Cathouse, 5.4-5.10c

Overview/Approach

Cathouse is a very popular crag in Joshua Tree located amongst the roadside objectives between Lost Horse Road and Intersection Rock. These two southeast facing walls offer one of the larger collection of easier climbs in the park during the winter months. Therefore you will find a lot of top roping and “friend guiding” in this area. Cathouse cannot be seen from the road, so it is difficult to assess just how crowded it is until you surmount a small col.

Cathouse is divided into a left and right wall that Miramontes calls “lower” and “upper” respectively. I found a decent moderate crack climb on the lower wall that was easily doable on a 40F day, Limited Partnership (5.8). Miramontes guide references “scant pro” on this route via three parallel thin cracks. However, I found the pro to be bomber, but this route does provide a clinic for the aspiring trad leader in placing his/her smaller gear from micros to offsets.   My second favorite of this group is Hello Kitty (5.9).  Most of these routes were established in the 90’s by Chris Miller or Alan Bartlett.

Just east of Lost Horse Road is a pullout. Park here and hike southwest to the left choice of two small cols. Pick up a faint climbers trail that leads up and over large boulders to the walls on your right side. Maybe 10 minutes from the car.

First Routes Encountered, Upper Right Side, NE Facing, Listed Right to Left

Chicken Pox Leaves Bad Scars- 50’-5.7/ The furthest right and therefore also most east facing of the Cat House routes.  A bit contrived up a patina face.  It is a scramble to get to the base which starts atop a boulder.  The first few moves off the deck do not make for a secure solo.  More slopers than one might expect.  Fixed anchor above serves four routes bunched together.  A few bolts, a few draws.  Receives morning sun.  Dow

Fat Cats- 50’-5.7/ Rap down from Chicken Pox to the next boulder southeast.  Climb the left side of the wall via slab.  Insecure climbing on poor rock for soloing.  Three clips to the shared anchor.  Dow

Siamese- 50’-5.8/ Easier I thought than Fat Cats despite the grade difference.  The finish is the same.  But the lower part is trad through a right leaning crack.  Few small pieces.  Dow

Alley Cat- 50’-5.5/ A cool little trad climb in the varnished corner to the left of the other routes in this area, up a secure (if soloing) crack that breaks right near the end to the shared rap anchor. A decent trad training pitch in my opinion.  Route gets morning sun.  Dow

Side Step- 40’-5.6/ This route is a contrived route in space between four routes that share a same anchor way out right and the main Cat House area up and left.  Fully bolted to its own rap station.  Traverses left thus the name I suppose.  Route gets morning sun.  Dow

Upper Wall from the Main Area, East Facing, Routes Listed Right to Left

Cat Scratch Fever- 60'-5.9*/ Not really Jtree 5.9. Pull a bulge and finish on a seam. Dow

Nine Lives- 60'-5.8*/ This is the center line of this right wall and heads for the decent crack up high. Neither this route nor Cat Scratch Fever are very sustained. Hello Kitty is by far the more interesting of the three. Dow

Hello Kitty- 60'-5.9**/ Hello Kitty is by far the more interesting of this collection on the right wall. You hit a shallow corner that takes an interesting layback move at the grade, then face climb through bolts to finish. Shares a fixed rap with the next two routes. Dow

Heathcliff- 60'-5.8/ The left most route on the varnished upper wall to the right of the main Cat House climbing area.  Like the other three on this wall, this route is more challenging and steeper than similarly graded routes on the lower wall to the left.  A worthy trad climb.  Local guide references “scant pro”, but I thought it protected well with wires and off-sets.  Follow the left most cracks up the left side of the upper wall and traverse right to the shared fixed rap on this wall.  Single from micro to #.75.  Route gets morning sun.  Dow

Lower Wall, Main Area, SE Facing, Routes Listed Left to Right

Felix- 75’-5.4/ This is a good training route for brand new climbers, trad or otherwise.  Gives you an easy corner crack to teach technique in and then takes another crack out right to the shared fixed rap atop the lower wall.  A secure solo.  Crux is prob the first move or two off the ground to reach the crack/corner.  If setting up top rope, important to set a directional piece on the right leaning crack finish.  Dow

Little Brown Jug- 5.7*/ A fairly easy 5.7 by Jtree standards, had a client lead it, safe enough but a bit run out for teaching on. Shares a fixed rap with most all the routes on this left wall. Dow

Limited Partnership- 5.8*/ This pitch was surprisingly good. You stem up small features whilst placing micros and offset cams in the shallow crack in front. The 2nd half of the pitch is not very good though. About 30' of real climbing. Despite what the guide book says, it is not difficult to protect if you know what you are doing. Dow

Marmac’s Crack- 5.6/ Easy secure solo for the grade. Hand crack to the top, fixed rap way out left. Dow

Tourette’s Syndrome- 5.10c*/ Interesting opposing side pulls (lips of a short crack) allow you sort of lay back up the face. The crux is right off the deck. Stout move or two for the grade with intricate pro, then much easier. Fixed rap way out left. Dow

Bobcat- 5.10a*/ A few meters of face climbing through two bolts at the grade off the deck leads to a crack above and trend up and left on much easier ground. One or two pieces of medium gear. Fixed rap way out left. Dow