Joshua Tree and Scott Cosgrove's visionary New Deal

New Deal in Joshua Tree National Park couldn’t have a more fitting name. First ascended by Scott Cosgrove on 31 January in 1988, this “overhanging slab” was ground-breaking both in terms of difficulty and in terms of style, as it was one of the very first to be bolted on rappel in Joshua Tree. As such it marked the beginning of the sport climbing revolution in the California.

Cosgrove graded his climb 5.13d but Alan Moore, who made the first and so far only repeat in 2010, felt the climb warranted an upgrade to 5.14a, making it the first of its difficulty to be established by an American.

According to the author of this documentary, Cole Gibson, Cosgrove’s rap bolting was not viewed positively with Stonemasters legend John Bachar, who promptly chopped all the bolts on the route. In time tensions subdued and this fantastic line stands as a timeless testament to Cosgrove’s vision and skill.

Link: Cole Gibson youtube channel