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Subject: Planet X
Rating: V6
Quality: 5 stars
Location: Joshua Tree
Notes: One of the all time great dyno's
Planet X is THE best boulder problem at Joshua Tree!
Probably even one of the best boulder problems on the
planet. Put up back in the heyday of the bold early '80s,
Planet X remains to this day as one of the headiest testpieces
in the West. Put up by the undisputed champion of bold
climbing, John Bachar. Many many of the best climbers
in the world have have had their flesh pounded into the
hard-packed dirt at the base of this gem. Oddly enough,
given the mega-classic stature of this problem, the accepted
start has always been to step off of a large cheatstone
to get onto it. The same cheatstone has been leaning up
against this problem for the 18-some odd years that I
have been going there. Odd because that, for the grade
of the problem, it's totally feasable to start without
it. Even more entertaining is a run-n-jump start that
is not only fun , but quite challenging as well!
Cheatstone it, run-n-jump, or crimp to opposing gaston
blocks about 8ft. up. Move right across a blocky plate,
then do a reachy move to an incut crimp on the headwall.
Set up, and then go ballz out for the mega-jug that sits
at about the 20ft. mark! From there, a few mildly insecure
sloper moves (V1) puts you on the road to glory.
-R. Miramontes
Dan Mills (15 years old at the time!) sending Planet
X on his second try.
Photos by R. Miramontes
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