While I was climbing on the Old Woman I spied a young gentlemen (who we later found out was Joe De Luca) soloing on Intersection Rock. If you look close you can see him, just to the right of Left Ski Track 5.11a***
Rhondie snapped this picture of Kevin (5.10's new Assistant Global Sales Manager) and I climbing the SW Corner of the Headstone in Ryans Campground.
Those were just a few of the highlights of my trip to Joshua Tree. Even more recently I was able to get out to the East side of the Sierras for 6 days! It was amazing, climbed in Owens River Gorge where I onsighted quite a few 5.10's and had a blast on a few 11's. I had spent a lot of time training for power and not endurance so I got thoroughly spanked. I met Jim Thornburg, Lonnie Kauk, and Nicky Dayl in ORG as well. Here is a photo of Lonnie clipping the anchors on Darshan 5.12b for his warm up
We got an amazing campsite at Pleasant Valley on the road to the Happy Boulders. This trip was the first time I had been to the Happy Boulders, my buddy Tyler and I walked up the trail by moonlight one night and bouldered there for a few hours flashing V1 & V2 in our approach shoes. I was totally blown away by the Happy Boulders, we had the whole place to ourselves. It was amazing, there is nothing like onsighting a highball in your approach shoes under a nearly full moon. Absolutely breathtaking. Here is the view from our campsite.
These trips were so much fun but there is still more to come, I am still hoping to make it to Yosemite next spring and visit Red Rocks and climb Epinephrine. Both of these places I have never climbed at before, so it is sure to be a life changing experience. Until next time....
