Hidden Branches of Joshua Tree

Lost Horse

Our next destination is Lost Horse. The rocks here tend to be very featured and have many cracks, so there’s a bigger concentration of climbs on each crag. And, because the majority of crags are less than vertical, they include easy to moderate climbing. I, however, have chosen to list harder classics. To get there, enter from Quail Springs Road, heading east, to 29 Palms. Park at the Lost Horse ranger station.

Jimmy Cliff Unfortunately, the dirt road that passes this crag is off-limits to the public. You’ll have to walk, about two-thirds of a mile from the Lost Horse Ranger Station Road. and Quail Springs Road. junction. It may be quicker to approach from the Real Hidden Valley.

East Face: Friendly Hands (5.10b)*** What an inviting name! Actually, there are little to no hand jams, but you can get off-fingers. Pro up to 2.5 inches.

The Bronto’s Or Us (5.11a)** This fun mixed route takes quickdraws up to 2-inch cams.

West Face: A Peanut Gallery (5.11a)*** It’s the obvious steep face climb.

Arid Piles Just south of Jimmy Cliff, you’re looking for a large formation of wedged rocks that may require scrambling through corridors and over boulders to find your route.

North Face: Quickstone (5.12c R)*** Try this one if you like hard face climbing and want to test your smearing skills. Bolted.

29 Palms (5.11d)**** A super-sweet dihedral that will love your gear. Small up to 1.5 inches. Expect hard laybacking, jamming, palming, and smearing. 

Southwest Face: The Acid Crack (5.12d)**** A TR route first led in 1982 by California climber John Bachar.

The Taming of the Shoe (5.10d R)*** Another Bachar route, with Mari Gingery and Randy Vogel, together nabbing the FA in 1981; it takes thin pro, from RP’s up to 1 inch.

Lost Horse Ranger Station Wall On your way back to the car, check out this wall for the following route and a few nice cool-downs.

Hercules (5.11c)*** Layback the flake, preferably on towrope — it has been known to flex.

Split Rocks

Next along our tour: Split Rocks, the last major climbing  area before you head north, out of the park, toward 29 Palms. The parking lot is accessed via the road going north 1.2 miles from Jumbo Rocks Campground. The Split Rocks are characterized by vertical, smooth faces, and, therefore, have several hard bolted climbs.

Isles In the Sky Isles has lots of good crack climbs. They range from 5.4 to 5.11d. The harder ones have the better climbing. Walk a mile southwest from the parking lot.

White Mamba (5.12b)*** On the wall right of Isles in the Sky, climb the left-traversing quartzite dike. Be ready to lock off and smear your way past five bolts to the anchors.

Isles Corridor Just behind Isles in the Sky, the corridor offers crack climbing on both sides.

Crack #5 (5.9+)*** The fifth crack from the left; this is a nice splitter hand crack.

Crack #6 (5.10a)*** Just to the right of Crack #5, it features some offwidth, and you can even use an armbar pulling the bulge at the roof. 

Mettle Detector (5.12b)*** A short face climb between Cracks 5 and 6.

Loveland

A one-mile walk northeast from the Split Rocks parking area brings you to the boulder valley called Loveland.

Tiger Rocks As you walk northeast from Split Rocks, you’ll notice the south-facing Tiger Rocks, just behind the Bond Boulders.

Bush Blows Chips (5.10c)*** Mixed climbing, on steep friction, with four bolts at the top and rap anchors.

Vector Rock Heading north a bit farther, on the left, find this prominent east-facing corner.

Vector (5.11c)**** The ultra-classic crack climb, on the left side of the dihedral. Hands to finger jamming leads you to the thin crux, culminated by an exciting mantle to the summit. FA: Tony Yaniro and Randy Leavitt.

Crocodile Rock Just west of Vector Rock and South of Lost Rock.

B-Movie (5.10b)*** This hand crack pulls a bulge.

Claim Jumper (5.10d)*** Follow a crack up and to the right, and then clip a few bolts on the face.

Lost Rock About 150 feet northeast of Crocodile Rock

Missing Persons (5.11c)**** Probably one of the least runout face climbs in J. Tree, M.P. sports seven bolts.

Cottonwood Campground

Finally, if you want to be adventurous, go to Cottonwood Campground, on the east side of the park, ditch your car, put on your hiking shoes, and head east for about three miles and you will run into a wealth of rock (and probably not a single soul). This area used to be climbed at more often, but rangers limited activity after someone started manufacturing holds. You may find some routes that haven’t been sent before, but be careful of claiming an FA — these gems have been in the locals’ stash for years!