Hey, Im a student at UNLV and will have class off for Monday. I was planning on hitting a few parks over the weekend to check out the area. I plan on going to Mojave Preserve for a night, Joshua Tree for a night, and Death Valley for a night. Making a loop back to Vegas.

Any advice on some good hikes in these areas? Also, I was wanting to get some bouldering in while at Joshua Tree. Any advice on a good area? or a campsite next to some good bouldering? I'm only starting to get back into rock climbing after a break so Ive only been doing V1 stuff, V2 at the most. So nothing too gnarley.

Thanks!!

JBRunyan wrote:Hey, Im a student at UNLV and will have class off for Monday. I was planning on hitting a few parks over the weekend to check out the area. I plan on going to Mojave Preserve for a night, Joshua Tree for a night, and Death Valley for a night. Making a loop back to Vegas.

Wow, just a quick tour. Too bad you don't have about 6 months longer.

Anyway, there are several interesting things to do around Mojave. Mitchell Caverns is cool, and Hole in the Wall is awesome too. I hear the Lava Tube is worth seeing. The best mountain hike/scramble in the area is Fountain Peak. Might as well traverse over to Edgar Peak, while you're there.

Death Valley is vast, and extra special. The sand dunes at Stovepipe, Dantes View, Badwater, the Racetrack, Ubehebe Crater, man, the list could go on for days.

I'm sure others will chime in with thousands of suggestions for J-tree.

As far as Josh in concerned, Hidden Valley is the most central to the climbing. Midweek you should be able to find something. If it's full, you might even be able to talk someone into just crashing in their site for the night.

Lots of good hiking and bouldering. For hiking, it's hard to beat just hiking out into the Wonderland, say, near the Astro Domes, etc. Impressive for the first time visitor.

For bouldering, check this link for a free topo guide: http://www.drtopo.com/xcalifo/joshuatree.html

Have fun.

Any advice on some good hikes in these areas? Also, I was wanting to get some bouldering in while at Joshua Tree. Any advice on a good area? or a campsite next to some good bouldering? I'm only starting to get back into rock climbing after a break so Ive only been doing V1 stuff, V2 at the most. So nothing too gnarley.

In JT there are peak hikes, some with trails like Ryan Mtn. I liked Queen and Quail if soloing is your dish. You may run into some people, though, the L.A. HPS is big on peaks. I sure liked the free camping at Jumbo Rocks (2002 or so)! Fine eats in the towns to the north.

You do have to watch it in Mojave NP, there's very little rangers about, so you can get into big trouble. No trails or signs to say which way to go. Teutonia Peak was a nice class 3-4 scramble to the top, there's an official trail to about there. You ought to be O.K. on Clark Mtn., finding the right route (cl. 3) is critical, though. I know the way on most all else, but since I am an aging peaker, and that I've done many such peaks a couple times, I refrain from repeats unless I can take a partner. Kelso Dunes is safe enough.

In DV there's Panamint and Eureka Dunes, I solo'ed Eagle Mountain (3,806'), class 3, and DV Buttes was good for a couple hours. I also solo'ed Coffin Peak, a safe enough hour hike, and if somehow Telescope was safe enough, you might see others to lend a hand should some freak emergency come about.

There's plenty more peaks everywhere, but as I do not solo many of them, I advise the same. Pretty much no one will come to get you. You can try asking the rangers to check it out when you do not report back, if agreed previously, but the desert nights are cold. No water sources to sustain you. I've had some close calls, so be careful.