KINGS CANYON, CALIFORNIA – THE GORGE OF DESPAIR

When I first heard the name of this place – The Gorge of Despair – I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. My friend and climbing partner Guy Keesee agreed that it would be a worthy adventure. Indeed it was, and we ended up going there several times in the process of climbing many of the established routes plus adding two great new climbs. As a resource for climbers I created a page on MountainProject which details our climbs there, the history of the gorge and the specifics of getting there.

The Gorge of Despair features some of the best rock I have ever climbed and the wild and remote setting is spectacular. It is about as far from any road as you can get in California. Climbing here demands commitment, toughness and skills.