Rattlesnake Canyon closed due to Vandalism!
The popular Indian Cove accessible crag known as Rattlesnake Canyon has been closed to all access while the JTNP deepens the investigation of the vandals defacing rock and creating blight in our National Park.
Here is what the mainstream media is saying http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-joshua-tree-graffiti-20130413,0,3668905.story
This link will take you to the official announcement by JTNP on the closure.
le_rattlesnake_closure_20130404
“We hope it’s isolated. We’re hoping that the public will help us out by reporting any damage or vandalism that they see.” One ranger said to the Press.
FOJT and the Access Fund are in dialogue with the Park on remedies and potential activation of the climbing community to combat this epidemic of impact and poor taste. Please feel free to share your feelings, or better yet solution ideas, to this blog and we will air them at our Board Retreat nexst week.
Thank you!
Spring Fund Drive and e-News push
We’ve opened our spring fund drive just a little early, based on Puxatawny Phil’s very scientific assessment of the arrival of spring… Help us build the JOSAR Cache, keep our website up (as you can see it needs some help) and come help us kick off the spring climbing season in person at the Spring Cling later this month!
Donate to FOJT for our Spring Fund Raiser here
Sign up for our newsletter here.
Key Topic at Climb Smart 2012 – the Underground Chasm development
There is still space for Climb Smart 2012, kicking off the Fall climbing season in Joshua Tree with a fantastic lineup of legendary climbers, brands, locals, and inspiration to last all of 2013.
Click Here an important article just published by the Access Fund on egregious activities that currently affect climbing access in JTNP
Friends Of Joshua Tree, in support of climbing in the Park and JOSAR (Joshua Tree Search & Rescue), works with the local community, sponsors like prAna and Sterling Ropes and athletes and guides to bring us together and give back to one of America’s most treasured and storied climbing areas. This year the price has been drastically reduced (it’s tough out there and don’t we know it!) and the program expanded to include all day Friday and Saturday clinics and evening events for both nights.
Climbers unite! We have always been great stewards of the land in Josh, but several individuals, acting outside of the carefully crafted rules that climbers in JTree have lived by for decades, now force the Park Service to consider drastic rules to thwart further illegal developments in the Park. We’ve worked hard to steer the attitude toward us in a positive direction, but it only takes a few misinformed or uncaring moves to crush the progress. JOIN US as the climbing community to show the Park, and each other, our strength of purpose and commitment to stewardship for the long haul. SIGN UP HERE for Climb Smart 2012.
Climb Smart 2012(OCTOBER 19-21) Climbing Community Gathers Again
Before you move on to the high elevations, mark your calendar for Climb Smart 2012, October 19-21 at JT Lake Campground and in the Park. Climb Smart is the kickoff event in Joshua Tree for climbers, bringing the local and global climbing community together for education, celebration and inspiration. Last year’s event was a breakthrough success for FOJT and JOSAR, with new venues, new clinics, a new format and even the Cactus Pricks live performance! See images from last year’s event below, and click here to get beta on the 2012 event, or see a photo gallery of CS11.
This year’s event will sport three full days of clinics, two evenings of live entertainment, and even lower pricing for participants, with new food options, and more swag! “Pie for the People” will have their world famous pizza pies, salads, and baked ziti available for purchase at the camground Friday night, and Saturday night we are bringing back our popular spaghetti dinner as part of the evening’s events.
Register early, by September 10th., to be entered in a drawing for a new climbing rope! Winner will be announced at the Saturday dinner party.
This year the Lake will be open for fishing, so bring your fishing poles, or rent them at the country store next to the Lake. More details when you register.
NEW THIS YEAR: Special Keys Ranch Tour, Sunday 9am! Register early. Only 25 spots available.
Brittany welcome to Climb Smart 2011
Join us!
Volunteers needed for revegetation project March 24; afterglow ‘Spring Cling’ gathering for AAC that night!
Old Road revegetation project-before
Friends of Joshua Tree is partnering with American Alpine Club with the SPRING CLING event Saturday March 24th 6:30 pm in Downtown Joshua Tree, after a day of revegetation work in the central Hidden Valley area of the Park.
See/Download the Spring Cling spring cling flyer!
There’s room for more volunteers to participate (click here for details) in the park project with AAC & Threshold Climbing Gym on Saturday. Specs are for about 200 plants, vertical mulch and delineating trail with rocks along the swath of old road by the Old Woman (see pic above).
The Evening event will be at the Starlite 61738 29 Palms Hwy – 1 block west of Park Blvd.
Our show starts promptly at 7pm with images and narrative by Damon Corso.
The presentation will feature images of free soloing (Michael Reardon) amazing bouldering images, as well as sport climbing and adaptive climbing. Don’t miss this free event!
Grab a bite to eat at Pie for the People – we receive a special price on any pizza slice(s) & beverage between 6 & 9pm)
The tranquil and beautiful patio is a perfect place to mingle with fellow climbers, make new friends, hang out and enjoy a slice of the best pizza west of New York.
Learn about the March 24 special project in the Park here
You can email us at info@friendsofjosh.org, or call the Park directly with questions;
Bernadette Regan
Climbing Ranger – Resource Management
Joshua Tree National Park
760-367-5578
(mention FOJT please!)
Climb Smart Rocks the desert, kicks off the 11-12 Season
With the perfect weather window, a brand new venue, a slew of amazing and talented pros, the partnership of the Park and awesome sponsors from retail to brand to advocacy groups to the Cactus Pricks, Climb Smart 2011 broke through in completely new style on the 14 year old annual event. Huge THANKS to all of you who contributed to an all-time great time in and around JTNP.
If you want to get a glimpse of what happened last weekend, check out these links UPDATED:
Climb Smart Video incl. Lynn Hill at Thin Wall (thx to Smoking Chimp Productions!)
our Facebook page, with Pics!
JTree Astronomy Arts Theater (the venue and amazing multimedia platform)
SoCal Digital Video Astronomers
The Cactus Pricks (featuring climbing icons Al Bartlett, Don Reid, and Pat Brennan on stagecraft!)
More to come as folks get their film processed and back from the darkroom (!).
Climb Smart Event This Weekend
Join us for the season kickoff event in Joshua Tree Oct. 21-23 (Friday thru Sunday)! LYNN HILL will be there, teaching and sharing inspiration and slides, along with BRITTANY GRIFFITH and KURT SMITH to anchor the athlete lineup… camping, raffles, star gazing, sponsor booths, multimedia, the works!
REGISTER NOW FOR FULL EVENT OR SATURDAY EVE PARTY ONLY
CS11 Participant Confirm Letter/Itinerary CS11 Participant Confirm Letter
CS11 Clinic Schedule CS11 clinic schedule final draft
Climb Smart Update; all time athlete lineup Oct 21-23 in JTree
Registration has OPENED and sponsors and athletes are on board… Lynn Hill, legendary Stonemaster and arguably the most revered American climber in the world, cut her teeth on the Monzonite of Joshua Tree and will be present for a good portion of Climb Smart this fall… in addition Kurt Smith, the ‘little general’ himself, will be there to spin tunes and offer tips through the mini-clinics that are core to the event. Brittany Griffith has stepped up her involvement with the event, even though she has anchored the event for several years running as a sponsored ambassador athlete and event planner. More sponsors are helping us this year, adding to the festival atmosphere in Joshua Tree Lake Campground (featuring the SCDVA Deep Space viewing theater). This is THE year to join FOJT and Climb Smart in and outside the Park to kick off the climbing season in style with opportunities to win swag, discover new climbing partners interested in access, advocacy and proper technique, and give back to the place we all love. Sign Up for CLIMB SMART here
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