All Locations > California > Joshua Tree NP > Queen Valley Area > Geology Tour Rd > E Virgin Islands

Hone Dome Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Hone Dome

L › R R › L A › Z

	Diaper Challenge T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13
	Goofy Arete, The T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Hawk's Retreat T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
	Kleptomania T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	No Bold Hard T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
	V Crack (Left) T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R

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Elevation:	4,110 ft	1,253 m
GPS:	33.94492, -116.06057 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	4,016 total · 15/month
Shared By:	Craig Clarence on Apr 25, 2003
Admins:	Greg Opland, Mike Morley, C Miller, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes, Gunkswest Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures Details

The Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent's Compendium states that:
1. Vegetation is not allowed to be used as an anchor.
2. Only neutral or rock colored bolt hangers are allowed.

For a complete list of climbing rules and closures visit:
nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/…

Description

This is the first rock you come to when you are approaching the East Virgin Islands from the Perpetual Motion area. The picture in the Vogel guide (p. 418) is the south face of Hone Dome. The rock features a few bolted routes with old-school bolt spacing, as well as some moderate cracks. We thought the best route on the rock was "Hawks Retreat." This route starts with a bit of easy low-angle but unprotected face climbing (or wide chimney thrutching) followed by a very clean left-leaning corner with a great hand crack in back. Maybe a bit harder than 10a, but definitely worth doing.

Good anchor bolts with chains will get you off the rock with a 50m rope.

Getting There

You can't see this area from the road, so you will have to navigate a bit by feel if you haven't been out there before. We followed the trail along the south side of the Perpetual Motion complex of rocks (see Vogel p. 409 map) until those rocks end. Then turn right (southeast) over a small rise until you see the East Virgin Islands in the distance. Hone Dome and Virgin Pile are the first two obvious large domes you will walk by.

On the way back, instead of walking towards Perpetual Motion, we cut the corner and walked directly west to our car on the Geology Tour Road, which turned out to be significantly shorter.