500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [108]
Rock climbers of all experience levels can find challenges at Joshua Tree National Park.
The park is situated about 98 miles (158km) east of Los Angeles, 40 miles (64km) north of Palm Springs, and encompasses parts of both the Colorado Desert and the cooler, higher-altitude Mojave Desert. The nearly 795,000 acres of this desert wonderland are home to several primitive campgrounds set among massive boulders that glow red and gold in the setting California sun. There are also motels and other services available in the nearby towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, but for climbers who like to get an early start, it’s hard to beat waking up beneath the very rocks you’ll be climbing after breakfast. Some say the Hidden Valley campsite is the climber’s preferred place to pitch a tent, because it’s close to many great climbs and rangers sometimes show up to offer a friendly “Climber’s Coffee” at 8am and to discuss access issues and answer questions. But a number of other campsites are just as accessible and may be quieter than the active social scene at Hidden Valley.
Though the park was initially a place for rock-climbers to practice during winter months when Yosemite and other parts of the Sierra Nevada were snowed in, the rough granite and lack of vegetation made it popular in its own right. Though most of the boulders are little more than 200 feet (60m) high, they’re easily accessible, which makes it possible to climb several in 1 day. When you’ve had your share of conquering boulders, take in some of the area’s world-class bird-watching (the park is part of the Pacific Flyway migratory route), mountain biking, bouldering, and mountain climbing. —ML
Joshua Tree National Park ( 760/367-5500;www.nps.gov/jotr).
Tours: Uprising Adventure Guides ( 888/254-6266;www.uprising.com). Sierra Rock Climbing School ( 877/686-7625 or 760/937-6762; www.sierrarockclimbingschool.com).
When to Go: Sept–May.
Palm Springs (40 miles/64km).
$$ 29 Palms Inn, 73950 Inn Ave. ( 760/367-3505;www.29palmsinn.com). $$ Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, 71809 Twentynine Palms Hwy. ( 760/361-4009;www.hiexpress.com).
215
Rock Climbing in Cuba
Climbing Libre
Viñales, Cuba
“The Revolution,” said Fidel, “was the work of climbers and cavers.” Señor Castro was referring to the mountain strongholds from which guerrilla fighters in the late 1950s staged attacks that eventually led to an overthrow of the government. Climbers have always had a rebellious streak, so what better place to indulge it than in the land that still celebrates “La Revolucion”? Though it has yet to gain the international prominence of climbing destinations like Yosemite or the Alps, the Viñales Valley in western Cuba nonetheless offers world-class climbing to adventurers willing to try new routes with a revolutionary flavor.
Traveling to Cuba brings its own set of rewards as well as challenges—though restrictions have eased tremendously in recent years, Americans are still technically unable to visit the island except under certain conditions mandated by the U.S. Department of State. Nonetheless, every year thousands of American adventurers join turistas from Europe, Canada, and throughout Latin America to explore this tropical Eden. The trip from Havana to the town of Viñales is relatively easy; two different bus lines serve the area, and taxis also offer to make the ride for slightly more. It’s about a 3-hour ride, depending on road and weather conditions.
Climbing in Cuba brings its own challenges as well: Because this destination is the new kid on the international climbing scene, many of the mountainsides in this lush agricultural valley are virgin rock. Not all routes are well established or well known, maps aren’t readily available, and there aren’t retail establishments set up to accommodate