Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
Tunnel Vision is the most unique route I've encountered in my climbing career. Four pitches of wild chimneys and wide cracks lead to the namesake "tunnel pitch", a 30 meter diagonal bombay chimney which passes through an incredible varnished tunnel almost dark enough for a headlamp. This is three dimensional climbing at its finest, and a must climb for the grade anywhere!
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.
Our last Red Rocks route before leaving Vegas for the summer - Bobbi Clemmer and I climbed the highly regarded Sour Mash. With three pitches of 5.10a and two pitches of 5.9, this spectacular route is sustained at the grade.
Frogland is the premier moderate mutli-pitch adventure on Whiskey Peak. The rock is superb, climbing varied, descent streamlined, and difficulty generally soft for the grade.
Alex Honnold himself called Dark Shadows "the best 5.8 in Red Rocks" - stout praise. The full route is 10 pitches long, and climbs to the top of Mescalito via several adventurous upper pitches. We climbed only the first four pitches, a common abbreviation which captures the steepest and best rock climbing closest to the... Continue Reading →
The Challenger is an unrelenting and sustained 5.11a rock climb, with five of six pitches clocking 5.10c or above. It's a beast - and a classic.
Risky Business ascends some of the BEST rock in Red Rocks - an improbable and bold traditional climb connecting discontinuous flakes and seams via runout face climbing on the impressive vertical varnished face left of the equally famous Dark Shadows (5.8). Every pitch offers R rated climbing, flawless stone, and exciting movement in an epic setting.
On July 7th I climbed the Nightcrawler, a spectacular five pitch 5.10+ on the Brownstone Wall in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The route is claimed by many to be the best 5.10 in this world-class climbing destination - stout praise.
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.
An unpublished account from a two week trip to Joshua Tree National Park in January and February 2024. Two new crack climbers set to work in splitter granite paradise, covering as many moderate classics as possible, and getting sandbagged along the way. A full tick list and recommendations is included for new Josh climbers. A... Continue Reading →
Ten Thousand Too Far 