About the recent damage done in Rattlesnake Cyn…
Beautifully written by a Friend, Nikki Hodgson.
In 1927, a Swedish immigrant built a small house on top of a hill in the middle of the Lost Horse Valley, just south of Quail Springs. John Samuelson, who was later acquitted of murder and escaped from a state hospital in 1930, spent his free time carving his political beliefs into the rocks alongside his homestead. Over 80 years later and you can still read his misspelled words carved neatly into the rocks of what is now Joshua Tree National Park. His messages have become part of the park, the ugly scratches turned into artwork, reclaimed by the desolation of the desert.
I try to remember this when I hear that parts of the park are now closed to the public because of repeated vandalism, struggling to view the defaced and spray painted rocks through the lens of history.
Is there anything climbers can do about this?
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.
Climb Smart 2012 just a few days away!
Climb Smart Oct. 19-21 is building up to be the biggest and best ever, with double triple! the registrants and supporting organizations than last year and still a few days until it happens… The event will sell out, so if you are interested to attend, click here.
Climb Smart fairgrounds layout at JT Lake Campground
Glimpse a gallery of images from the 2011 Climb Smart event
Meet JTree legendary climbers, network with fellow climbers, brush up skills, give back to the park and stay informed on latest developments that affect climbers nationwide. Join Us!
Access Fund Idyllwild Adopt A Crag – a great chance to serve
While summer approaches in Joshua Tree, it’s the climbers natural migration time to the higher ground. Kick off your mountain season with the perfect excuse to get into the Idyllwild frame of mind…
Where: Suicide Rock, Idyllwild, CA
When: Sunday, June 3 2012
Hosted by: Idyllwild Climber’s Alliance
Details: On Sunday, June 3rd the Idyllwild Climber’s Alliance will be hosting the Second Annual Climber’s Festival in Idyllwild. In the morning volunteers will work on the three main climber’s trails in Idyllwild, while the alliance’s ambassadors will distribute educational materials to climbers as well as an invitation to attend the BBQ and raffle. The big project for the day is to put in new stairs down to the Suicide Trail. The day will wrap up with a BBQ, raffle and book signing.
In 2011 the festival brought out 40 volunteers and we are hoping for 50 this year. We raised $250 for the Access Fund last year and this year we’re hoping for $300 for the Alliance. This event is sponsored by: the Alliance, the Access Fund, and the Southwest Section of the American Alpine Club. We expect further help for the raffle from our friends in the outdoor industry.
Please RSVP to jlucke@cmc.edu
Every hour of time you donate to a crag helps show land managers that climbers are responsible stewards. Grab some friends and a pair of work gloves and spend a day giving back to the sport you love! We hope to see you there.
Thanks for your support,
Ty Tyler
Stewardship Manager
Access Fund
JTNP to facilitate Solar Eclipse Viewing May 20
Joshua Tree National Park will offer a front-row seat for one of the
biggest celestial events of the year. On May 20, large areas of the western United States will experience an annular solar eclipse, an event last seen in the United States in 1994. In the hours before sunset, the Earth’s moon will pass in front of the sun casting a giant shadow across the land.
To mark the occasion, Joshua Tree National Park will host a special Solar Eclipse Event 051112 giving the public great views of this highly anticipated event. Solar eclipse activities will take place at the Oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms.
The Visitor Center is located at 74485 National Park
Drive. Joshua Tree National Park is in the zone to experience a partial
(near total) eclipse.
Here is the schedule of activities for the Solar Eclipse Event:
Noon Telescopes with special filters will be set up to allow viewing
of the sun. Long before the eclipse is visible, solar observers
will be able to see sunspots and any solar flare activity.
4:30 p.m. Rangers will offer presentations about the solar eclipse and
will show participants how to make a pinhole viewing device for
watching the eclipse.
5:25 p.m. Approximate time for the start of the partial eclipse. Public
viewing of the eclipse will take place through telescopes and
through a video astronomy presentation. Special glasses for
viewing the eclipse will also be available.
6:38 p.m. Peak of the eclipse for the Joshua Tree area occurs.
7:44 p.m. Sunset
8:00 p.m. Night sky program presented by National Park Service rangers
and park volunteers.
For more information about the May 20 eclipse at Joshua Tree, the public
can visit the park website at:
http://www.nps.gov/jotr/
Information at viewing the solar eclipse at other National Park locations can be found here
www.nature.nps.gov/features/
National Park Week means FREE entry to Joshua Tree National Park… bring someone new!
It’s a great time to visit the park, with the peak wildflower season beginning, perfect climbing temps and just to top it off, National Park Week… no charge to enter from April21-29! National_Park_Week_at_JOTR_2012
There is also a Jr. Ranger event on April 21, and April 28-29 the 2nd annual Joshua Tree Biodiversity Hunt, this year focused around the 49 Palms Oasis… learn more here.
Mark Butler, JTNP Superintendent, says “The people of southern California have long looked to Joshua Tree as a place of refuge and recreation. We hope that as they visit us during National Park Week, they will also think about how they can get even more involved. There are many ways people can support the park, and rangers will be happy to suggest ways people can make a difference.”
See the NPS press release here
Visit our photo galleries here and get inspired for your visit…
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!)
Early December gatherings; Climate Change effects on JT, and Western Gov’s Association
JTNP Superintendent Mark Butler addressing crowd at Climb Smart 11
As part of a year-long celebration of the park’s 75th Anniversary, Joshua
Tree National Park and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)
are partnering to host a one day conference highlighting several topics:
- the potential effects of global climate change,
- impacts of climate change on individual park species and native
ecosystems,
- developing climate change science, monitoring programs, and climate
change adaptation strategies.
Location: UCR, Palm Desert Campus Graduate Center
Date: Friday, December, 2The symposium will be followed on December 3 by a field trip to the park.
For additional information please contact the park’s 75th Anniversary
Coordinator George Land at 760-367-5507, or by email: george_land@nps.gov.
On December 7, the Western Governor’s Association, led by Gov. Chris Gregoire (WA), will visit Yucca Valley for a public discussion and presentation on gateway communities and the importance of the rural and suburban infrastructure on the health of communities and the country.
For more information visit the WGA Web site at www.westgov.org.
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