This bolt ladder ascends to the top of Don Juan Boulder, a big boulder near the Astrodomes. The route was unclimbable because a few of the bolts were missing and some were missing hangers. A few years ago it was re-equipped and hopefully can presently be ascended. Bolt ladders a) get people to the top of formations without any other forms of ascent possible, and b) helps neophytes get their aid "systems" down. This bolt ladder has some funky bolts, but if one were to pull, hopefully the one below it would hold. 

This old aid climb wasn't even freed until Spencer Lennard decided to do it up in 1978! Before that it was aid climbed a number of times and had a different name, an aid name. It used to be Left Out, and was rated A3. It may even have felt the shame and pain of a few pitons, long long ago, which left a few faint scars on this magnificent 5 star stellar free climb, one of J.T.'s best.

Today some people still occasionally want to aid climb this free route. This is probably not a very good idea, because it is a very very popular free climb, and there's no need to aid climb this with many other options where the aid climber will not be in anyone's way. And if you ever decide you want to aid climb this with pitons, you will burn in Hell for all eternity, plain and simple.

Go somewhere else to play Mr. El Capitan Aid Thug, and leave this one to the free climbers. 

Another free route which is often times aid climbed. Often times aiding a free route, especially one practically in the parking lot, can be a bad idea. This one can probably be a switch hitter, because most people that attempt to free climb it, aid climb it anyways by hanging all over it. If you approach it with your aiders and daisy chains, you're probably better off than the soon to be battered and bloody "free" climbers.

Better yet, aid it on a very cold, winter, or wet day, when no one in their right mind should be touching stone with an ungloved hand anyways. The placements are very solid, and it's close to the road; a good place to get your systems dialed. A good place to impress some tourists and maybe get a phone number and a date at McGee's in New Port Beach from that hottie that's been watching your dare-devilness from her Beemer (with the engine running and heater going).

On the road side of Beaver Boulder at Cap Rock, is a very short bolt ladder. If you are a very shy person and want just a small taste of aid systems, .....here it is. It's almost too short to really get anything out of this experience outside of the summit of Beaver Boulder, but ... whatever. I mean; just when you begin to figure our what you are doing... it's over. Recommended for aid-climbing wannabes who can't commit. Are all the hangers in place?...(maybe bring some wired stoppers just in case?)

 

 

 

 

This obvious climb is mostly a free climb, with a short aid section at the bottom. I haven't done this climb (yet), but it looks fairly straight forward. The free climbing goes up a crack with bushes growing out of it. It is located just off the Wonderland approach wash (So. Wonderland), and is easy and quick to get to.

This is a weird climb. Basically, the problem is, this climb has no start!.. With a cheater stick, or a long stick-clip, or something like that, you can hook a sling around a horn. From the horn, you need to hang aiders, or a rope, or more slings, so you have something to climb up on. The horn you slung is up sort of high (and it might have broken off?) Once you somehow get up to the horn and onto the face, you have sketchy, mildly runout face climbing past 2 bolts... the whole climb is sort of silly, scary, and mildly fun in a bizarre way. It's dicey. (you've been briefed.)

In the middle of the So. Astrodome is this big ol' arching crack. You start up by climbing up this block...but there is a short blank section where there is a bolt ladder to get you to the arching crack. From the top bolt (top step), you can reach the crack, and then you start free climbing.. Be forewarned; one of the bolts pulled out under Allen Bartlett's body weight (His nickname is Big Al)..., and Al took a fall and broke one of his fingers. I'm not sure if the pulled bolt have since been replaced! Go check it out for yourself (and let me know?)

I haven't done this climb, and from looking at Bartlett's topo and description, it seems to have only a short aid section. The Grey Giant is a very large formation, and the climbs on it all have a "big" feel to them. This climb is probably mostly a free climb. Go do it and let me know what it's like. I have been on the Lithophiliac next door... it's an awesome place to be.

This bolt ladder died. It was chopped to make way for a free TR., which actually zigzagged up the face and didn't climb the same line as the bolts. This old bolt ladder used to be THE bolt ladder to do, practice on , and a way to get to the top of Head Stone if you are too drunk to climb the SW Corner or Cryptic. Maybe someday it will re-appear? (Hey... don't look at me that way.......) A lot of people don't like practice aid bolt ladders.... and only a few people like them. They seem to be relics of the 1950'60's... and there are a few still rusting about here and there.

This is a boulder with a couple of bolts. As a free climb it's probably lame... it's more of a sick boulder move than a climb (It is 5.12). As an aid climb, it's lame, because it's only got a couple of bolts.. please..... This "aid" climb is probably something to do if you are camped in Ryan and this boulder is in your campsite. First, get all drunk and partied up, grab a few biners and slings, and waste an hour. Oh yeah,...crank on some tunes... maybe AC/DC or Slayer? (note;.. this was the first 5.12 in the Park)

Here is one of Joshua Tree's practice aid bolt ladders. I did the climb in a snowstorm (literally!), and all was fine. This climb was the scene of an accident, when a climber pulled one of the bolts (with body weight) and broke his leg. He recovered, and later went back and replaced the bad (missing?) bolt. This climb is right in the campground in Indian Cove, and has a very short approach. Bolt ladders are a place to practice the aid "systems and moves."

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know nothing about this climb except what I read in Bartlett's Guide. There is a low cave. " Aid out the crack in it's roof and climb to a horizontal break. Move left and aid up the thin crack in the summit block. Two pitches." If I get around to climbing this, I definitely will tell you more. (anyone who can help me out, contact me please.)

This route is a free climb that the first ascent team was unable to free. Bartlett and Steve Parker were unable to do the route free, and used 2 points of aid. With a name like Free Me; sounds like an invitation to me. Located near the back loop of Jumbo. I have not done this climb yet, so if anyone can help me out here, please clue me in.