Category: Climbing

Joshua Tree National Park is a mesmerizing playground for climbers and adventurers alike. My first visit was during my brother's wedding, and I was instantly captivated by its unique beauty. After moving to California, J-Tree became my winter sanctuary, where I forged friendships with fellow

Diana’s Throne is a fun slot canyon near Zion that requires some technical rope work. We had done it before, and I had read that there was little water, so I decided to take our friends down. With 8 people and me lowering everyone, it

Rappelling, Jumping, swimming and hikingMy college friend Jayson Owens was in town for a work trip, and we were planning on hanging out. We’ve only seen each other once in the last 20-ish years, but got along like it was yesterday.Chris Jain had a permit

A fun canyon, local to me. Exploring with my friend Chris. Note: As of 2025, this area is closed due to the impacts of the tragic Eaton Fire.

A fun, quick weekend trip to Joshua Tree for a little bit of climbing with friends. Kim is very pregnant, so not much, but we did get Hazel on the rock. Unfortunately, our VW died on the way home, so we did have to get

Kim and I planned and led a beginner friendly climbing trip to Joshua Tree in Feb. We drove out through rain, but the weather was pretty nice at the park. Cold, but nice. We had fun climbing, ate well, and enjoyed everyone’s company. Aside from

Kim and i went up to Tahquitz and climbed El Whampo, a six pitch 5.7. I’ve hardly climbed the last few years, and was a little nervous, but led every pitch and felt surprisingly solid throughout. I really, really enjoyed it and have been looking

Kim and I vactioned in Zion National Park, where we hiked the amazing Narrows hike, learned about canyonering, explored some amazing canyons, had our car snacked on by squirrels, rode bikes and more. We're been lucky enough to travel to some amazing spots in the
A few months back, my friend from b-school (Alex M.) emailed me and let me know that he had a camping site reserved at Joshua Tree for thanksgiving weekend. Although I rarely climb anymore, Joshua Tree still ranks as one of my favorite places in

Some of you that have known me for awhile may remember that before I got obsessed with kayaking, I used to be an avid rock climber. I’d climb all the time. Kim and I met at an indoor climbing gym, and were climbing partners before

John Day River A few months ago, my old climbing buddy Brian emailed me. I hadn’t seen him in 8 or more years, but we’ve stayed in touch. He’s retired from climbing these days, but has taken up rafting with enthusiasm. He was listing his

Kim and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary this weekend with a lovely weekend in Yosemite. Saturday morning we got up early, and drove there in time to get in a climb. Kim is a super strong climber, but is still pretty new to traditional lead

I've never thought of myself as a number chaser, but in March, my friend Tom and I decided to set a goal for our climbing day at Joshua Tree. Inspired by other climbers, we aimed for thirty "stars" but ended up with fifty! With no

Leaning Tower Trip Report….. My first Big Wall (multiple days on the rock). I’d been thinking about this day since I started climbing. Actively thinking about it since my first trip (post-childhood) to Yosemite Valley, the home and mecca of big wall climbing. When I

This weekend was absolutely fantastic! I drove almost 300 miles to June Lake, with excitement for my very first ice climbing adventure. Even though it rained and I was a complete newbie, I couldn't wait to tackle those frozen waterfalls. With my buddy Brian as