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Slideshow (108 photos)

Web site for climbing at Joshua Tree

Unknown: Allen begins a lead

John organizes the rack on an early visit to Joshua Tree

Flowering joshua tree (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

Dangling Woo Li Master: Steep ground in the Bighorn Mating Grotto

Taped up hands after a day of climbing in the Bighorn Mating Grotto; notice the Disney band-aid on the middle finger

Pinched Rib: Steck's favorite route

Kimbrough in the early morning

Enchanted Stairway: High on the runout plates of Disneyland Dome

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Lori approaches the first belay; the ledge is actually a dike that, if continued, turns into Mental Bankruptcy

Hang Ten: Phil places gear at the intimidating roof near the start of the climb

Hang Ten: Clipping the gear at the roof; hard to believe it's only 5.8

Eileen Dover: This interesting route starts with a hard boulder problem, then traverses just left 5 bolts about 10' above the ground, then finishing straight up to some chains

Eileen Dover: A little further along in the traverse; lots for the hands, but little for the feet

Effigy Too: The opening, unprotected moves of Effigy Too

Effigy Too: Effigy Too is a nice route for sunny days as it's in the shade. The huge boulder high and left is the EBGBs boulder.

Effigy Too: The climbing eases near the top of the route

Sitting Here in Limbo: Eric belaying at the top, construction in the background

Lucie, Allen, and Joe (and his dog)

Casual: John leads yet another bolt-protected face climb

Diamond Dogs: Strenuous underclings are required right off the ground on a fragile flake

Pullups To Pasadena: Unprotected knob climbing at the start of yet another Swain route

Todd demonstrates a pretty lizard

Garden Angel: Andrew watches the action on Garden Angel

Garden Angel: Weird layback moves up the arete of Garden Angel

Garden Angel: Weird layback moves up the arete of Garden Angel

Lazy Day: Matt makes the opening moves on Lazy Day

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

Cryptic: Allen leading Cryptic

Southwest Corner: Yvon at the opening moves on the Headstone

Southwest Corner: Yvon high up on the Southwest Corner

Practice Crack #1: John leads a too-short crack on the backside of the Headstone

Lori and Jim pose on top of the Headstone

Southwest Corner: Working through the crux of the Southwest Corner, a spectacular easy route on the Headstone

Painting of the "snail"

Poodles are People Too: Joe following the first pitch of Poodles

Head Over Heels: Tall people can simply reach left and bypass any difficulty; not sure what short people do

Wild Wind: Yvon nearing the top of Hidden Tower

Dazed and Confused: Thin face moves characterize climbing on this route

Dazed and Confused: Runout climbing in a sea of granite

Bird on a Wire: Lori reaches the top after a long, rope-stretching 2nd pitch

Lori and Jim pose on top of the Manure Pile at dusk

Left Mel Crack: Allen at the crux of Left Mel Crack

Checking out the pencil cactus

Left Mel Crack: Climbing the height-related crux of the Left Mel Crack

Joan Jetson: At the second bolt, high on the Pea Brain

Allen laces up for the Peyote cracks

Having lunch near Hound Rock

Coyote near the road; if you look carefully, you can see a second coyote in the background

Illusion Dweller: Pulling the final difficulties on Illusion Dweller

Clean and Jerk: Long reaches on overhanging rock constitute the crux of Clean and Jerk

Clean and Jerk: One of the best hand/fist cracks in the park

Ball Bearing: John belays a climber on Ball Bearing

Beverly describes her experience on Illusion Dweller to the others

O'Kelley's Crack: Opening moves -- despite the rating of 5.10c, the initial moves are 5.11a

Simon, waiting for his morning coffee

The gang, gathered in Joshua Tree

The whole gang

Hanging out at Ryan Campground

Joshua Tree in the early morning light

Hanging out at the campfire in Ryan

Lucie avoids the wind by sitting in a rock alcove

Lucie on her way to painting at the end of the day

Joshua Tree near Ryan Campground

Allen gets organized around camp

Late afternoon relaxation at camp

Deep contemplation

Beverly warms around her morning coffee

Breakfast at the Jones'

Breakfast at Ryan

Maguy enjoys her morning coffee

John enjoying the conviviality at camp

Illusion Dweller: Low on the all time perfect crack

Illusion Dweller: Lost in a sea of rock

Walk on the Wild Side: Eric and Lucie lounging at the belay at sunset

Junk Food: The route Junk Food traverses the Junk Clump formation on a quartz dike; it begins with two bolts, then crosses three other routes

Born in a Barn: A route on the Shorter Wall, the right-hand side of the Rock Garden Valley

Solid Gold: Martin shredding his fingers on Solid Gold

Solid Gold: Following up the sharp edges of Solid Gold; this climb is quite the finger shredder

Solid Gold: Simon leading the lower section of Solid Gold

Rubicon: Jim and Allen on Rubicon

Beverly racks up for Sphincter Quits

Sphincter Quits: Beverly sews up the lower crack, then moves up to the rest alcove

Trembling Toes: Beverly moves up to the first bolt

No Self Confidence: The crux is the section just before the roof on the left where the crack is tight hands

No Self Confidence: Steep, sustained crack climbing in the midsection of the route

No Self Confidence: Feeling pumped, this is the last rest before running it out to the top

Allen Steck Memorial Route: At dusk on the Memorial Route

Double Cross: Following the all-time classic hand crack

Orphan: Leading the initial stemming corner of Orphan; if you can stomach the off-width at the top, this is an excellent climb

Boogers On A Lampshade: Tad climbing the "burnt penis"

Boogers On A Lampshade: Tad climbing the "burnt penis"

Boogers on a Lampshade: Making the crux moves on Boogers; the high bolt protects this section

Boogers on a Lampshade: After the crux; the next piece is the tied off chicken head visible just above

Pretty rocks

Tad and Chris in the Wonderland with the Astro Domes in the background

Chris near Disneyland Dome in the Wonderland

Cool rocks in the Wonderland

Lunch break on the ledge system in front of the Astro Domes

Lucie walking through the Wonderland

Drop Zone: In the midst of the crux at Sheepbugger's Wall; the difficulty here is that the protection is at your feet while making the crux .11 moves…below that is a ledge!

Allen resting in the Wonderland

Figures on a Landscape: About to make the crux moves on the first pitch

Figures on a Landscape: John traverses across to the first belay

Pack adjustments on the way into the Wonderland

Lori hiking around the Wonderland

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Joe gears up for "Mr Toad's"

Solid Gold: Tom sends Solid Gold