To:  ggrover@mofo.com, paul@sculling.com,  
     clint@leland.stanford.edu, palais@math.utah.edu 
Subject: Deja vu all over again

Reinstating an old tradition, Gavin G. and I headed down to Joshua Tree for some climbing over New Year's. My eighth J-Tree climbing trip but my first since '89. For a few years there, I had not been climbing seriously but had worked myself (with prodding from Gavin) back into shape in '98. What would it be like returning to the desert, which had been a formative place for me in my youth?

Day 0. One difference is superior transportation technology. Gavin drove 90+ and we were there in just over 7 hours (500 miles) - we were passed only twice, by the Kern County Sheriff and by a Marine in a Saturn. There is a $10 charge to stay in Indian Cove now and a suspicious-looking water tank, I guess, to justify it. We brought our own.

Day 1. I led Silent Scream in the campground. Steep and balancy 10a face, a fine warm-up. Off to Split Rock. My wife's purple tights have replaced the white painter's pants of yore -- a little girl with a multi- generational climbing team told her mother: "that man has shiny pants!" Gavin led Bird of Fire (classic 10b crack), showing good discipline by pressing on when the cell phone in his pocket went off. Sat on his pro a few times in the crux finish, though. Then we messed around on the cracks in the Isles Corridor. I led a 9 and a 9+. Leading the 10c (we TRed) would be sporty - a fixed #1 head protects the lower crux.

Day 2. It was warm enough to climb in the shade. I tried to scare Gavin with tales of marginal RP placements but he seized the lead on Poodles are People, Too (10b). He managed to place plenty of good nuts through the crux, which he tested with full body weight. I suffered an embarrassing fall following after getting tired pounding on one of them. Then we both led Head over Heals (10a roof traverse + hand crack). Late afternoon found us in Real Hidden Valley at Sports Challenge Rock. Last time (1987) I led Clean and Jerk (10b) I was in shape from a winter in Hueco Tanks spent with Skinner et al. This time all I had was gym training and shiny pants. Having Gavin (6'5") spot me at the start was also an advantage. I did "test" the horizontal friend placement 10' up once, but fired the bouldering crux from the ground my second try, holding on to place the crucial #5 rock and gain the hand crack, after which I wobbled to the top. Gavin took a few falls at the bottom but got the hand crack. I maintain that if this climb were bolted and at the Big Chief it would be 10d/11a.

Day 3. It was cold and windy at Tax Man (10a), which I led and Gavin followed without incident. Seeking sun, we set up a TR on the Right Banana Crack (11a). A couple of Bay Area folks showed up and did the Left Banana Crack (10b), and I got to ride the TR. Then we all tried RBC but were stopped at the fist jam above the lieback. Back to Hidden Valley for another classic. I led Illusion Dweller (10b) and got to bask in sun at the belay as Gavin followed. I withheld crucial beta at the final roof but he got it anyway.

Day 4. By this point, ibuprofen had become one of my major food groups. I had remembered somehow that Dog Day Afternoon (10b steep face) was in the sun. Maybe in March. I wound up dangling from the second bolt with numb fingers. Thawed out and got it. Gavin had similar results. As our final act, we put the TR on Coarse and Buggy (11a). I arranged to have Gavin go first to bird dog the crux while I tried to recall the crux lb sequence from my last ascent in '87. Gavin did well at the 10+ stemming but could not figure out the lieback. I got the stemming as the sequence came back to me, but only some critical beta from Gavin prevented me from peeling off the lb. Exhausted, we compared hand lacerations and headed for home. Due to tule fog and the fact that I did some of the driving it took us 7:45.

Joel