Joshua Tree - Trip Report Day 2
We set out on Saturday to climb Fote Hog (5.6), a two pitch classic. I got to the start of the climb, and for some reason, I started shaking (not nerves!). I tried to eat a little, and we waited for a few minutes, but it wouldn’t stop. Then, I started feeling a little light headed and that was it. I decided to back-off and play it safe. It was Martha’s first multi-pitch climb, and I didn’t want it to turn epic!
As we were down climbing, a dude walked up wearing sneakers and a day pack. He was really nice, and even helped by spotting me as I downclimbed. (Thank goodness he was there!). We briefly chatted with him, and then he helped himself to the climb. I got video of him soloing, and he was gracious enough to give me beta about the pro! Normally, I wouldn’t want to know, but since there is a tricky traverse, I was happy for the information.
When we got back to the truck, we had half the day left, so we decided to drive through the park. We stopped at the Mt. Ryan pullout, and hiked up to the highest elevation of J-Tree. I hadn’t done the hike, and Martha was being a good sport, so we were off to summit the peak. Turns out the hike is lovely, there are fantastic views all the way up, and when you get to the top it’s amazing. We got up there about an hour before sunset, although I’d imagine watching the sun go down from up there would be magical.