I haven't decided on anything yet. I know that I'm working at the gym on weekends for a few months. I'm hitting the Gunks for one day next weekend. Next outing will be Mem. Day Weekend to the Daks with the assorted band of misfits I call friends. Anybody that wants free beer and BBQ Chicken, we should be set up near the halfway point on Chapel Pond slabs the saturday of Memorial Day weekend. We'll be the only peopl on the cliffs in anchored lawn chairs. Depending on my money situation I may head up to the Daks every weekend after that, or I may continue at the gym for a while, and not start the slabathons until I start guiding in July. But don't worry, I'll keep you informed Pete. Thanks for asking.
Ian

Lisa,

Interestingly enough while I was at J tree this year I was loading up on fuel in JTree the town and was with my partner who has a gunks sticker on his car (and NY plates). Anyway, met this woman in the van behind us on line who asked us about the Gunks. Apparently she always heard how wonderful it was and we just added on to that.
She then asked us what we thought of the ratings at Josh. Well, since we are e. coast climber who can't climb cracks to save our butts, we thought they were pretty right on but just a different type of climbing.
She then told us that she is good friends with Alan Bartlett and he would ask her to climb with him and work on a consensus grade. Really nice folks.

Anyway, Vogel will be out with a new guide soon and you can get a copy of his old one still through him or you can pick up a Bartlett guide, the sportclimbing guide (hardly "sporty"), or the bouldering guide.

You also can just ask one of the hundreds of climbers around you. It's akin to being on the carrage road and asking to see someone's guidebook for a second. And folks will point you the right way.

Also, at night in the campgrounds you can peruse guidebooks and write down areas and routes for the next day.
You would probably like the DQ wall.

Enjoy it.
Cheers,
Christian :?)

Thanks Christian!

Lisa

Lisa,

If it gets too warm for you or you just want something different, you really should check out Taquitz for the day. There are some really terrific multipitch moderate trad routes (Ski tracks, 5.6, Fingertrip 5.7, Open Book, 5.9) as well as some scary runout bolted friction slabs (which can also be toproped). And the town of Idylwild is a great place to hang out for dinner or beers afterwards. Only 2 hours from J-tree. Last time I was in Idyllwild I hit J-tree for the day and it's a totally pleasant day trip.

I'm heading to Taquitz again this year in May for a long weekend (not long enough).

Leemouse (Hensley)