Joshua Tree National Park

Mark and I just got back from an extended weekend of camping, rock climbing, and sketching (!) with a great group of people.  This was our first trip since we've gotten home from our 3-month-long trip to Australia and I was raring to go!

In this first sketch, done from Ryan Campground, are the Saddle Rocks by Ryan Mountain.  There are actually a few rock climbing routes on these rocks, the longest in the Park, including the ever-popular Walk On The Wild Side (5.8).  Mark and I did that climb last time we were in J-tree.






 On our second day climbing, we started at the "Hall of Horrors" area.  Mark and Scotty immediately got on a pumpy sport route called Jane's Addiction, and at 5.11b, was harder than I wanted to get on!  I used the time to sketch and take photos.  Here are a couple sketches from these photos:

On the third climbing day, I actually got some climbing in, but in the afternoon I took the time to do a study of a visiting bird, a Joshua Tree, and a Number 3 Camalot.

Once I got home I was able to go through the photos I took, and draw and paint some of my favorites, including this of a blooming beavertail cactus: