I am about to pay for own chickeness and, instead of enjoying easier section of the route, to fight severe rope drag -- all because I did not want to extend the last placement before the crux. Photo: courtesy of Mark Minjarez.

Very sweet route -- straight-up crack -- shame it is so short! Yucca is in full bloom. Photo: courtesy of Mark Minjarez.

Figuring out the initial moves of Rock Candy (5.9)...it's a solid .9...doesn't let up

TR on the left drapes over Solar Technology. Straight topout crack immediately right of the rope is Men With Cow's Heads. Jack warming up on Wet Pigeon, trailing the blue line. Climber in white helmet to the right topping out on Taurus. In between the two of them is the wider upper crack finish to Unwiped Butt. Easy walkoff to the back and to climber's left down the talus canyon, then around the left end of the formation back to the base of the routes. 9 Apr 2005

Jack reaching high to clip the bolt before gunning for the highlight overhang on Trident, located left of Vorpal Sword on the left end of the left side of Atlantis Wall. Photo by Darcy. 9 Apr 2005

The entire Atlantis Wall. Mystic Knights of the Sea, Minotaur, Fantasy of Light, and Nittany Lion are on the smaller formation in front on the left, with a climber on TR on its left side. 9 Apr 2005

One of my first J Tree lead climbs, Frosty Cone (5.7) offered a comforting amount of face holds around the crack.

This 5.7 was a great way to round out our week in J Tree. Many thanks to the party with the 70 meter rope for the rappel.

A better shot of the Frosty Cone line than the one I'm leading. I never did get the names of the leader shown here or her belayer.

Julius prepares to pull around the roof on this 5.7. The climb was burly, the descent was scary. Is that what makes is "classic"?

This is me on my first lead, terrified and ecstatic all at once. I don't think I've ever climbed less gracefully or been as thrilled to top out! This photo was taken by my friend KT.

Al zigging up and right along Double Dogleg, before the zagging back left and straight up to the top. The thin crack in the middle of the face is Split Personality. Further right is Beck's Bet. The TR on the far left dangles over Rock Candy. 12 Mar 2005

This monkey board face is located about half way up the scamper to Split Personality and Double Dogleg area. The Treat, the newer route on the right side of the face, starts up two discontinuous cracks, then up the deep pocket face well protected by 4 shiny bolts. Swiss Cheese on the left looked iffy with the rusty quater inch scrap metal high up. Downclimb climber's left. 12 Mar 2005

Sheryl following up Young Lust. The many pro's placed were to showcase the leader's prowess to place pro at will, even through the overhung section, NOT, i repeat, NOT because he was spooked by the crux and inched forward like a big chicken of a cowardly worm, AT ALL!! And by the way, lead line on the far left runs over Euthyphro, the belay end of the rope right of Sheryl dangles over a 5.10b/c TR up the face, and the jagged crack on the right is the top half of Smithereens. 12 Mar 2005

This is me on Rock Candy with a climber on Double Dog Leg

Jamie cruising Double Dogleg. Sunny J-Tree Morning.

Hugh on one of his first leads, Forsty Cone. DQ wall, J-Tree

Hugh on one of his first leads, Forsty Cone. DQ wall, J-Tree

Hugh on one of his first leads, Forsty Cone. DQ wall, J-Tree

On the lead, Prepackaged 5.10a, Hemingway, Jtree.

becks bet is a soft 8 to the right of double dogleg in rock garden valley l side of lost horse area of joshua tree. photo courtesy of jason richert

Topping out on Alligator Lizard at the hangout. Photo by Jeff. 13 Feb 2005

Jeff about to follow up the offwidth/chimney Lizard Breath Arden (aka Lizard Robbins). Left of and obscured at the bottom by the tall yucca tree is the faint crack that is Chicken Lizard. Right of the yucca is the more prominent crack that is Progressive Lizard. Right of that and directly below Darcy is Lizard in Bondage. Further right is a downward V. Left and up that V is Left Lizard Crack. Right and up that same V is Right Lizard Crack. Parallel to the latter is another right slanting crack that is Blue Belly. Then the face start to Wally Gator, and Alligator Lizard around the corner up the small arch. West facing wall, away from the road. 13 Feb 2005

Me on top rope near the crux of Men With Cow's Heads (5.5). This was two days after the snowstorm before Thanksgiving. Things were a bit wet and cold but great climbing nonetheless. (23 Nov 2004)

This is me as I'm trying to stand up on top of the Aiguille de Joshua Tree. Its an easy climb but dont fall.