Joshua Tree Top Rope Pirates Set Sail on Sail Away

Joshua Tree Top Rope Pirates

I was in JTree and fixin to climb a fun, "classic" 5.8 called Sail Away with my partner.  It is on it's own little pinnacle and somewhat set apart from nearby walls.

When the two of us got there, a group of five dudes or so were chilling at the base with lawn chairs and beers. They had a toprope rigged and also an array of trad stuff placed inside the cracks.

I asked them if we could run up the route after them. They replied, "We are kind of on it." (Insert sound of beer can opening) "...........and we are going to be here all day" I was somewhat amazed. This is an uncommon response. In fact, I have never heard anyone say that. Does anyone stay on a one pitch route all day? Not really. Not even at sunset.

I mentioned to my partner that we should just climb the route to the left and we began walking towards it. The dudes chimed in with, "We are using all the bolts for our anchor....... so we are on that route too. Sorry."

Their's was not a guided trip, I assume, due to the lawn chairs and beers. They seemed to be mostly newbees, but at least one of them knew enough to get the rope up there. Perhaps they used some sort of cannon and shot the rope over the top? Or maybe tied fishing line to an arrow and used a compound bow. I knew a girl that used to climb redwood trees that way. Either way, these pirates had boarded Sail Away and were taking its riches as booty.

I didn't want to get into any sort of heated situation, but I did mention that people generally share rap anchors. My partner pointed out that the guidebook they were using specifically asks climbers not to teach folks on this route...because it is a classic...and she explained it in a friendly way. One fellow replied, "Sorry guys, thanks for giving these beginners a chance to learn."

The strangest part was that nobody was actually climbing the route. We were all on the ground, fully racked up and talking about not climbing.

Like these piratical people, I am hip to the joys of climbing and beer and lawn chairs and friends. Unlike these pirates,  I am keen on sharing routes and the freedom of the open sea.

We found other rocks to climb.

the end