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xclimber47
Apr 4, 2007, 6:07 AM
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Hey guys, I'm taking a trip out to vegas & j-tree this summer and was wondering if anyone had any tips on what the best guides were for either? Saw some redrocks guides with real bad reviews and didn't wanna buy a crappy one. J-tree we'll probably be looking to boulder mostly, but there's a good chance we'd be looking to do some routes too. Thanks for any help.....
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jewels_vegas
Apr 4, 2007, 6:19 AM
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I would suggest the new Roxanna Brock guide book for Red Rocks. Some of the route ratings are a little bit off, but there is more in her book than the Falcon guide. There is a lot of new route development out here so most of the guide books are a little off for certain areas. If your going to be out in Las Vegas for any length of time, I would suggest checking out Mt. Charelston (Islands in the Sky is the guide book for the area). The Falcon guide for J-tree is pretty good.
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devils_advocate
Apr 4, 2007, 4:20 PM
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I agree with Jewel, the Brock guide is the best... for trad and sport that is. I believe they just released a new bouldering guide. Rock and Sport, or whatever that climbing shop on Charleston is, has it. I think it literally came out a couple weeks ago.
I'd get the new Falcon JTree west guide if I was to only get one. But again, that's for trad. There is a jTree bouldering guide (I believe by Falcon). Just stop in Nomads on the way in and grab one.
Both places have enough routes and problems... and enough guidebooks... that you're going to have to get separate books for climbing and bouldering.
All that said. Both are places I'd rather not climb in the summer. Might want to look at guidebooks for Mt. Charleston and Tahquitz & Suicide Rock.
(This post was edited by devils_advocate on Apr 4, 2007, 4:22 PM)
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chanceboarder
Apr 4, 2007, 4:24 PM
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xclimber47 wrote: Hey guys, I'm taking a trip out to vegas & j-tree this summer and was wondering if anyone had any tips on what the best guides were for either? Saw some redrocks guides with real bad reviews and didn't wanna buy a crappy one. J-tree we'll probably be looking to boulder mostly, but there's a good chance we'd be looking to do some routes too. Thanks for any help.....
Jason
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mturner
Apr 4, 2007, 4:58 PM
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By far the best bouldering guide for J-Tree is The Complete Bouldering Guide to Joshua Tree by Robert Miramontes. I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned here yet but nonetheless it's what most serious boulderers are using in the area. It's a bit pricy but well worth it. It's got over a 1000 problems listed with GPS coordinates and lots of pictures. You'll be hard pressed to find a good boulder problem that's not in here and that's saying a lot for a place as big as J-tree. Here is the listing on REI:
http://www.rei.com/...category_rn=10574086
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elwood54
Apr 4, 2007, 5:12 PM
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Jtree too hot during the summer? Shit. I just booked tickets for the second weekend in May. Think its going to be that unbearable?
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caughtinside
Apr 4, 2007, 5:31 PM
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elwood54 wrote: Jtree too hot during the summer? Shit. I just booked tickets for the second weekend in May. Think its going to be that unbearable?
well, you won't have to fight for a spot in hidden valley camp ground!
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devils_advocate
Apr 4, 2007, 5:35 PM
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You could still be ok in May. It matters more what the weather happens to be that week...d ue to normal flux. If it happens to be cool for that time of year, it’ll be nice to maybe even a little chilly at night. If we’re in a heat spell, it could be upper 90’s. Average for that time of year is probably around upper 80s.
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RORO
Apr 4, 2007, 6:48 PM
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The R. Brock guide book is the most used by locals in the area. Some of the pitch length and route difficulties are wrong however.
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caughtinside
Apr 4, 2007, 6:56 PM
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devils_advocate wrote: You could still be ok in May. It matters more what the weather happens to be that week...d ue to normal flux. If it happens to be cool for that time of year, it’ll be nice to maybe even a little chilly at night. If we’re in a heat spell, it could be upper 90’s. Average for that time of year is probably around upper 80s.
Recorded for posterity!
This may be the only post ever by d_a that is actually helpful information!
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chanceboarder
Apr 4, 2007, 7:00 PM
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devils_advocate wrote: You could still be ok in May. It matters more what the weather happens to be that week...d ue to normal flux. If it happens to be cool for that time of year, it’ll be nice to maybe even a little chilly at night. If we’re in a heat spell, it could be upper 90’s. Average for that time of year is probably around upper 80s.
Jason
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lemon_boy
Apr 4, 2007, 7:31 PM
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on my last trip to vegas, it seemed that every route we did was totally f'd up in the brock book. we definitely weren't that impressed with it. it does have more routes in it than in the old swain book, though.
maybe get the brock book, but take the info on pitch/rap lengths, ratings, protection, and descents with a grain of salt...
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elwood54
Apr 4, 2007, 8:10 PM
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If its too hot in the sun, we can always climb in the shade, no?
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jt512
Apr 4, 2007, 9:55 PM
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caughtinside wrote: devils_advocate wrote: You could still be ok in May. It matters more what the weather happens to be that week...d ue to normal flux. If it happens to be cool for that time of year, it’ll be nice to maybe even a little chilly at night. If we’re in a heat spell, it could be upper 90’s. Average for that time of year is probably around upper 80s. Recorded for posterity! This may be the only post ever by d_a that is actually helpful information!
I disagree. It is a useless point disguised as helpful information. All he has said is that the temperatures might or might not be ok. This is equivalent to him saying that he doesn't know if the temperatures will be ok, which, in fact, he doesn't. Thus, no useful information is conveyed.
Plus, the average high temperature at Lost Horse for May is 91, not high-80s. Thus, the only marginally useful piece of information he provided was inaccurate.
Overall post rating: D-.
Jay
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alpinismo_flujo
Apr 4, 2007, 10:05 PM
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The shade will help. Last year I was climbing in JT until the end of May. This year the weather pattern (here) has been much warmer. but who know's. If you get to SoCal and it's too hot then drive over to Tahquitz and Suicide. It's great climbing! Good luck.
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karate_pete
Apr 4, 2007, 10:08 PM
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it's getting pretty hot here, but charleston has opened early (global warming). in my opinion, the hood is good if you can climb 12c and up, however, robber's roost has long, fun 11's and 12a's. plus the scenery is great. there's always the utah hills, the temps have been great up there the past 3-4 weeks.
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tallmark515
Apr 5, 2007, 12:37 AM
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The falcon guide for jtree is okay, it covers most of the park. But if you really want to get a good guide, don't just buy one book and expect it to have all of your questions answered... actually it'll probably leave you with more questions because the topos in the big books are very poor. Try to get your hand on some of the smaller/DIY books that outline the classics (or the good Boulder problems), if you're just travelling out here to climb a few times a year you should stick with those and you'll be fine.
for RR, I have the Brock book and it kinda sucks. First of all, you need to know (something that I didn't when I first started climbing there) is that a lot of the routes, especially the classics are runout, so if you're not used to it you may be a little surprised, even routes with no danger ratings can be runout. Second, Red rocks is huge, and it is mostly multi pitch, so the topos that the Brock book has are drawn, crude and the few photos are very broad and undetailed. Again, a smaller book highlighting the classics or specific areas would be better, check out the Supertopo book (you can even download it from their website via E-book).
Lastly, It's gonna be hot as hell in both places this summer, expect temps in the 100's and up. They are more of a Spring - Fall spots.
btw, check out Tahquitz and Suicide rocks if you're gonna be in the area... CLASSIC! It's the home of North American Climbing.
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vegastradguy
Apr 5, 2007, 2:31 AM
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stay away from the Brock book- sadly, despite all of her hard work, it does nothing but hinder you in most cases. the new book coming out this fall should remedy this and be the definitive guide for the area.
that said, depending on what you want to climb:
Trad:
The Urioste guide- all adventure here, just the classics, a light description, and a photo.
Supertopo- i always recommend this book to non-locals, it helps avoid epics and makes for lots of fun. Greg did a great job on this book and it shows.
Sport:
Get Jared's Sport Climbing Red Rocks book. Suprisingly, he co-authored Brock's book, but the information in his Sport Climbing book does not at all match whats in Brock's book. Weird.
Bouldering:
Dr. Topo or the Bouldering Guide which is available at Desert Rock Sports.
that said, summertime sucks here in Red Rocks. Mt. Chizelton (oh, sorry- Charleston), will be nice, though- reasonable temps and steep, overhanging limestone!
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gilles
Apr 8, 2007, 1:21 AM
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The Complete Bouldering Guide to Joshua Tree by Robert Miramontes.
that is the best guide for Jtree. I go to J tree a lot since I only live 2 1/2 hours away, and everyone I climb with uses this guide. yes a little pricy but its definately the best.
Also, it may be quite hot this may, so bring sunscreen and a hat for the day time. was just there this weekend and we hit about 75 degrees in the day and around 50 at night. good luck
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