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Fred Beckey's White Elephant in the Wonderland of Rocks

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AMB · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 0

Most climbers (old ones, anyway) know that Fred Beckey has done first ascents all over North America. However, there's one first ascent very few people know about— Fred did the first route ever established in Joshua Tree's Wonderland of Rocks, a four-pitch 5.8 called White Elephant. Never heard of it? That's because it's never appeared in any guidebook. Here's the story: In February 1969 (or 1970—hard to tell), Fred and his partner Brian Gochoel were in Joshua Tree. Now at that time, Joshua Tree was a pretty backwater climbing area—there was no guidebook, and most of what had been climbed was near the road, in and around the main campground. Fred, of course, was having none of that. He and his partner marched 1.5 miles into the Wonderland, a rugged area with no established climbs: in fact probably very few people had even hiked into the area. They climbed this route, and Fred wrote a description of it in the 1970 American Alpine Journal, but with a description so vague, it was virtually impossible to figure out what they'd done. The first guidebook in 1972 mentioned the route, but the authors admitted they had no idea where it was. Subsequent guides ignored it altogether, and the route was forgotten. But I never forgot about it, and when Fred was visiting me in the late 90s I remembered to ask him about it, thinking he'd have no idea where he'd been. So I was surprised when he said he not only had a topo of it, he had a location of where it was: on a southwest-facing wall one-half mile northeast of the Astro Domes. He looked through his notes he carries everywhere he goes and pulled out a topo. He admitted, though, he'd gone back out looking for it and hadn't been able to find it. Armed with his info, about a month later I went out to the Wonderland with Tucker Tech and the late Bruce Hawkins. With just a little bit of looking around, we found the route and climbed it, presumably the second ascent, almost thirty years after he'd done it. His topo and his location were exactly right.

The route is on the Comet Wall, just left of the route Comet. The only guidebook Comet is found in is the Wonderland Guide, written by me, so if you want to climb Fred's route, you may want to have a copy of this guide (hint, hint). This guide is still in print, but is probably only available in the Joshua Tree area, either at Nomad Ventures, Coyote Corner or any of the park service visitor centers. Or you can get it online at Michael Chessler Books.The Comet Wall is the southwest face of the giant mass of rock that is Bighorn Dome (the summit of the Comet Wall is a long way from the true summit of Bighorn Dome). So you make the normal South Wonderland approach (Uncle Willy's) up the Wonderland Valley, turn right (east) just past the Freak Brothers, then turn left as if you were heading north into the seldom-visited Boulder Canyon. The Comet Wall is the slabby southwest-facing wall on the right side of the mouth of Boulder Canyon. Navigate your way to the base through a field of Prickly Pear cacti. In the center of the wall, and about 50' off the ground is a flake with a down-pointing section that resembles an elephant's trunk (it is a bit similar to the feature on Pachyderms to Paradise in Real Hidden Valley). Fred obviously named his route for this flake. Comet climbs over the flake. Fred's route passes 30-40' left of it.The two routes start at the same place. P1: climb a flake that slants up and left to a small stance (50', 5.5). P2: climb a crack that goes back up right and turns into a shallow groove near the top (60', 5.6). These pitches could probably be easily combined. This takes you to the left end of the ledge where Comet finishes, and you may find rap slings on horns (2-rope rap, but a 70-meter might make it down). When we did Comet we rapped from here, thinking the difficult climbing was all over. Fred, of course continued on to the summit. P3: climb left off the ledge for about 40', then go up a slot past some chockstones to the summit area (70', 5.0). Now you're on top. But you're still not done! On the summit of the Comet Wall is a 20-25' high boulder with a straight-up hand crack on its northwest side. P4: climb this 5.8 crack to the top of the boulder. The first moves are the crux. Downclimb off the back, easy 5th class. I don't remember the descent, but it wasn't hard, off the back and around the south side of the formation.

White Elephant is not a great climb, but it's certainly an okay climb, and a historic jaunt. It's mostly moderate, and experienced climbers would maybe solo it (Tucker soloed the crux summit pitch when we did it). When we did Comet in 1996 we had no idea that Fred's route (which I'd been wondering about for years) was just to our left. We barely noticed the obviously-easier line over there. Sadly, two of the four first ascentionists on Comet have since passed on. I think that was the last time I ever climbed with Jack Roberts, one of my earliest climbing partners. One more thing: if you go do this and notice obvious crack lines to the left of White Elephant and right of Comet, they've all been done and are in the 5.7-5.9 range. Happy exploring!

Alan Bartlett

beensandbagged · · smallest state · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 0

Enjoyable and pleasant little piece of history.

Chris Owen · · Big Bear Lake · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 11,612

Thanks Alan. BTW I have your book (all of them actually) so I'll look it up. I think splitting the books into manageable sizes is the way to go.

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

Bump cause Fred will be 92 on Wednesday 14 Jan.

Todd Gordon · · Joshua Tree, CA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 10,806
Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Alan..... thank you for that bit of history.

I like climbing historic climbs.... and if it is a Beckey route all the better.

I do recall the days where if you wished to do FA's all you needed to do was was walk a little bit away from HVC.

Geoff Georges · · Seattle, WA · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 4,649

Great story, thanks for sharing Alan.
As a friend of Fred and fan of climbing history, I love hearing this.
I always wondered why Fred did not do more here, I know summits and multi pitch was more his thing, but he always seems to enjoy J-Tree.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

geoff.... I think he didn't do much at Josh, cause nobody did back then, you went to Josh as a last resort.

I think he spent the little time that he was living down here in the Southern Sierra. The Needles, Dome Lands,and Church Domes seams to have offered more of the type climbing he enjoys.

I have done a few of them, all really good climbs.

Ask him, let us know.

Thomas Beck · · Las Vegas, Nevada · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,025

Hey Alan. Been there and done it. Remember it was kind of a long tricky approach. Whilst siting here with a head cold and pesty cats, it was a good read. Thanks for the bit of history

AMB · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 0

Todd, that formation certainly looks like an elephant, but that is NOT the Comet Wall and the White Elephant route. I think I've seen that formation. Is it Way Gone Dome?

Todd Gordon · · Joshua Tree, CA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 10,806

I don't know, Alan;...hmmmmmm;.....I thought that was it;....sure looks like an elephant...and it's sort of in the right area...I took the pic from the top of the Eifel Tower (Butler Corridor) area looking east. The formations DID look a wee bit small......sorry for the wrong info (I was just guessing....).......I guess I need to get my butt out there and find the damn thing one of these days..This formation is just east of the Turnbuckle route...and that arch over there.

Greg Opland · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2001 · Points: 181

Great story! Love it.

Chucking in a map below for reference. Hope I'm not stealing Alan's thunder.
Recommend his guidebooks big time! In fact, last June, I was out running around the Wonderland looking at rocks (there are a few out there) and somehow managed to mislay my copy of Alan's Wonderland guide somewhere just NE of the stamp mill (if anyone finds it out there, let me know) and not realize it until I was well out past Freak Bros. Backtracking didn't help, and I knew it came out years ago, so I figured I was screwed. But when I got back to my car, and drove pretty much straight to Nomad's, there were three copies on the shelf!!! Thanks Alan!

Anyways...I think this is reasonably accurate, but it's free, and you know how much of a guarantee comes with that. Have to go out and find the elephant soon!

Todd Gordon · · Joshua Tree, CA · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 10,806

Cool map...although the snake pit and mother butler corridor are not one in the same......snake pit is over by comet rock!..

Greg Opland · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2001 · Points: 181

Yeah...we had it moved...

Just kidding. Thanks for the heads up.

AMB · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 0

Nice map, Greg. The Comet Wall is exactly where you show it. How do you know the Wonderland so much better than Gordon?

Greg Opland · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2001 · Points: 181

Thanks Alan. As you can see above, Todd's fixing up my mistakes, so I'm still learning!

Still the coolest place to hang in the Monument!

Alexis Sonnenfeld · · Joshua Tree, CA · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 95

Thanks for posting Al, cool story. Nice map Greg - is that yours? Be cool to see
the whole thing. Al, you are right, that is definitely Way Gone Dome in the Far East (Todd's Picture). Blitzo has a picture of it in the description for Way Gone Dome / Wonderland/JTNP here on MP. It's a different vantage point from the one in Todd's photo, but you can match up the features from both, and see for yourselves. It appears as if the approach may be much easier from near where Todd's picture was taken (Eiffel Tower - near the Red Obelisk), as opposed to from the Wall Street Stamp Mill way, which was extremely arduous as I remember. Here's Blitzo's photo:

Way Gone Dome. Photo by Blitzo.

Coincidentally, I was out several months ago right by the Comet etc., but didn't know that's what that was called. Damn, now I have to go back out there again!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern California
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