|
Each winter Elaina Arenz-Smith, NRMG owner and head guide, escapes the East coast winter and heads out West to soak up the sunshine (and climb) in Joshua Tree National Park, CA. If you want to get away too then this is your chance.
"J-Tree" located in southern California near Palm Springs, boasts lots of classic granite crack and face climbing in one of the most surreal landscapes you've ever seen. It's like waking up in the middle of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Tree. There are thousands of surreal shaped Joshua Trees covering the landscape, and millions of piles of granite, from house sized boulders to multi-pitch domes.
J-Tree is a trad climbers paradise, cracks of every shape and size which eat up gear. If you want to learn how to perfect your jamming and gear placement skills, there are few winter climbing destinations that are better to practice. Top anchors are the exception rather than the rule, so a thorough knowledge of anchoring is key.
There are also great friction climbs to be had, some of them bolted, but you'd be hard pressed to call them "sport climbs". The faces appear blank at first, but once you develop an eye for the rock and experience how great the friction is, you'll find you can stand and hold onto the most seemingly desperate of holds.
Climbing here will definitely help you become a more well rounded climber because it's a climbing area that requires you to use the precise movement and technique, as well as technical skills like gear placement and anchor building, route-finding skills and the mental strength when the going gets tough (ie flaring and grainy).
Send us an email to request dates, inquire about dates, availability and pricing.
|
