Not always a route but always a ROCK

How Rocks Become Routes: What it takes to develop climbing 

Part 1

Climbing's funny. 

It's about as productive as a solar panel in a coal mine and makes as much sense as the hamster dance. But folks, normal folks who spend their entire year toiling away at jobs and lives otherwise perceived as normal and tolerable, dedicate all their free time trying to become better at climbing up something that any tourist knows is easier to get to the top of by walking around the back. But climbers fancy themselves as people who don't just walk around the back. So what does it take for the first person to find the hard way and make it easy for the rest of us to get there. We'll ask a couple of climbers about just that and maybe one day we'll find our own hard way up a piece of rock.

The business of building routes to last

Since we are a climbing gym, we thought it would be best to start with Head Route Setter and local outdoor developer, or redeveloper depending on who you're asking, Dean Dean Privett. Dean walked us through his process of setting, why we don't have grades, and what it is about climbing that keeps Dean doing what he does.

So Dean Dean, How do you start setting a route? Do you draw them out on a piece of paper, is there a computer program that you use, or are they based off of outdoor climbs? 

Every climb I set starts with 3 variables: difficulty, wall angle, and holds. I choose 1 variable and build the route off of that. For example, I'll place a really cool hold on the wall and see how the angle influences the usability of that hold, this helps determine the overall difficulty of the route. I'll then choose holds that will help keep the consistency of that difficulty. The challenge then is to get the climber to climb to and from the first hold I put on the wall. The big sloper in the middle of the wall (video above) was the first hold I placed on the wall, I then had to figure out how to get climbers on to and off of the hold.

 So there's really not a ton of planning?You just throw some holds up and start creating unique and professional routes?

All the movement I create is based off of climbing fundamentals like opposition forces, hold positions, and body tension. So creating climbs is really a culmination of all the climbing experience I've had over the years.

It sounds like route setters need to be climbing a bunch both indoors and outdoors?

Oh yeah, by getting outdoors I get exposed to different movements and the subtly of what it takes to get up climbs and when I climb at different gyms I get to see how other setters are using holds to create movement. So climbing a bunch is a big part of my job.

That's pretty rad, you must know a million ways to use one hold?

Not a million, but understanding that holds are designed with specific uses in mind is a big part of setting routes. For example, using right versus left hand crimps or roof jugs versus slab jugs. Using holds the way they're intended can entice climbers in to specific movement as well as keep them injury free. 

I also take pride in creating aesthetically pleasing routes. So using similar colored holds or series of holds that look as good as the movement feels. 

So you mentioned difficulty, what are your thoughts on grading? 

Personally, I don't like grading. Grades are so subjective. Things like the setters strengths and preferences, how tired the setter is on a given day, climber weight and height, local grading, and so on, all play a roll in grading and can muddy up the entire thing. Instead I seek climbs that have awesome movement or that I think look really amazing. The grade doesn't matter. When I go outdoors, I appreciate the time it takes to figure out different climbs. So difficulty does play a role in what I climb, but I don't use grades as the determining factor in what I chose to work on. It all comes back to aesthetics, I'm interested in challenging movement rather than grades. 

What other things do you think about when it comes to route setting or developing climbs outside?

For me route setting and looking for new boulders is more about having a good time with the people I'm with. Climbing is really fun but actual climbing is such a small amount of the time when you're out "climbing." So having good people to fill the rest of that time is important to me.

Copy that Deano and thanks for the insight in to what it takes to set world class blocks in our little part of the climbing world. 

It's one part plant, one part dudes name, and all parts '80's alternative rock album. I'm talking Joshua Tree!

Rainbow Sherbet Sunrise

Some of us here at the gym lucked in to a trip down to Joshua Tree National Park recently and we feel like it's our responsibility to share what we had, and wish we would've had, on our trip. 

Here's our TOP 10 JTree Necessities:

1. Sun Protection: Seems like a real no brainer. You're probably like "Hey dummy, you're headed to the desert. Of course you need sun protection!" But I'm not talking about the baby oil your Grammy put on in the 70's to get that perfect bronze; or the zinc your great Uncle Sal uses to cover a higher percentage of his body than the Speedo he's been wearing since '87. I'm talking about useful sun protection like long sleeved clothing with UPF, hats that cool you down the harder you try, sunscreen that you don't need to get all over your hands, and the most important thing of them all... chapstick. 

SBRG Red Cap

I rocked my Patagonia Capilene 2 for the 5 days of my trip. It kept me warm during the cool evenings/mornings and the UPF 20 kept my skin from feeling the wrath of both the sun and all the nasty plants/rocks/tourists that poke and prod folks in the desert.

My Mountain Hardware Quasar Running Cap fit under my helmet and the Cool Q ZERO lining kept my melon on ice. The large brim allowed me to climb with out sunglasses and kept me from getting sunburn squint lines.

Coppertone makes a sick spray sunblock that keeps your hands from getting greased up like a broke down trucker in the Texas panhandle. 

Topped off with some fresh mint Chapstick, you're ready for sending.

2. A sturdy hydration station: My trusty MSR 4litre Dromedary has been on many trips over the years and is still water tight despite my best efforts to destroy it. The national park service recommends two gallons of water per day if your climbing in JTree, so one dromedary will do the job if you drink more water than coffee in the morning.

3. Solid Approach Shoes:  Most climbs in JTree are tucked away on top of, underneath of, and/or hidden behind boulders, cacti, and various other obstacles making the footwear you choose to access the "diamonds in the rough" a big decision. I've worn comfortable running shoes but trying to move over boulder fields with a weighted pack and no sticky rubber made my approaches more difficult and taxing. I currently enjoy parking my puppies in 5.10 Guide Tennies which are sticky enough to tackle friction face climbs and beefy enough to shove in to Josh's numerous moderate crack climbs . I switched to the Guide Tennie because of the lower heal compared to the La Sportiva Boulder X, which always seemed to roll my ankle in when I was carrying a heavy load.



4. Tape: Good athletic tape is worth its weight in gold. The rock in JTree is Quartz Monzonite and will cut your hands up quick. The good thing is your goobies are free souvenirs and they'll take weeks to heal.

5. Tough Clothing: So by now it's kind of apparent that the desert is a tough place to get around in. The desert climber needs to regulate their temperature, prevent goobies in tender spots, defend themselves from sharp plants, all the while in clothing that will allow the climber to move over awesome routes.

For top layers I combo my Patagonia Cap 3 with a comfortable synthetic or cotton t shirt. I'll wear the Cap 3 for hiking, scrambling, and routes in the sun and throw on a t shirt after the approach or when I'm cragging.

Coach Mike crushing in the Cap 3, Bronson Combo

For pants I always wear my Prana Bronson's because of the tough canvas finish and spandex combo. Tough enough for knee bars and offwidths but tender enough for high steps and looking sharp.

6. A Good Guide Book: Most of the things on the list so far are about getting to the crag in one piece but if you don't know how to find the routes whats the point. There are numerous guide books to J Tree and all of them seem to be missing something but that's mostly due to the vastness of JTree climbing potential. Joshua Tree Rock Climbs by Robert Miramontes seems to be pretty complete and if you download Mountain Project to your Iphone you'll be pretty close to knowing something. Just be ready to walk around like a tourist in New York City who is gawking at the skyscrapers and narrowly escapes getting hit by a cab.

Sussing the next route out

7. A place to land softly: Whether you are bouldering or trad climbing, a good crash pad can save your ankles on some of the more classic/polished climbs in the desert. Fortunately, there are a ton of fun climbs close to parking that would feel safer with a crash pad underneath them so you don't have to hike a mile with a pad strapped to your back; plus crash pads make great relaxation stations at night around the campfire.

Crash Pads and Poofy's

8. A Poofy Jacket: Hot during the day, cold at night. JTree's climbing season is during the winter and climbers can experience crazy weather out there. High winds, rare rain showers, rarer snow showers, and cold temps can creep in to the park and a good poofy will keep your psych high. I've been rocking a super light, super warm synthetic poof from Mountain Hardware called the Hooded Compressor. It's pretty pricey but has lasted me numerous winter seasons in the cold, wet northeast as well as on long windy winter desert trips.

9. Double's: If you're planning on top roping or lead climbing, Josh eats up traditional gear. Be warned that even the "sport" climbs take traditional pro and most of the top rope anchors are gear anchors. I have doubles from .5 to #3 and feel like I could still use some triples in some sizes. You'll also be psyched to have doubles when leading routes for the option to place the same size twice in splitter cracks or to use for fickle gear anchors. Plus a heavy rack means training weight for the hike in and out.

Standard Gearhead Rack

10. Creature Comforts: For me the last and most important essential thing for spending time in Joshua Tree or anywhere away from my studiage (studio/garage apartment) is creature comforts. That means a comfortable place to lay down, a good cup of coffee, and some tasty vittles. 

I just picked up a sweet Exped SynMat 7 that really allowed me to get a full nights sleep under the stars. I was warm and cozy during the nights and didn't experience any of the normal stiffness that generally comes with sleeping on the ground in the mornings. That means my climbing felt better.

The other life support canister

My Jet Boil fired off warm cups of Starbucks Via's in no time allowing me to be fully caffeinated before my climbing partner had even awaken. I use the Starbucks Via's because of the easy clean up plus my french press exploded all over my poofy jacket and nearly my face, last time I was in JTree. Via's are quick and easy even if they come with a little corporate greed guilt.

Sweet Beard

Nothing beats a warm cup of coffee but delicious, salty, beefy, jerky sure comes close. Every climbing trip needs some form of dehydrated treat and I choose spicy beef jerky 9 times out of 10. Even though the cost of jerky seems to be on the same track as the Bitcoin, it treat myself because after all, climbing is about having fun and feeling good. However, dried bananas, mango, and various other fruits sure do provide extra energy on those late attempts on the proj or to hike out after dark.

Happy Climbing

Well, there you have it. Our Top Ten J Tree Necessities.  Please share what your top ten necessities are and hopefully no one gets stuck out in the desert without something important like a Freshette or a Bosch Hammer Drill or a field guide explaining what plants are safe to eat or not.