Driving into Joshua Tree National Park is like crossing the threshold into another world – and into a place of world-class climbing.
From trad towers to chalked-up boulders, you can find something to climb everywhere you look.
Nestled amongst the rocks are plants and trees that are determined to thrive in this unforgiving desert.
But could I do the same?
The rocks in Joshua Tree scraped my fingers, bruised my body, forced me to face my fear (and sometimes conquer it), showed me how strong I’m not (and also how strong I am), made me yell in frustration, and made my jaw drop in awe.
This place humbled me as a climber and as a person, yet made me want to work harder to be better as both.
The oasis of climbing in Joshua Tree was a wellspring of motivation to get outside my comfort zone.
Wherever I go next in climbing and in life, my courage to move forward blossomed in the desert.
