It was about 2pm on top of pitch 6, Lloyd and I decided to bail. We came to a conclusion that we were going to slow and would have to make a rappel and descent in the dark. We weren’t that prepared for it and decided it would be better if we just bailed now. We lowered down an got to the anchors of pitch 5. The group below us was almost done cleaning, but they shared the anchors with us and we bullshitted for a bit. They were a super sick group of guys that eventually got our rope unstuck. We lowered off pitch 5 to the anchors, gathered our things and made another couple of rappels down to the base. We hiked back to the car feeling satisfied with our experience. Even though we didn’t send our climb, we got within 4 pitches of the top, but we still felt satisfied. It wasn’t really about topping out, it was just fun being on the wall, hundreds of feet up with the exposure and just doing your thing, climbing. It was an amazing experience. 


    With all that being said, Lloyd and I are already planning another attempt on the wall. Were coming back with a stronger game plan and more time. ​

​Thursday night at 7pm we departed from the Bay Area on our 8 1/2 hour drive down to Joshua Tree. I had just gotten done working 10 hours so I took the first half of the drive down. We stopped for food and switched and I instantly passed out. I soon woke up in the town of Joshua Tree eager to climb. We rolled into the park at about 4am due to food, gas and bathroom stops. I have a sleeping set up in the back of my truck so we had the luxury of pulling over at Hidden Valley Campground to sleep in the truck. ​
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We woke up at 8am very weary from our drive down. We made some breakfast burritos and jumped on our first route of the day, North Overhang. The first pitch is an alright 5.7 warm up. The actual climbing is just easy crack climbing serving no real warm up but at least something to get you going. I set up my anchor in the cave and Doug followed me up. Doug took the 5.9 second pitch. The real climbing is in the second pitch. You walk up the cave to a ledge and from there you can clip the first two bolts. I recommend using an alpine draw for the second bolt. Once you clip those you then work your way out of the cave to the left and once you reach out there is a hidden hand jam that is bomber. You throw the hand jam in, place a .75 and from there,you send to the top. Doug and I topped out, rappelled down Intersection Rock and found our selves in the parking lot minutes later. With one of the most classic climbs now under our belt we were feeling pretty good. 


We hung-out at the car for a bit and eventually made our way to The Real Hidden Valley (directly across the road from Hidden Valley). There, we decided to climb Tumbling Rainbow. From the trail head, the rock formation looks wild. It is a giant crack that sits high and mighty upon the valley. We scrambled our way to the base and Doug took the lead. The crack starts out big and soon you find your right arm and leg in the crack while your left hand and leg are looking for something to hold onto. You awkwardly make your way up the diagonal crack to where it becomes vertical. Your then able to work your way up the vertical crack with hand jams and stemming your legs between the corner. We both topped out and began our rappel down. 

We both felt exhausted from our lack of sleep and the awkward climbing we just did. We decided to head over to Gunsmoke. Probably the most classic boulder problem in J-Tree. Its a 75 foot traverse that goes V3. No move is harder than V1 and at the highest point in the problem, your no more than 3 feet of the ground. So the low commitment factor and sheer fun of this problem makes it a great place to burn out at the end of the day. Plus you have a beautiful view for the sunset. Doug crushed the problem on his third try while I kept getting shut down at tbe crux half way through the problem. We left Gunsmoke after an hour sesh and headed back to camp for the night. 


Doug and I woke up Saturday feeling like a million bucks. My full size mattress in the back of my truck gave us the perfect night of sleep to send the following day. Doug and I drank some climbers coffee put on by Access Fund and the lovely rangers of Joshua Tree. We eventually made our way to Conan’s Corridor at Jumbo Rocks. We decided to hop of Colorado Crack (5.9) and a shit storm ensued. I lead the crack and through countless takes i made it half way and just got frustrated and decided to lower off to let Doug give it a try. Half way up the crack completely flares out and we couldn’t figure out the style needed to send it. We both can climb 5.10a on gear but our inexperience of the varieties of styles got the better of us. After Doug took a 10 foot fall on a .75,we both got frustrated we couldn’t figure out how to climb this thing. We resorted on pulling on gear through the crux so we could at least top out. ​

Jordan Drew has been my long time good friend and the person who got me into rock climbing. He actually played a big part in the idea of Ascent Climbing. But other who, he has now moved onto different things like attending classes at Reno and exploring the beautiful mountains surrounding him. Jordan has always been a proactive member in any outside movement so seeing him create "Radical Therapy" has me really stoked. Hes a motivated and creative guy who will produce some very interesting videos down the road. You can checkout his youtube channel below. 

Mount Diablo is home to curvy roads, short approaches and good climbing. The most well-known crag on Mt. Diablo goes by the name “Boy Scout Rock”. It lies in Rock City and the approach to the crag from the parking lot is meer five minutes. Boy Scout Rock does not offer world class climbing by any means, but it will keep you busy for the day. It has climbs rating from 5.8-5.12. In my opinion, the lower face of boy Scout Rock offers the best climbing with Amazing Face (5.9) and Bolt Route (5.11c). The rock is sandstone and slabby so you’ll often find your self contemplating whether or not the tiny flake your foot is on will break sending you cheese grading down the wall. 


I woke up early after working 24 hours in the past 48 hours to practice aid climbing on Bolt Route. In my opinion it is a great route to practice and perfect your aid climbing techniques. (I am planning to climb my first big wall in April, The South Face on Washington Column)With the route being 70’ and 14 bolts, there is about 5 feet between each bolt. (The start is definitely the crux with a gnarly mono and the first bolt being 8 feet high.) I had no real plan on actually free climbing anything today but my buddy Danny did. We rolled up to the crag and soon after another party joined us. They had a cool session on Amazing Face (5.9) directly left of us. With my approach shoes on and my 5’7 height, I was quickly shut down by the height of the the first bolt. Fortunately for me, there was a log a few feet away I was able to prop up and cheat clip the first bolt. ​

Danny wanted to try the bolt ladders to retrieve our top rope anchors so he messed around on it. He got up to the second bolt and just couldn’t figure out how to aid climb it. He decided to just free climb it past the second bolt. He had trouble from the start of the climb but he cruised through the climb after the second bolt. My theory is that it is such an attempted climb, the start gets smoothed out making it harder, but the climb after the second remains relatively untouched making for some really good climbing. Danny worked his way up the climb on top rope falling here and there but in the end he had a good send. He cleaned the anchor and rapped down and we headed back down the mountain.


Overall, it was a nice change of pace from my regular climbing schedule. Last weekend I was out at Table Mountain absolutely crushing sport routes in hot weather and being dehydrated to a casual week at work. It was nice just having a relaxed day of easy approach and fun rope climbing. Its a nice reminder that you don’t have to go out every weekend and send 5.11, you can just hangout with one of your buddies and mess around on top rope and aid climbing. ​

Wine, choss and sending (mostly choss). Those are the three things you'll be getting when you climb at Mt. Saint Helena (specifically Table Rock). Its a well known fact that ST. Helena holds some of the chossiest climbing in the bay area. Its also a well known fact that its home to the longest multipitch in the bay area, Aloha Patrol. 

On Sunday, Mitch, Danny and I hit the two mile approach to Table Rock looking to red point Aloha Patrol. Mitch just moved from New York to the Bay Area of California. Danny and I have been out to Aloha Patrol a couple times before and decided this four pitch climb would be a great introduction to Bay Area climbing.

Both Danny and I personal goal for the day was to work out and red point the crux third pitch. (5.11b). Mitch just wanted to send it and could care less. 

The climb starts with a variation for the first pitch, either start on Standard Issue (a pumpy but juggy 5.10d) or White Flag (a crimpy more precise 5.11a). (White Flag is the better of the two) Danny jumped on White Flag and crushed it. It starts off slabby and then the crimps come out as soon as you hit the head wall. The rock was cold and our finger tips colder as the wall sat in the shade. Mitch and I were below freezing and taking turns running into the sun which was slowly making its way onto the route. 

Danny then topped out on White Flag and went ahead onto the second pitch to save time. The second pitch is rated 5.10b which is a great let up after the crimpy first pitch. Danny set up the anchors and soon Mitch was climbing up the first pitch. He falls at the head wall on the crimps (definitely the crux of White Flag). After working out the problem for a minute or two he sends up it easily. As soon as there was enough space between him and I, I started my way up. I too fell at the head wall. It took me at least ten tries to work the sequence. You are on two crimps with your left foot under you and your right foot is high near your knee. You pull up on your right and for me (being shorter) its a little throw with your left to a juicy crimp. But the left side of the crimp is sloppy and I kept hitting the sloper portion of it. After working that sequence I eventually topped out on the second pitch with the rest of the crew. My moral was a little low after getting shut by the first pitch and my body was beat physically from the previous days at the gym, I was having doubts about this third money pitch.

Mitch was stoked and decided he was going to send the third pitch (5.11b). (Remember, Danny and I goal was to send this, Mitch was just trying to get on the wall and have a good time.) Mitch cruises up the first 1/3rd of the pitch then gets to the crux. Its a little traverse on decent crimps and horrible feet. Danny and I were below watching Mitch in anticipation as he crushes our project. Mitch cruises through the crux, rest on the fat undercling then sends the rest of the pitch. Danny and I below were cheering and crying that our homie crushed our project. 

Danny was so motivated, he decided to lead the third pitch as well and not follow on top rope. Danny starts off crushing it, eases through the little crux traverse and gets to the undercling. (vital rest spot) He shakes out, then sends up the awkward head wall and is fighting his way. It looked like he had it in the bag until he fell getting over the slopping section. He took a nice 15ft fall and was devastated he fell on the top out. We boosted Danny up and he finished the pitch already planning to be lowered and hit the third pitch again. As Danny put me on belay I wasnt feeling the climb at all. It was hard to be stoked when your freezing and sore but I mustered it up and absolutely crushed the third pitch. I would be happier about it if it wasnt on top rope but I just wasnt feeling it that day.

Mitch tops out on pitch four and Danny and I lower down to the bottom of pitch three so Danny can have a second go on it. We get to the anchors and Danny is ready to send. He cruises through the crux traverse, rest on the under cling and gets to the spot where he fell previously. With enough grunting and yelling he tops out and sent his project. I lowered Danny while Mitch was repelling off the fourth pitch and met up with us on top of the second. We double roped rappelled to the base of the climb all cheerful every one sent the climb. Even though I didn't accomplish my goal I had in mind, my friends crushed theirs. It was great being in an environment where even if you had a shit climbing day, your homies crushed and sent their projects. I couldnt be mad at that, and the fact there was beer and pizza after. 

​-Alec Sluser