Rock Climbing
This Page Last Updated : 06 December 2004 23:32
JUST A SMATTERING
This is just a smattering of places that I have climbed. If you'd like further information on these places, please email me and I will be happy to tell you about my experiences, recommendations and advice.
I hope to slowly add GPS coordinates to places as I go there, as I have found out that having a GPS and coordinates can be extremely helpful in finding some of these places.
There are some great rock climbing web sites that can keep track of climbing locales and routes. A couple are listed here.
JOSHUA TREE N.M., CA (29 Jan - 1 Feb 2004)
Theron called me one day to say he was going to J-Tree to go climbing and wanted to know if I wanted to go. What was I going to do? Say NO?!?! Moe joined us, as well, and we had a good time, even if it was farily cold and windy.
J-Tree cetainly has a way of humbling one, as it did with the three of us. Maybe its because I'm rusty. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I had trouble with difficulty levels that are well within my normal range of capability.
I also made a significant contribution to the "Joshua Tree Skin Fund". It'll take a while for my hands to heal...
Your's Truly, leading up a "easy" 5.7 crack climb on The Blob. (Yes, that is looking almost straight up). Moe shot this while belaying me. He had to sit in a fairly large rock-cave
Climbing at the Intersection Rock
Me, gearing up for a climb
Chevy, just chilling out
More Pictures Coming Soon...
YOSEMITE (CA)
What else do I need to say?! It's Yosemite...a place that needs no introduction!
I've done 2 trips to Yosemite so far. Both with Theron and his Venture Crew. Both times, we camped at Crane Flats, to the west.
Last year, we included a hike up Half-Dome to replace a climbing day. This hike is not for the faint of heart, I assure you! It was about 16 miles (round trip) with only 1 or 2 places to get water after the first 4 miles or so. It took us pretty much all-day to hike, starting at about 8 a.m. and getting back around 5 or 6 p.m.. We only spent about half-an hour on top of half dome, as Theron and I realized that storms were coming in from Tuolumne Meadows. It amazed us that so many people were still trying to head up to the top, even with the skies darkening dramatically and thunder and lightening easily visible in the distance. This is no place to screw around. Stuck on-top of half-dome with the only way down via steel cables can deadly!
Pictures Coming Soon...
Point Dume (Zuma Beach)
This is an imensely popular climbing spot for Los Angeleans. It is right off PCH (Pacific Coats Highway / Highway 1) in Malibu. Of course, that's one of the problems--its popular. It has been the scene in various movies (Escape From The Planet of the Apes), TV shows (Junkyard Wars) and commercials.
There's a nice range of single-pitch climbs in a small area. Most climbs can be either led or top-roped. The classic lead is the Arete (5.6), but there's a handful of other moderate climbs on the beach face ranging from 5.7-5.9. Around the corner on the face that faces the ocean, is a harder, but looser face, with climbs ranging from 5.10a-5.11a. The 5.10a in the middle has recently been bolted so that it can be led.
Anchors are solid, but sometimes in short supply, and there can be waiting lines for the routes. Bring a 60m rope because a 50m rope won't make it to the ground from the top. I will post a topo sketch at a later time.
The most popular climb, The Arete (5.6), & Me leading up one of the 5.7-5.8 Face Climbs.
STONEY POINT (CHATSWORTH, CA)
This is an immensely popular climbing spot in the L.A. suburbs. This is where I met Moe and a few other climbers.
The Needles - Lower Sierra Nevada's
This was a climbing trip with Theron Moses. Unfortunately, the guide book for this crag is no longer in print and we had very information on the place, but decided that we needed to try it.
MT ERIE (WA)
Just across the bridge from Whidbey Island is a place called Mt. Erie. The first I went there, I had actually hiked from the barracks on-base, down the road to the park. I think it was about 8 miles, but I don't remember. There's a lot of really good climbing at this one location. I'm looking forward to being able to go there on a regular basis.
Pictures Coming Soon...
Sigonella, Sicily (Italy)
This is a climbing spot that Bo and I call Ice Cream Rock.
Seneca Rocks, WV
Don Pullen and I spent about a week in Seneca back in 1994. It still remains one of my favorite climbing trips
This particular face is the scene of what Don Pullen and I will always call 'The pitch from hell'. I belive the route we were doing was Con's West, and it was about a 5.7 8 pitches, or so.
We had problems about mid-way through the climb when the rope got caught in a carabiner. It would only go one way, and it wasn't the way we needed it to go. I had led up to the top of the pitch, and we had to decide whether I would down climb, or Don would climb up to the problem spot with having a belay. As it happened, it freed itself, and we continued without any incident, but Don and I will always remember that pitch.
Clowning around on a crack...
GREAT FALLS, VA & CARDEROCK, MD
Both of these places lie on opposite sides of the Potomac River, near Washington, D.C.
While living in southern MD, I spent plenty of time climbing here. Lots of really good short routes in a cool, shaded area, easy to get to. There was a wide range of levels to climb, and a vast number of routes. It was easy to do 5 or 6 climbs a day. That's one of my best friends, Andy belaying Tina (ca. 1996).
Getting ready to head up at Carderock (ca. 1996)
