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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 29, 2007 - 12:14pm PT
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"Arguably the finest route in the park," Randy writes. "Recommended for those comfortable at the grade."
Some climbs have an aura.
Through years of occasional trips to Joshua Tree, I never got around to this one until last Friday.
Neither had Dave or Brian.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Oct 29, 2007 - 12:19pm PT
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Damn, I always though A Bolivian Freeze Job was the best...
Still, Boogers on a Lampshade gets my vote for best [finniest] named route.
What ever happened to the Monkeys On My Back?
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Oct 29, 2007 - 12:28pm PT
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I'd guess routes like this are somewhat out of fashion, but I'm wondering... was there a line on it?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2007 - 12:28pm PT
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With a cool head, Dave led pitch 1 onsight.
"No way I wanted to fall off up there," he said after pulling the mantel.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2007 - 12:31pm PT
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I'd guess routes like this are somewhat out of fashion, but I'm wondering... was there a line on it?
Only climbers we saw all day were pad people.
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Oct 29, 2007 - 01:11pm PT
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Yup, no doubt, that's a good route. When I first read your post I was thinking.... I should go over there and lead that thing.
Then I saw the photos further down and was brought back to reality. That traverse to that ledge is sketch as hell.
Nice job!
~Susan
p.s. Greg, last time we did it there were people on both domes but no line for the route.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Oct 29, 2007 - 01:15pm PT
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I did that route a long time ago, but was not comfortable at the grade. It was an exciting outing! It's a classic for sure.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Oct 29, 2007 - 01:33pm PT
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Yes, the original name was Monkey On My Back (and there is a story there). Randy changed the name without the full consent of the others involved. No big deal though, water under the bridge.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Oct 29, 2007 - 01:57pm PT
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Rating quality is always sketchy. For me, with a Yosemite background, the natural crack lines will always be the best stuff out at Josh, stuff like Rubicon, Equinox, More Monkey, Imaginary Voyage, Hercules and a zillion other purely natural lines. That much said I thought Figures was an excellent one-sight first ascent effort by D. Evans and friends (can't remember who was along with him). Right after the route was first climbed we did a Bud Light commercial on the thing and I have to scale the thing like 50 times in one day to make sure we "got the shot." We didn't.
JL
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Oct 29, 2007 - 02:02pm PT
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One of my favs. as well!! I remember way back when Dan Michaels 3rd classed this...Shudder!
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Oct 29, 2007 - 02:15pm PT
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Yeah, I remember when Dan soloed the thing. I gather he was partly inspired by relationship problems.
First time I did Figures (1982?), my partner, Colleen, led the first pitch. Then, as I was about halfway through the second pitch, a fighter jet roared through the canyon, maybe a hundred feet away and BELOW me.
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Oct 29, 2007 - 02:29pm PT
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I went out there to do that thing and after watching a guy take two big cartwheeling sideways falls from the end of the first pitch, decided to do something else.
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coiler
Trad climber
The Rock Monkey Ranch
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Oct 29, 2007 - 02:39pm PT
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Indeed one of the finest face routes in Joshua Tree. One I will always remember AND repeat. As you know, repeating routes in JT isn't somethng you'd normaly do. As was said earlier, normaly the crack routes get my attention, but that's a good route! I'm surprised ASCA hasn't added a bunch of bolts to make it "safe"!
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Oct 29, 2007 - 02:39pm PT
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Whew! That last bit on the 1st pitch is tough. Probably not the best warm-up/ first pitch of the day. I was following and blew off the end of the traverse. It's all there, but you gotta want it (which you will if you're leading).
Best route though? Nah. Not even in my top 10. But, I prefer the cracks. It may be the best face route there. There's other great stuff right there too...Solid Gold, Piggle Pugg, Such a Savage.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Oct 29, 2007 - 03:55pm PT
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Awsome pics there...astounding rock.
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SamRoberts
climber
Bay Area
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Oct 29, 2007 - 04:25pm PT
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A great route!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2007 - 06:28pm PT
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Just following pitch 1 takes some focus.
Brian fired through the steep runouts on pitch 2. One bolt the whole way.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Oct 29, 2007 - 06:35pm PT
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looks rad.
Thanks for posting up
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Oct 29, 2007 - 08:04pm PT
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Holy ropedrag, Batman!
Great photos.
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Cuz
Trad climber
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Oct 29, 2007 - 08:08pm PT
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Don’t think I could ever pick just one best route but this would be on my list...
Lead all four pitches…
What???
My second (a gym climber) couldn’t get the first cam out of the last pitch so...
I rapped down and pulled it in about half a second...
I then, for the second time, climbed the third pitch as more of a free solo than anything.
And if that wasn’t enough…
we then had to walk off the thing in the dark, no head lamps and no moon… that was fun!
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