• Individualized rock climbing instruction aimed at improving your climbing, whether you're brand new to climbing or already an intermediate climber 
• Opportunities to try a variety of fun and challenging rock climbs in America's premiere climbing playground
• Optional yoga sessions offered by a certified instructor
• Desert camping under the brightest stars you'll find anywhere (tents provided)
• Hearty, healthy, and delicious meals to refuel you after your day of climbing
  
• A well-deserved day off from rock climbing that includes a visit to a Palm Desert spa and a ranger-led hike

Our annual spring trip to magical Joshua Tree is the perfect place to learn rock climbing or to improve your skills. Climbing actively engages both mind and body, and every climb is a new puzzle to be solved. You'll learn new techniques and explore a variety of body positions, both on and off the rock. Yoga is a wonderful complement to climbing and the setting is ideal for both. But if you're not interested in yoga and would rather kick back at the end of the day, that's fine too.

any healthy woman who enjoys being active. This trip is appropriate for complete beginners to intermediate climbers. Contrary to popular perception, rock climbing does not take extraordinary upper body strength (unless you are climbing at the highest levels) although it does provide a good overall workout.  Rating: 1  [2]  3  4  5

seven nights camping in Indian Cove. There will be 2-3 person tents, picnic tables, clean pit toilets, and sun showers

• experienced guides 
• seven nights camping 
• all meals from dinner Saturday to breakfast the following Saturday 
• Desert Palms spa fee
• all group climbing and camping gear, including tents

arrive at the Indian Cove campground by 6 pm on March 20. If you're flying in, arrive at Palm Springs ( PSP) by 4 pm

after an early breakfast on March 27. If you are flying out, please don't make your reservations before 11 am

You can download the complete trip information here. You can see a video from last year's trip here and an article that was written by a previous participant on the trip here.

March 20: The trip begins at 6 p.m. at our campsite at Indian Cove Campground on the north side of the park. For those who are flying, we recommend that you fly into Palm Springs and arrive not later than 4 p.m. We tailor our pick up times to flight arrivals, most commonly 12:30 or 1:00 pm and 4 pm. Once we're all at the camp we start with introductions and a welcome dinner. Women flying in from an earlier time zone often opt for an early night, while others may choose to sit round our campfire. We enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of car camping, complete with solar showers and Coleman stoves. Weather in March is usually warm (60-85 degrees F.) and dry, although it can be windy, cool, or even rainy. The stars are incredibly bright and many women choose to sleep outside their tent in this bug free environment so they can stargaze.

March 21: After stretching (something we do every morning), we start learning how to use our hands and feet with some bouldering. This is a good warm up and starts to build our confidence as we find that our feet really do stay on the rock. We then learn the basics of tying into the rope, belaying, climbing signals, and everything else we need to start climbing safely. We spend the rest of the afternoon climbing on routes with names like Ambulance Chaser, Be Wary, and Brimstone Staircase. After we've finished for the day, and every day, an optional yoga session is the perfect way to unwind. It's a full first day and that night's dinner tastes particularly good!

March 22: Today we review the basics of face climbing, learn how to make tape gloves, and do lots of climbing on a different formation. The climbs here are varied, from one that offers a perfect opportunity to work on stemming to one that requires the use of finger pockets, to one that offers an interesting crack challenge. For those with climbing experience who are interested in learning how to lead climb, and for those who simply want to learn more about the technical aspects of the sport, we have an afternoon clinic on placement of gear. This evening, as every evening, we may sit around a campfire or in a circle and talk, go for a walk through what is usually a fairly deserted campground, or take some quiet time to ourselves.

March 23: It's up and out early today as we go another part of the park for some great climbing. Today's rock formation presents a huge array of crack climbs, face climbs, and a stemming problem. We start with a review of techniques that are helpful for climbing cracks and also demonstrate a lead climb, explaining the roles and considerations of both the leader and the second (the one who belays the leader and then follows her up). Our muscles are starting to feel tired but, knowing that tomorrow is a rest day, we can push ourselves as hard as we choose.

March 24: Rest day! And we all need it. We'll leave the Park today and visit the Visitor's Center in Twenty Nine Palms and go on a ranger-led hike to the Palms Oasis. This gives us a chance to see more of the park and also learn more about the natural history of the area. We then head to Desert Hot Springs for a soak (and hot shower) at the Hot Springs Spa there. After soaking to our heart's content, we go out to dinner at a local Thai restaurant.

March 25: It's up and out early today as we go over to the main part of the park for some great climbing. Our rock formation today presents an endless variety of challenges and the opportunity to put everything you've learned to good use. For those who are working on leading there is an excellent opportunity to do some mock leading (i.e. you're on a loose top-rope as you place gear and then have it evaluated).

March 26: Today we try to squeeze in every last thing we want to work on. We'll be climbing in an area near our campsite on a formation that offers crack climbs, face climbs, chimneys and stemming problems. That evening we share our final farewell dinner and campfire as we celebrate the week we've just shared.

March 27: After a stimulating week of activity, learning, and laughing a lot, our trip ends today after breakfast. You can plan your flight home for anytime after 11 am.