticalbound
Trad climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 6, 2013 - 03:01am PT
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two more questions? What type of rack would be minimum for a wide range of routes and whats posting up on the lake bed like?
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Bring a full rack. The routes are short and you can select gear after you have scoped the climb.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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The lake bed is the lake bed. Not bad. God help you if it get's really windy. It's open, flat, and very windy.
Vogel's guide is probably the overall best one for a large selection. Bring a good standard trad rack and you will be fine. As mentioned, some large pieces are also a good idea.
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tinker b
climber
the commonwealth
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the lake bed is kinda far. you'll get a site in hidden valley. recently they have only been kicking out as#@&%es who overstay their 14 day limit. a camp site is ten dollars a night. if you share that makes it five. you'll spend more in gas commuting to the pit or the lakebed.
edit
i didn't mean people who overrstay the 14 day limit are as#@&%es...it is people who act like as#@&%es who get kicked out. the only people i have seen booted in the last few years were a group of high liners who camped under toe jam across from ranger coffee. their camp was the classic junk show...trash blowing, food left out, lots of empties, and they would glare at the ranger everytime he passed. third week of climber coffee and the ranger told them it was time to leave. claro bob?
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bob
climber
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^^^^^^^^^^^^
"as#@&%es who overstay their 14 day limit. "
HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHHHAHHAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice one...... :)
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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...not a lot of trad experience in our team...
Now is your chance to end this condition.
Round up a full rack and get busy.
To prove you are a real climber you have to lead Double Cross with hex nuts.
I don't understand the apprehension some climbers have to placing their own pro but it is a common malady cured by placing pro. Start with easier routes and move onward until it becomes like breathing.
I'd like to recommend:
Mental Physics
Double Cross
North Overhang at Intersection Rock
Everything on the Lost Horse Wall
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selfish man
Gym climber
Austin, TX
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For guidebooks, both Vogel's latest book and the Miramontes book are excellent. Both are not cheap but worth it if you need a comprehensive guidebook. For a select list of excellent climbs get Gaines' "best climbs"
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Byran
climber
Yosemite Valley, CA
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There's also water at the west entrance station. I think it costs a quarter for 1 min or something like that. It's a high pressure spigot though, so if you line up all your containers with the lids off then you should be able to fill them all up in 1 min.
The Gunsmoke Traverse is often wind sheltered and sunny on days when it's blowing hard. You can also usually find some wind shelter if you hike out into the interior of the Wonderland of Rocks. Tie down your tent good before you go climbing or you'll find it on the other side of the campground, impaled on a Yucca.
On days that it's raining, there's a small but nice county library in Yucca Valley. The Joshua Tree Saloon is the main place to get a beer, and they've got pretty decent food too. Santana's has good cheap burritos and such.
This beta is all a few years old, btw.
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verticalbound
Trad climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 9, 2013 - 04:30pm PT
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Alright didnt get a straight forward answer, would I be ok with a single set of 7 cams? fingers to fist?
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Yeah, you can get by with that rack. But bring some wires, too.
To prove you are a real climber you have to lead Double Cross with hex nuts.
He'll need one quickdraw to clip the Batten Memorial Bolt. :-)
About Double Cross, on my very first trip to Josh as a climber, which was to take a beginner's course from Bob Gaines, the guide, Coz, pointed out to us some recently splattered blood and brains on Double Cross. That was sort of sobering. True story.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Latitute 33
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Alright didnt get a straight forward answer, would I be ok with a single set of 7 cams? fingers to fist?
As stated above, bring thinner gear as well as it is essential for adequately protecting a considerable number of routes at Josh. That said, you will find that 0.25" to perhaps 2.0" is the most common sizes you will use. Several shoulder length slings will also prove very useful. Depending on the route, doubles of some sizes might help.
Also, if you end up top-roping some routes (which is not uncommon), an extendo of some sort is invaluable (not to be confused with a cordelette). A 20-30 foot section of an old climbing rope is ideal.
and whats the best guide book or two to pick up?
I'm biased, but unless you plan on climbing harder than 5.11 or wandering far afield or you already know the area well (meaning you don't need good approach and descent info), you will significantly better off with this than any other guide.
You can either buy it, or I believe even rent a guide from Joshua Tree Outfitters http://www.joshuatreeoutfitters.com/
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verticalbound
Trad climber
Anchorage
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 9, 2013 - 10:09pm PT
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I was contemplating selling a set of cams which is why i said 7 cams, but I actually have doubles from .5-3 BD, and my smallest cam is a red alien, and a fair amount of nuts/hexes tiny to fists. pretty good coverage?
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Yep.
Not sure what size a red alien is but if it's down in the purple TCU size and you have singles up to the .5 Camalot, doubles on the .5 and .75 and singles the rest of the way up, plus a set of nuts, yer covered for most of it.
Doubles on the 2, and 3 do come in handy though.
Plan on a couple of rest days when you've fried your tips.
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