Gilligan’s Island, 5.4-5.10d

Overview/Approach

Hit It Ethel- 5.8

Gilligan’s Island is located off of Boy Scout Trail at the entrance to Wonderland North in Joshua Tree National Park. Gilligan’s is comprised of two significant walls (Mary Anne’s Face and Ginger’s Face) and a much smaller feature named Gilligan’s Island Boulder. All three offer worthy moderate crack climbs. Gilligan’s Island Boulder has River Phoenix (5.9*), a thought provoking finger crack line. Ginger’s Face (the left face) has two of the better moderates after that: As the Wind Blows (5.7+*) and Through the Looking Glass (5.9*).  We added a decent 5.10a crack/corner route on the boulder in 2019 named Danny's Delight. Gilligan’s Island was first worked in 1988 by Jack Marshall and company. Many of the climbs are southwest facing and offer a warm winter destination usually void of other climbers.

Park at the Boy Scout Trail trailhead and hike approximately one mile to the T intersection. Turn left and Gilligan’s Island comes into view. Hike another .2 miles to the base of the walls. Mary Anne’s face is on the left, Ginger’s Face is on the right and Gilligan’s Island Boulder is to the lower right of Ginger’s Face.

Routes Listed Left to Right as you Face the Walls

Ginger’s Face

Ginger’s Crack- 20’-5.10d*/ Shortest listed route considered not a boulder problem in the local guides.  Overhanging hand and ring lock crack up a heavily varnished block located below and to the left of Ginger’s Face.  Medium to large gear anchor atop the crack.  Fun overhanging hands with a ringlock or two.  Positive features to latch your feet onto.  Seems soft for the grade.  #.5 through #2 for pro.  Dow

Through the Looking Glass- 5.9*/ Mirrors "Hit it Ethel" on the right wall. Up a short crack to bolted slab. More of a slab climb then a crack climb. Slung fixed rap up and left. Dow

Gun for the Sun- 80’-5.10a*/ Worthy route, but runout.  Climb the stacked short thin cracks with small/off set gear.  Clip a bolt a meter or two above the top of the 2^nd crack.  Then 25’ of run out climbing up edgy face close to the grade to the 2^nd clip.  Then another 25’ run out up the varnished finish to a shared fixed rap with Through the Looking Glass.  Small and off-set gear.  Dow

As the Wind Blows- 5.7+*/ This is a decent trad pitch by Jtree standards and for the grade. Over 100' up an obvious corner. Rap Through the Looking Glass. Dow

Mary Anne’s Face

Northwest Passage- 60- 5.10a*/ Bolted red arete with bad hardware (2019).  Only three of the four hangers are on their bolts.  The bolts and hangers are ancient. Unfortunate, because it is a cool route. Make the first clip and make a wild feature-pinch move for the grade and saddle up on the very base of the arete proper.  After that, some easy moves with a slab move or two at the grade.  Dow

Ape Man Hop- 70’-5.10a*/ This is a worthy route.  Mixed route, two bolts and intermittent cracks.  Slab/balancy move through the first clip.  Climb a short thin crack.  Then take the fun small roof/arch out left, good gear.  Mantle it via positive holds and finish up slab close to the grade through the final bolt.  Medium gear anchor.  Can rap via shared fixed rap by scrambling up and right.  Dow

Route 66- 90’- 5.4*/ This is an aesthetic curving #4 crack in the middle of the upper right wall.  Easily admired from the Boy Scout Trail.  Real positive wide crack with features on its edges.  It finishes at about 60’, but if you keep scrambling up, you will find a new (2019) fixed rap out right.  Dow

Hit It Ethel- 5.8*/ This pitch pretty much mirrors "Through the Looking Glass" on the left wall. Fun and short crack leads to an easy traverse and slab through bolts to finish. Decent length, over 100'. Single bolt rap hanger at the top to the left. Dow

Gilligan’s Island Boulder

River Phoenix- 5.9*/ Small intricate gear placements up steep intermittent finger cracks with a few hand jams when you need them. The pitch is short. Walk off right. Dow

Roomis Gloomis- 60’-5.10d*/ Worthy sport climb.  Layback the right side of a short arete through the first bolt.  Then a cruxy edge and smear move somewhere between the first and second bolt.  Some more solid 5.10 moves, left and right and left through slab and edge moves.  Five clips.  Gear anchor at top.  Scramble down climbers right.  Dow

Lovely, aka Whale of a Time- 5.8*/ Least desirable of the group as well as the least challenging for the grade. One bolt protects a fun mantle move off the deck, then an easy crack leads to an easy face. Walk off right. Dow

Teddy- 5.9/

Danny’s Delight- 40’-5.10a*/ Was going to climb Teddy, 5.9, on this right side of the wall, but then saw this stellar, slightly overhanging, widening flared crack.  FA is Dow Williams and Trystan Butler, 2019.  A pumpy and cruxy start through a finger crack with intermittent features above the roof and awkward feet.  Follow off-balance (slightly overhanging) diagonal crack as it widens to a roof pull.  Face out and pull the roof in a fun position.  Single to #3, extra medium gear for the anchor.  Scramble down climbers right.  Dow