Ascensioni in California da Will Vidler

Lovely long slab. We started on the wrong route which made for a spicy traverse back on to the line, and somehow Trin skipped a bolt. Wild.

A colossal sand bag but brilliant rock and an improbable line. I put in a fairly worthy onsight effort but was stumped by some very reachy and very very hard moves a bit above half way. Only the one go.

A really excellent and interesting slab. I was certain I was going to fall off but then I didn’t.

Probably the hardest 12a I have ever tried, it definitely the hardest move I have ever done on a 12a. I rapped over it to equip it and then tried to flash it but came up short on the crux. Figured out the move on top rope afterwards.I think it might be easier if you’re tall but at least 5.14 Fann validated my struggle.

Afterwards I got to go back to camp and hear that Prith had sent Stingray which is one of the coolest things ever. So psyched!!

Went straight up it for the warm up which was encouraging. Cold cold cold conditions help.

Woohoo! Very psyched to get this done. A very very fun piece of rock climbing with an incredibly committing crux a decent way above your last bolt. This is followed by some very tenuous moves up a dihedral past a tiny cam (that i placed on lead) to some easier stuff all the way to the anchors. Really worthwhile!

One of the better pieces of rock i’ve climbed. Incredible, heady face climbing that is as outrageously good as it is sandbagged. I’ll remember this day out for quite a while.

The coldest of the cold, even our portable heater couldn’t save us. Radical climbing!

Very very R. A fall from the incredibly sandbagged crux move pulling through the roof would be terrible, I was happy to be on second for it. Zack ended up building a belay due to rope drag and I did an unprotected second pitch of friction to the anchors. Tobin Sorensen was a mad man.

Fun easy crack climbing to a rad but incredibly reachy move through the roof. Worthwhile.

The roof is the money for sure! A good climb.

A brilliant piece of climbing with some mixed rock quality, and an outrageous sandbag. It’s supposed to be 10b after the initial slab moves but I definitely pulled an 11- sequence up high, miles above my last somewhat questionable piece. I was massively gripped! Very very memorable.

One of the best things i’ve ever climbed at the grade. The only way to do it is as a giant single pitch! Awesome crack and face climbing up to an excellent slab and good rock the whole way (by J-Tree standards). Rad.

A pleasant evening on this. Figured out the crux properly this time.

Doing a bit of a fitness morning and getting it fully dialled in. I think I did it twice clean placing the gear on rope solo, clearly the best style ascent.

Finally got someone to belay me and led the bloody thing. Totally sublime. I love this climb!

This is really fucking cool and really fucking hard. Some heinous crack bouldering after the eponymous baby apes move makes for quite the sandbag i think. Prith added a direct start which was cool.

Brilliant climbing up the finger crack flake. Softish by J-Tree standards, but truly sublime.

Seconding to get my gear back off Rubicon. Fun slabbing.

Very nice, technical crack climbing. Worthy.

First route of Christmas Day. A cracker!

One of the best trad routes at the grade I’ve ever done. Long and varied and sustained, what more could you ask for?

Desperate if you have small hands, only just squeaked the onsight. Overhanging fours suck.

Excellent for the grade, albeit straightforward.

Cruisy warm up.

In approach shoes.

Marvellous stemming corner but oh my was it chilly. I ended up taking my shoe off half way up to massage my foot back to life. Very surprised I managed to not fall off.

Good, interesting crack and face climbing. Very windy. Soft for the grade.

Brilliant for the grade, and such a lovely summit.

Awesome steep and varied crack climbing, probably quite hard for the grade.

A wonderful way to spend an evening. We watched the sunset on top with a few beers. Sublime.

Awesome flared crack system. Lots of interesting jamming up a good line.

Seeing what all the hype is about. Toe Jam TV is better than Toe Jam the climb. At night.

Quite soft for the grade but very very fun nonetheless. If only it were longer.

A brilliant pitch for the grade. Very long and varied the whole way with interesting moves from the chimney all the way to the slab. A good one.

Worth doing if you’re out at Mental Physics. A fun, heady slab. Also done as one giant pitch.

Brilliant climb marred only by the block you can stem out to for a lot of it. I found the wide more exciting than I expected. Well worth it.

For Nolan’s 21 pitches.

This thing is completely all time! One of the absolute best pitches i’ve ever tried. On my second TR lap i managed to go from below the crux to the top, pumped out of my brains. Stellar climbing up a stellar line in a stellar location. (x2)

Accidentally fell off on the onsight when I forgot to try hard. Went fairly easily second go. Awesome rock!

The move to get off the deck on this was truly one of the hardest I pulled in Joshua Tree. Completely insane, especially if you are short. After this sure it’s 10+ ish to the top but it is undeniably a colossal sand bag at 10c for that first move.

Second go on top rope. Cedar was on it so i thought I might as well join in as I wasn’t doing anything. Very fun, bouldery, intense crack climbing. A sandbag.

Progression and regression. This thing is properly hard! And quite sharp!!! (x2)

Another two burns and the usual somethings feel much better, somethings feel much worse. Very frustrating. It was nice to watch Tom and Fann both float it though.

Well it turns out this is very hard! Completely amazing steep finger crack climbing. I did all the moves bar two of the three main crux pulls (albeit probably with some rope assist. It’s probably solid 12+ with some very tricky moves to start you off. So stoked to have tried it and seen what all the fuss is about.

Well it turns out this is the most difficult. I don’t really understand. That being said I did a lot more moves than i expected to, but the ones I couldn’t do I couldn’t even conceive. Wild.

I think this is the route we did but i’m definitely not sure. Quite fun

Brilliant easy finger and hand crack. Totally sublime.

Very psyched to have tried this. I did quite well up to the crux but i couldn’t figure it out as a complete sequence. Rad intricate climbing the whole way though with a sequence that starts at the ground and doesn’t end until you’re standing on top.

Second Ezra’s stylish send. I shouldn’t have worn approach shoes though.

“We’re trying to do this in a day, do you mind if we pass you?” Double Cross in a day with Eric, many shit list points were gained!