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Isles in the Sky
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Routes Sorted
L to R R to L Alpha
Agoraphobia 
Bee Gees 
Bee's Knees, The 
Bird of Fire 
Celebrated Beast 
Dead Bees 
Dolphin 
Don's Crack 
Metabolic Frolic 
Nectar 
Pinky and the Brain 
Raven, The 
Rites of Spring 
Route 1202 
Safety Dance 
Save the Last Stance for Me 
Slam Dance 
Solar Oven 
Wedlock 
White Mamba 
Wings of Steel 
Young Guns 
Unsorted Routes:


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Isles in the Sky 


Photos: Recent | Best | Popular
Elevation: 4,200'
Lat, Long: 34.0045, -116.0584 Map
Page Views: 43,844. Good page? (1 like)   
Administrators: C Miller, Adam Stackhouse, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: M.Morley on Jun 19, 2002

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What's New
  Print a Mini-Guide with routes

Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event 

John Dubrawski on Bird of Fire. Photo: David Gasto...

Description 

Isles In The Sky is the foreboding-looking formation southwest of the Split Rocks parking area. The slightly overhanging Bird Of Fire (5.10a) is the prime line here.

Northeast exposure makes this a good choice for late afternoon climbing on hot days.


Getting There 

From the Split Rocks parking area, hike SW along trail for approximately 3/4 mile. The Isles in the Sky formation is the largest of the formations and lies west of Rubicon. Some 3rd/4th class scrambling is involved in getting to the large ledge at the base of the routes.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Isles in the Sky:
Dolphin   5.7     Trad, 1 pitch   
Bird of Fire   5.10a     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   
Wedlock   5.11a     Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet   
Young Guns   5.11d     Trad, 1 pitch, 80 feet   
Browse More Classics in Isles in the Sky

Featured Route For Isles in the Sky
At the jug

Bird of Fire 5.10a  CA : Joshua Tree National Park : ... : Isles in the Sky
Climb the stellar finger-small hands crack to the slightly bulging finish. Nice ledge just below the final 8 feet or so to rest on and get psyched out. You can see the big chalk mark from the ground. Throw in some good pro here and fire it up.There is a 2 bolt anchor/rap (3/8") located just right of the top of this climb. Rap back to base w/one rope (70')....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Isles in the Sky Slideshow Add Photo
The Isles In The Sky formation

BETA PHOTO: The Isles In The Sky formation

Isles In The Sky. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

BETA PHOTO: Isles In The Sky.
Photo by Blitzo.

Matt, chillen, somewhere near the Isle.

Matt, chillen, somewhere near the Isle.


Comments on Isles in the Sky Add Comment
Show which comments —
By Mike Hack
Feb 24, 2005

Anyone know anything about the routes in the corridor behind Bird of Fire? Crack #n (n=1-whatever)? Some of them get a few stars in Randy's guide . . . anyone climbed any of them?

By C Miller
Administrator
Feb 24, 2005

Some of those routes in the corridor are good, even if they are a little gritty.

By Craig Randleman
From: Phoenix, AZ
Mar 25, 2008

A secure webbing rap station has been added to avoid downclimbing the 4th class from the ledge. Head climber's right about 50 yards of Bird Of Fire. A 60m cord drops you right at the base of the trail.

By Simon Hatfield
From: Los Angeles, CA
Mar 29, 2011

That webbing is now gone as of March 2011. A good way to get down with an inexperienced party is to set up a rappel 30 yards climber's LEFT of Bird of Fire off of a few cams in a handcrack behind a boulder. Let everyone but the strongest climber rap with the packs, toss the rope, and downclimb the 4th - easy 5th handcrack in the corner.

Make sure to tape up and get on Crack #5 (shaped like a Y), the rock is coarse, but excellent.

By mark felber
From: Frisco, CO,USA
Apr 8, 2011

We couldn't find a rap off the Bird of Fire ledge, so we continued on the approach to Isles Corridor, went through the Corridor and out the other side and down to the trail. Very adventurous boulder hopping and tuneling.