Many people ask us about climbing in the summer.  It is actually a great time to climb in Joshua Tree if we avoid the mid-day sun and heat!  Every day, there is about a 30 degree swing in temperature in the Joshua Tree area. There is also a huge difference in temperature in the sun or shade in the high desert.  Stone Adventures runs climbing trips through the summer by only running half days at sunrise or sunset. In fact, in June, many of our guests start their climbing day with a light jacket (we start at 7:00 am).  By keeping the approaches short, climbing in the shade and avoiding mid-day heat, climbing in Joshua Tree during the summer feels like a warm day in spring and we have most of the climbing to ourselves!  Amazing!!

Summer is a great season for the high desert for other reasons. Lazy mid-day rests and siestas help unwind, relax and set us up for fun evening activities like sunset yoga and stargazing.  This year, the Perseids Meteor Shower will be from July 17-August 26 (with the peak nights on 8/11-12).  Joshua Tree National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park and a fantastic place for experiencing summer meteor showers. This retreat will set up us nicely to make the most of the Perseids Meteor Shower as we will witness it near its peak, but without the hoards of cars that flood up to the desert to watch it.  In other words, the days are longer, the mid-day heat forces us to relax and rest, the night sky is inviting, there are meteor showers, there are no overcrowding or parking issues, the rock climbing is spectacular (as usual) AND we get our pick of nearby crags to choose from!  Summer is a great time to experience Joshua Tree National Park.