Geoff ArcherAnother new route activist of the 80’s and 90’s was Geoff Archer. His long hair and fully tattooed arms (before everyone had tattoos) set him apart from the pack who were then donned in lycra and tank tops. Geoff’s quiet and mellow personality spilled over into his climbing as he quietly trampled around the park snatching classics and climbing most everything in sight.Geoff and his small group of partners would hit an area and hit it hard, doing all the classic cracks and faces often times in fairly isolated areas like Oz or Split Rocks. His discover and development of the Corral Wall area produced on of Joshua Tree’s most popular cold day climbing areas. In a protected, south facing niche, away from the wind, the Corral Wall can be climbable or even pleasant when the rest of the park was freezing. His routes are usually adequately protected and not “death” routes, but some are heads up and can require concentration more than your usual clip up. A powerful and motivated climber, he was quiet and went about his business efficiently. His many excellent first ascents are a tribute to his legacy. Some of his more difficult routes retain their fierceness and have seen few ascents. Go do some Archer routes, many are excellent and you’ll definitely get your money’s wroth True Archer beauties: Frontier Justice 5.11b 1990, Spaghetti Western 5.11d 1990 Bridge of Sighs 5.11 a/b. Are you a member? |