Walk on the Wild Side (5.7+), Joshua Tree National Park, California

FIVE CLASSICS NEAR WALK ON THE WILDSIDE, JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

by Cedar Wright

Room to Shroom 5.9 A mega mega-classic with uncharacteristically smooth stone for the abrasive nature of Joshua Tree. Hands and Finger sizes ... pieces you could hang a truck off of. A beautiful setting with plenty of room to shroom.

Double Cross 5.7+ Another super classic, with the dubious grade of 5.7-plus. Certainly feels everybit of 5.8 when your on it. Be mindful of the protectionless start. It's not ridiculously difficult, but a few people have taken it lightly and ended up in the hospital.

Busioneer 5.7 This beautiful rock tests your ability to hand jam and fingerlock, but don't forget to layback ... this is a great way to break into the stout world of J-Tree 5.7.

Geronimo 5.7 This 5.7 roof climb has a wandering approach but is well worth the effort as the roof encounter is one of the coolest on the planet. Looks more like a 5.12 from below, but hidden jugs appear in all the right places. This is yet another tespiece for the grade of 5.7.

The Flu 5.8 This is a beautiful and varied route with a nice mix of face and crack climbing. Get ready for commitment out of the gate with some sporty and tricky face moves, then hang on for the ride as you tiptoe up funky feet, with mostly solid hand jams.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place 5.9 This beautiful off-width crack just eats up the number four camalots, and requires a weird mix of off-width and chimney moves out a gaping maw of a bombay slot. If you can climb this 5.9, you can climb any 5.9.