On November 30th Bobbi and I dusted off the Thanksgiving rust with a quick lap on the Tahquitz moderate classic, Fingertrip.
Back on the Road – Fingertrip (5.7/5.8, 4p, 400′) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (11.30.25)
Two Days in Whitney Portal – Becky Route (5.9, III) and Nimbus (5.10c, III) – Whitney Portal, CA (Nov. 2025)
On our way to Death Valley from a tortoise course in Ridgecrest, Bobbi Clemmer and I impulsively dipped our toes into the renowned multi-pitch granite of Whitney Portal. In two short days we climbed the Beckey Route on El Segundo Buttress, and Nimbus on Whitney Portal Buttress. Both were excellent.
Run For Your Life – A Trip Report and Essay on Traditional Climbing Ethics (October 2025)
On October 30th I redpointed the notorious Run For Your Life (5.10b R) in Joshua Tree National Park, after taking a huge fall from the final move 24 hours earlier. This article is a trip report in essay form, examining the polarizing topic of traditional climbing ethics.
One Two Punch – The Consolation (5.9, 7 pitches, 800′) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (09.20.25)
On Saturday September 20th, 2025, I climbed another long and classic Tahquitz crack line with new partner Simon Lee. The Consolation offered several pitches of quintessential granite jamming, a particularly strenuous crux, and a few spectacular exit pitches on the venerable Whodunnit (5.9, III).
Lean Back and Pull – El Camino Real (5.10a, 6 pitches, 500′) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (09.14.25)
The third pitch of El Camino Real is "one of the great layback cracks of Idyllwild"
Lead Rope Solo Vol. 2 – Dave’s Deviation (5.9, 4p, 500′) & The Jam Crack (5.8) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (09.07.25)
Bob Gaines dubbed the first pitch of Dave's Deviation one of the best finger cracks in Idyllwild. The Jam Crack is a classic Royal Robbins grunt. I lead rope soloed both routes on September 7th, 2025, and took my first LRS lead fall! Spoiler alert: I'm still alive.
LEAD ROPE SOLO – El Whampo, Direct Start (5.9, III, 800′) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (09.06.25)
On Saturday September 6th, 2025, I lead rope soloed my first multi-pitch route! El Whampo (5.7, II), and it's direct start via El Grandote (5.9, III), are respective classics on the legendary Tahquitz Rock.
Touching the Holds of Legend – Whodunnit (5.9, III, 800′) – Tahquitz Rock – Idyllwild, CA (08.16.25)
Whodunnit is a physical, varied, sustained, and historical quest up the plumb line of Tahquitz Rock. Since it's first ascent in 1957 by Joe Fritschen and Royal Robbins, this route has been climbed by thousands, including about every United States climbing legend imaginable, and is revered as possibly the best route on Tahquitz. A topo and detailed route description is included for prospective climbers.
Commitment – Joshua Tree 2025 (Part One, Week One)
Bobbi Clemmer and I returned to Joshua Tree National Park for our second annual two week winter escape, where we climbed... and climbed... and climbed. This article is split into two parts, and features a brief creative piece on commitment as well as a traditional trip report.
Five Things I Learned on My First Bishop Bouldering Trip
It's approaching spring climbing road trip season! Around this time last year (2021) I took off to Bishop California for three weeks of bouldering, and despite breaking my wrist on day four learned a tremendous amount about the Bishop bouldering scene, especially as it pertains to beginners. I climbed at the Buttermilks as well as the Volcanic Tablelands, and this article will focus `on both areas from the perspective of a V2-V3 outdoor boulderer.
Ten Thousand Too Far 