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# Purblind Pillar
- URL: https://blog.novaugust.net/purblind-pillar/
- Published: 2017-02-01T20:41:24.000Z
- Updated: 2017-02-01T20:44:40.000Z
- Author: Matt Enlow
- Tags: Climbing, post, red rocks, Desert Season '16, #Import 2026-06-21 14:43

[Gallery](http://novaugust.photography/Stories/December-Red-Rocks/?ref=blog.novaugust.net)

I was excited for my first-ever simulclimb, where both climbers are climbing simultaneously (get it?). It's fast and efficient, but more-or-less requires that you're moving on terrain where you "know" you won't fall. Not that you'll *die*, but there will be nasty consequences. Worst of all, the consequences will probably land on your partner, and that's just not fair.

### 900ft in Three Pitches

Darren took the first lead. After three hundred feet of climbing he belayed me up on a #4 and we switched off. I immediately got off route, but Darren caught my mistake before it went too terribly wrong. I downclimbed twenty feet and things went well after that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380121.jpg)

I took advantage of a bolted belay to swap leads with Darren again.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380127.jpg)

We topped out in an hour and a half, climbing at a casual pace.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380147.jpg)

The descent wasn't too bad, and had some interesting artifacts to check out.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380189.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380221.jpg)

Back at the parking lot we enjoyed some brewskies and laughed out loud at how well the day had gone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/95/9b955960-2312-4b04-8b46-7e66317cd0ed/content/images/2017/02/P3380254.jpg)

That evening at his place, Darren gave me beta on how to find my way to Joshua Tree's Hidden Valley campground. A diesel fill-up and I was on the road.