Agent Orange Rock, 5.9-5.11c

Overview/Approach

Oyster Bar is a collection of short walls located just west of Saddle Rock in Joshua Tree.  One of the best 5.11 trad leads in the entire park is located here, Heart of Darkness, 5.11a***.  On the opposite side of Oyster Bar's Heart of Darkness corridor, the Saddle Rock side, is a cool orange colored slab appropriately named Agent Orange.  On the right side of the Agent Orange wall is a stellar finger to tips flake climb that peters out before reaching a fixed rap, Rust in Peace, 5.9*.  Just to the left of Rust is a bolted line, Bloody Knuckles, 5.10b*.  The next bolted line to the left is the Iron Curtain, 5.11c**.  It is a worthy destination and one that I hit up by traversing west from Saddle Rock, working on my 2^nd 1000 routes climbed in the park.  Bloody Knuckles and Rust in Peace make a great pair of moderates sharing the same anchor.  They would be more popular if they were located in a more popular area.  Iron Curtain looks stout but good.  The rock here is excellent and mostly shaded.

Park at the Oyster Bar parking area on the southeast side of the main park road.  Or, as I did, just hike across the desert from Saddle Rock if you are already there.  It is not much of a hike to reach Oyster Bar in either case and you can see it from the road.  Agent Orange is on the left, northeast side, of this clump of walls and boulders.  There is a climber’s trail that circumvents around left and the orange wall is unmistakable. 

Routes Listed Left to Right as you Face this Northeast Facing Wall

Iron Curtain- 5.11c**/

Bloody Knuckles- 40’-5.10b*/ Agent Orange Rock is an obvious orange slab and corner on the east side of Oyster Bar.  Bloody Knuckles shares a fixed rap with its stellar flake/trad neighbor Rust in Peace.  Bloody is a fully bolted sustained slab climb on stellar rock.  Three draws.  Route gets minimal sun.  Dow

Rust in Peace- 40’-5.9*/ If this route were taller and in a more popular area of the park, it would be a five-star route.  Climb the micro crack flake to the right of the bolted line, Bloody Knuckles.  Wires (brassies) are the critical pro although I led it on a few micro cams and ran it out to the singular bolt above the flake protecting the final slab section to the shared fixed rap.  Fun typical flake lay back and/or stem movement on stellar rock.  The crux is exiting the flake onto slab via mantling up to clip the single bolt and then another move at the grade on slab above the bolt to reach the fixed rap. One draw and a few small to micro wires.  Route receives minimal sun.  Dow