Climb corner right of Billabong, then straight up face above: easy to 1 bolt then slab moves and flared crack up to join billabong at a ledge (or slings to rap off here).

Sympathy to the Devil

A good route with some good spice to it. At what I found to be the crux I was 2 meters above a bolt, but 3 meters above a small ledge. A possible ankle-breaker.

Billabong is on the west end of the south face. An easy crack and corner ascends 10 meters to a system of black flakes for a few meters - chicken heads and puzzle pieces that protect well, but have a nearby bolt anyway. The climb continues up and slightly right on smooth white rock, where a crux or two can be found. The holds are sloping and slick, at least in the sunny afternoon. I found the climb significantly harder than most area 5.10's and also harder than

Runaway

(11a?) and some other 5.11- face climbs.

The crux for me, (who went right) was moving out and right onto a chalked feature on a small point on the cliff, perhaps approaching the 3rd bolt. My partner, who did not fall on the other 5.10 face routes we did, gave up on the right hand way after a few falls and went left for a fall as well, before eventually making it in that direction.

A few of the other spaces between bolts also contained cruxes above protection, but none with significant ledge-hitting potential. Reaching the top of the main face involves a 6 meter runout on 5.10- climbing. If the climb Run For Your Life is exciting for you, this may cause some issues.

Upon reaching the sloping ledge, a few cams can go into horizontals before traversing left to a finishing pitch, or right to an anchor, which requires some re-enforcement or a complete replacement to be good, as the existing webbing is in very poor condition.

Billabong

Begin in the left-slanting and low angle flared crack for the route North Overhang (5.9) A medium-sized cam may be placed at the top of the flared crack. Then veer left in an unprotected seam to the first of seven bolts.  Continue up the steep face / slab making technical and powerful moves. Reaching the final bolt is extremely difficult (12+ ?). It is easier to angle left (5.11-) and skip the final bolt to the top (slightly runout) as shown on the topo in Bartlett's Guide to Rock Climbs of Hidden Valley.

Huevos

While it's certainly possible to break into two pitches, it's recommended to be done as one long pitch. The crux is found early on near a bolt, but stays interesting for a bit longer. Near the halfway mark there are several options to finish - 1) stay in the crack to the top or 2) cut out right and climb steep plates, finishing right of the crack.

A really fun route that is so close to the road there's really no excuse for not doing it at least once. Should the climbing seem difficult, imagine climbing it like Tom Higgins did on the first free ascent - without all the modern gear available today.

Left Ski Track

Climb the first section of West Chimney or a short, strenuous jam crack (right of WC) through shrubbery to the base of the overhanging wall. Aid the left of two overhanging cracks on the right wall of West Chimney past Night Ledge to the top.

5.9 Free variation:  Climb OL to the beginning of the aid section, then traverse left into West Chimney.  Climb up about 20 feet then go back right to finish OL.  2 pitches. FFA of upper section, Dave Mayville, 12/00.

From the original 1970 guide:  "Pin placement above is deceptively difficult at times;  a good selection of 3/4", 1", and larger angles and bongs should be carried.  The first ascent was made piecemeal, mainly because of time and weather conditions:  (first pitch)  4-12-69 by John Wolfe and Dick James;  (to Night Ledge) 5-3-69 by same party; (to summit) 5-17-69 by John Wolfe and Howard Weamer.

Outer Limit

Start off 20 feet to the left of Left Ski Track. A blank face leads up to a thin seam. Start off with a Leaper in an old drilled hole followed by a beak placement and then a brass micro nut to reach a series of copperheads. Continue upwards until you reach a slabby section in which you begin to free climb. You can traverse over to the right to the "sea of holds" to continue free climbing as well.

This route was originally A4 with the use of a drilled hole and copper heads. The copperheads remain fixed, so this route can go clean today at C4. Beaks can be placed without the use of a hammer, but simply pushed in by hand.

Note, the first 3-4 placements are insecure and a solid 15-20 feet off the deck. Blowing any of those moves, or if the copperheads rip above that, will put you on the deck.

Kool Aid

The start is a strenuous, tricky mantle.  There is no protection, but with some effort you can place some gear at ground level and rig a long leash to keep your belayer from falling over backwards if you fall when he/she spots you.  Above the start, a seriously runout 5.10A face takes you to the end of the first pitch.  There is a second pitch (5.10A).

Bongledesh

The original route was put up by Dick and Harold Webster in the fifties. Begin to the left of Half Track in a large bowl. Climb up and right to a shallow cave then out right around an obvious bulge and over near the top of Left Ski Track. Then move up left in a crack to the bolts. The original route then moved right to The Left Track and on to the top (5.6). Now Zigzag is described as moving a bit left from the bolts and straight up the deep crack above. I seriously question the 5.8 rating on this section. I may have botched the crux on the second pitch; however, it seemed a good deal harder than 5.8.

Zigzag

Start up Underpass, but continue up towards the RH side of the roof to merge with Overhang Bypass.

Overpass

Climb past the first bolt of Trapeze, then traverse right on the ledge and finish up Lower Right Ski Track.

Fast Track

Begin about 40 feet left of The Flake and climb a crack (shared with Underpass/Overpass) until you can move right onto the slab and up up to a horizontal. A direct start can also be done (5.8 R/X) by climbing the face directly up to the horizontal. From the horizontal, c

limb up to a bolt, then friction up the slab (10c R) to a diagonal crack where some pro can be arranged. Climb up to another bolt, then angle left up the slab (10c R) to the belay ledge for the last pitch of Overhang Bypass.

When Sheep Ran Scared

Begin on Large Ledge, about 20 feet left of the start of Bongledesh's second pitch. Bouldery moves (12+) off the big ledge lead to easier (5.7/5.8) unprotected slab climbing up to the Mike's Books finish.

Holy Smokes

This route is only slightly better than Death By Misadventure and was climbed in an effort to avoid Death By Misadventure. But only in that respect is it a reasonable route.  From the webbing 'anchors' atop of Billabong, climb the strange groove and cracks up and right about 20 feet. at the top of this feature, it is possible to foot-traverse right on a horizontal feature, heading over almost around a corner (5.10-, R) to reach another crack.  A few small cams can be placed before launching off upward in a shallow rounded corner.  The last pro placed as the smallest micro-camalot I had (the .22" red one) and perhaps a nest of ballnuts could have gone in higher. The grainy rock made this dubious anyway.  A few meters higher, the crux climbing came, with odd "liebacks" with nothing more than odd scoops and bulges for both feet and hands.

The holds were shedding significantly as I went up. I did grind things down with my feet and fingers, trying cleaning the holds so I would be safe, and my partner found much less loose on it following, but I would still consider leading this bold and dangerous until the route is cleaned up further.

Dead Again

You can start it either with the first pitch of Overhang Bypass (from the right) or with it's original first pitch (up the north side). Either way, you end up in the obvious scoop on the righthand side of the north face. Instead of heading right as you do for Overhang, climb up into the left side of the scoop, clipping a couple of (hopefully replaced by now) bolts. Lock on the crack and swing up and around the corner into the steep hand crack that angles up and left to the summit. This move is quite exciting, but a classic!

North Overhang

Squirming, grunting, and cursing with a relaxed feel. Bring the wide stuff, and wear more than a thong and sports-bra. The climb is always reasonable with an edge not too far away, and requires some pure ow/squeezy moves on good clean rock.

Drawstring

This description is only for Lower Right Ski Track.  Upper Right Ski Track is listed independently on this site due to the frequency with which people traverse on to it and skip Lower Right Ski Track.

On intersection Rock, there are three main cracks running diagonally up and left from the base. These are visible from the North side (from the Hidden Valley Campground) and are called, from right to left, Right Ski Track, Left Ski Track, and Half Track. These are plainly visible in the photograph below.

Lower Right Ski Track is the Right-most of the three climbs, and starts as a left-leaning, left-facing dihedral.  The crux comes about 20 or 25' from the ground at a bolt just below a bulge.  Climb up the crack for a few easy moves and head upward and left.  Clipping the bolt can be done from well below and right, and thus you will be well protected for a bit of time.  The crux comes after you climb some short distance above the bolt, so a fall could produce a real lead-fall, not just a hang.  This may potentially come complete with a considerable swing depending on what position you are in and how alert your belayer is, but severe injury seems unlikely.

After passing the crux, you will likely be standing in a stem at the bottom of a bulge.  I was able to place a Camalot (#3, I believe) up into a pod in the dihedral prior to making one more hard move.  This is an awkward stance to place from, but the choice is yours.

From there, continue up well protected and more moderate climbing to a small ledge that comes in from the right.  Belay on this ledge (good gear up and left in the crack) and then walk off to the west, or continue up Upper Right Ski Track (5.5) to the summit.

Lower Right Ski Track

On the far end of the northwest face, going from the ground to the ledge below the Overhang Bypass, there is a nice low-angle jamcrack. This is a good beginenr's lead and would take whatever protection you might want to jam into it. It's also a decent and fun entry-level solo. The climb starts just down from the "walk up" to the ledge and finishes at the base of the Overhang Bypass.

Beginner's Three

This route starts just left of The Drawstring. Face climbing up the groove leads to an undercling.  Climb harder (crux) face moves up and left to gain the upper groove. Easy moves up the groove or the rib on the left lead to the large right end of Bat Ledge. Choose one of several options above the ledge to the summit or rappel from the ledge.

Southwest Passage

You can approach the start of this by climbing the first pitch of Mikes Books, or South East Corner.   You'll find it easier to belay on the ledge below the route, but it isn't required.

The route follows the 4 bolts up the steep face.  Despite its length the route is fun.   Good footwork helps progress towards the 3rd bolt.   Once the 3rd bolt is clipped the top is soon reached.

Shana Grant

Admins:  With all due respect to Roger Linfield - RIP, I believe his descriptions and other comments have missed the actual second pitch and so probably some of the third as well.  My description below includes those.

This route is billed as the easiest route that goes up the full height of Intersection Rock and as reasonable way to downclimb from the top. The below description is based on Vogel's  "Joshua Tree West" Falcon 2006 guide including the P3 exit details as drawn in the photo on page 451.

P1:  Move up and left across a slab, go up a chute, and move right into a pod on a ledge just below a vertical chimney / crack.  Belay here. Or for better P2 lead protection, just pro for the follower and traverse right into the dark tunnel. Don't exit the tunnel.  Belay. Headlamp may help.

P2: Move the belay if P1 ended at the pod.  Climb straight up into the chimney and stand on easy ledge that is outward from formation's center. Find good pro in the darkness.  Traverse the ledge back in the direction of the P1 pod.  At ledge's end, make one or three chimney moves up to good hands. Follow vertical crack (ish) up until breaking out onto a non-typical ledge-like area with obvious crack heading up and right at the back of the "ledge".

P3: Make some moves to climb the crack up and right until on easy terrain. Continue right (30 feet?) until can finish up a short, easy, vertical chimney / crack. Near the middle of the traverse, to keep things low 5th class, move away from the cliff face onto boulder-y terrain to then finish the rightward traverse to the chimney.

I have not tried to downclimb the above.  Also, we made a few moves straight up from the P1 pod but it felt quite a bit harder than old school 5.3.

Southeast Corner

This description is only for Upper Right Ski Track. Lower Right Ski Track is treated as separate climbs, so I am listing them that way.  However, I prefer long pitches and chose to climb the both in a single 60M+ pitch.  This requires a 60 or 70M rope and a larger rack but is worth the time and effort.

On intersection Rock, there are three main cracks running diagonally up and left from the base. These are visible from the North side (from the Hidden Valley Campground) and are called, from right to left, Right Ski Track, Left Ski Track, and Half Track. These are plainly visible in the attached photograph.

Right Ski Track is the right-most of the three climbs, and starts as a left-leaning, left-facing dihedral, climbing 60 feet or so to a ledge that may be traversed onto from a scramble up the West end of the Rock.  Below said ledge is

Lower Right Ski Track (5.10c)

.  Above this ledge is Upper RST (5.3).

Access the climb via Lower RST, or scramble up the shoulder of Intersection Rock from the West End, roping up and traversing out left (East-ward) along a sloping ramp to the crack.  Build a belay and get ready to climb.  The route-finding is not difficult, as you will simply follow the crack to the top.  Once up top, sling rocks or set gear to bring up the second.There is no particular crux that I noticed.  The climb is a fun and easy route with some good jamming and stemming.

From the top, head to the West end and rap off.

Upper Right Ski Track

Scramble up a slab to a crack which becomes an offwidth. Climb the OW to the ledge and belay. Tunnel through to the right and climb the chimney to a ledge below an easy crack to the summit. After repeating it recently I thought it a tiny bit stiff for 5.7. Al rated it 5.9 but I think 5.8- is closer.

Jungle

Start about twenty feet right of "Billabong". Climb a chimney to "Bat Ledge". Climb a crack to the top.

Descent: Walk climbers left (towards parking lot) to rings shared with North Overhang/Upper Right Ski Track. Rap with minimum 60m to the Upper Right Ski Track start ledge.

Bat Crack

P1: Start left of

The Flake

in an easy crack.  Several variations exist.  Belay on gear below the summit overhang as for

North Overhang

.

P2: Traverse out right with good hands and not so good feet.  Be sure to protect the follower, as a fall will land them out in space.  Pull up onto airy ledge, delicately reach up to clip the bolt, and continue up face to the summit.  Belay from 2-bolt anchor.

Descent: With one rope, rap from same bolt anchor to the north back to starting ledge.

Overhang Bypass

This route is the aptly named broad groove just 8' right of the direct Start to Mike's Books on the SE end of the Intersection Rock.

The meat of the route is divided into two cruxes, the first of which is getting more than one move off of the ground by pulling/pushing onto a left-leaning flake off of a sloper foot. Wide stemming makes this easier and more secure for the flexible people. Another (easier) crux lies perhaps 15 or 20 feet up, above a so-so TCU placement. One bolt remains on the route, and others were either broken or chopped, which is hard to say. The route is somewhat runout, but for the real crux you need a spotter, not protection.

Rap from the fixed chains on the ledge.

Water Chute

On intersection Rock, there are three main cracks running diagonally up and left from the base. These are visible from the North side (from the Hidden Valley Campground) and are called, from right to left, Right Ski Track, Left Ski Track, and Half Track. These are plainly visible in the attached photograph.

Half Track is the shortest and easiest of the three climbs, but is by no means a route to test your limits on. As one of my first routes at J-Tree, I found it to be a little frightening just off of the ground, as I was not used to the friction there and did not have great faith in the required smears with such small gear (#3 BD Stopper) protecting me from a 10' ground fall.

I committed to the crux smears shortly after looking at my belayer and saying "I don't think that these will stick, but if they won't, then this is a lot harder than 10a. So I guess they must." They did and I didn't test the pro.

Approach from the campground or wherever you parked and walk up to the base of the climb. Move up a bit, place a few small nuts and continue up and left. The crux for me was the smears on feet just 10-15 feet up the route, which gets easier and better protected as you progress. The route will deposit you on the shoulder of the rock, 1/2 way up after about 70' of climbing. From there you may continue upward on one of a few cracks, or rap down to the base from a fixed anchor.

Half Track

The name stands for Southeast Corner Variation.

Climb up to where Southeast Corner crosses from the right.  Move up and right (crux) along a flake system (undercling/lieback) to a belay ledge.  On pitch 2, go straight up a chimney to near the top, and join Southeast Corner.

Secovar

This funky route begins about 20 feet left of Bongledesch and about 30 feet right of Drawstring.

Start at a bulging overhang with a bolt. A strenuous (5.11-) mantle surmounts the bulge. Then move straight up to a crack (2 to 3-inch pro here). Move left to another bolt, then traverse further left (5.11-) on steeper, thin slab moves until you can move back up and right into a scoop. Climb past a horizontal crack (no pro) then runout (5.8 R) slab climbing takes you up to the big ledge (called Large Ledge) at the top of Mike's Books first pitch.

Traverse of No Return

This route lies on the upper 1/4 of Intersection Rock, on the west end of the south face, directly above the finish to

Billabong

. From the ratty webbing "anchor" on Billabong, proceed upward in a strange groove and crack feature with so-so to poor pro and continue up on an odd seam. Just as the angle starts to ease, the features also go away and you are left with crappy sloping sidepulls and scoops on junky crumbling rock. As the angle continues to decrease, the size of the junk holds decrease with it. My partner, who followed, slipped off just at the top of this line where the climbing was "only 5.7" when some rock sheared out underfoot. I believe that it would have been a career-ending fall if she was on lead. Beware.

Death by Misadventure

This route is about at the mid-point of the south face and gets sun most of the day in the winter.

Walk to the west slightly from Bat Crack to find a brown bulge about 4 meters off of the ground. Some chalk may help highlight the line that ascends up dark plates (more solid than they look) under the right hand side of the roof, then up and left on good clings. Power up and left to go under the roof into a good jam and to good protection (hand-sized cam) and finish in the crack. A few jugs pepper the crack above to make the climbing easier and fun.

Rap from the bolted anchor on the ledge above.

Let It All Hang Out

Easily done in a single pitch this semi-classic requires being versed in a variety of techniques to succeed.

Begins in a chimney/offwidth (facing left is easier) which narrows higher and transitions into a flake which is lie-backed to it's end near a horizontal to a delicate slab climbing finish.

Four stars out of five.

The Flake

Fun alternative P1 to either the Overhang Bypass or North Overhang finish.  Start at the next crack system to adjacent right of the normal Overhang Bypass P1 start, ie, the first one left of The Flake.  You can clearly see the flat tunnel that you'll thread upward into.  Enjoy the squeeze through.  Partway through, you'll see the exit gap up and to climber's left.  Exiting, you'll connect to that one airy sidepull move about halfway up Overhang Bypass' normal P1.  Then continue up to the same belay alcove.  Finish to the top via Overhang Bypass, or via North Overhang.

Underpass

Climb a shallow squeeze chimney (crux) up to a large ledge at the base of the main chimney.  Climb this large chimney (4th class) to the top.

West Chimney

I always thought this was a fairly enjoyable route. Mike's Books is found on the south side of I-Rock. The first pitch (the first "book") is formed by a big rounded chunk of rock that makes a right-facing corner/ramp. I haven't been over there in recent years, but it seemed pretty popular a while back.

P1: There are two potential starts to the route:

1) Directly below the corner, there is a steep chute that goes at 5.8. I recall there was some protection, but it requires care when exiting the chute to climb up to the main corner.

2) You can go out left of the 5.8 start and climb up onto a sloping ledge. This ledge can then be traversed back right to reach the base of the first "book". Once you reach the right-facing corner, climb up this (pretty moderate) to reach a bolted belay anchor [replaced 1/02 with 1/2" stainless and camouflaged hangers - ed.].

P2: From the bolted anchor, move left into another right-facing corner system (the second "book"). Climb this until it ends, and continue to the top via slab. There is another bolted anchor on top [replaced 1/02 with 1/2" stainless and camouflaged hangers - ed.].

Descent: You can either rap the route in two half-rope rappels (fairly quick and if your packs are at the base...), or you can cross over to the top of the North Overhang route and do a half-rope rap to a large ledge on the north side (where the Upper Right Ski Track starts) and scramble down from there.

Mike's Books

Pitch 1: Climb the first pitch of Bat Crack, Drawstring, or Let it all Hang Out to the big ledge with a 2-bolt anchor.

Pitch 2: (5.11d) From here, Filet of Sole climbs the bulging face past 3 bolts, joining the second pitch of Drawstring at it's last bolt, finishing as per Drawstring.

Filet of Sole

On the southern end of the west face, just left of the Southwest Passage Route there is a groove/corner that climbs up and left to a sloping ledge, then up and out through the right hand edge of a large bulge. Getting out of the initial groove and onto the sloping ledge is the first crux (5.7 with grainy rock and tricky protection if not careful). You can belay there if desired... then the real crux is getting out past the right hand edge of the bulge above and onto the easy, but runout slab above that.This was considerably harder than the book-assigned grade unless you cheat well to the left, going close to the Bat Crack (5.5) and traversing back right and in. It felt at least 5.8... or maybe harder.

Belay from above, then rap twice first down to the sloping ledge, and then to the ground.

Pinnacle Stand

Starts 30 or so feet to the left of

Lower Right Ski Track

. A step-off move from a boulder (bolt protected) starts the climb, followed by a beguiling, 5.11 face balance crux. There is a runout mantle and 5.9 moves to reach the second bolt: beware. Above, tricky face climbing past bolts and a piton gains the roof. After a slight traverse rightward, acrobatic moves climb past the roof and onto the face above, moving right to join Lower Right Ski Track and the beginning of Upper Right Ski Track.

Trapeze

Just to the right of Mike's Books. Head up the direct start of Mike's Books and then traverse out on the face climbing just between Mike's Books and the Water Chute. The first pitch is totally unprotected and X if you lead it. The first pitch can be top roped off the Mike's Books rap anchors. The second pitch heads, again, to the right of Mike's Books and past two bolts then joins the top of Mike's Books sharing the last bolt before the anchors.

Elijah's Coming

This is a beautiful line on the south face of Intersection Rock, it is rarely climbed and has a cool name...

Climb easy face up to the first bolt of Bilabong, then make a thin move up and left from a second bolt to the steep lieback flake above.  Cruise up fun climbing on the face above past a third bolt.  Gear belay.

From this belay, best to head left on exciting, loose, but easy climbing to join West Chimney or The Flake to the top.

Shovling-Cole

Just right of Jungle, traverse right under the large overhang to a jam crack which ends on the large ledge.  Follow Southeast corner to the summit.

Golden Bush Corner

Toprope the face between When Sheep Ran Scared and The Flake, staying independent of those routes.

Sheepherder

"Joshua Tree National Park (formed as a Monument in 1936, and designated National Park
 status in 1994) has long enjoyed a reputation as a world-class climbing
 mecca. For many decades climbers from around the world have come to 
experience its steep cracks, exposed slabs, and huge granite domes."

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Intersection Rock