Alan Bartlett
photo© Greg Epperson
The title for “Most Prolific Joshua Tree Climber” could easily go to
Alan Bartlett. A true climber’s climber, Al has fairly dedicated his life to climbing and climbers.
Only Bartlett and T-Tech have climbed over 4000 routes in the Park, not including top-ropes. He has
probably done more first ascents than anyone here. Bartlett knows this area better than anyone. Period.
Not only has Al climbed over 4000 routes here, he is the top route ticker in Tuolumne Meadows.
Al’s quest to document all routes in the Park completely and accurately could only be accomplished in his mind by simply (or not so simply) climbing all the routes! His ability to climb steep, run out faces and keep his cool is well known.
Alan Bartlett is a very strong traditional climber; and his traditionalist ethics are communicated through his Joshua Tree guidebooks. In his strict sense of the rules, climbs are either led or followed.
Most climbers who spend anytime at all in JTree have some of all of his sectional guidebooks.
Along with being one of America’s most prolific climbers, (a modern Fred Beckey?) Al is also a prolific reader and very talented musician.