Age: 30

Home: Riverside, California

In it: Since 1994

The Local: Mt. Rubidoux, Black Mountain, Joshua Tree and the TRAM

Memorable Ticks: At Tramway: Danimal (V10), Osama (FA-unrepeated V10), Paper Dragon (V10), Stretch Armstrong (V10), Greenpiece (V10), Year of the Cat (V10), DRM (V10); At Black Mountain: Cosmos (V10), Buzzsaw (V10),  Smackdown (V10), Big Green Meanie (V2 - by moonlight); At Hueco Tanks: Babyface (V6/7), Mangum (V9 Flash), Better Eat Your Wheaties (V8), Frogger (V9 – second go), Blank Generation (V10), Stained Glass (V9/10 - second go); At Mt. Rubidoux: Pink Bug (V8)

Favorite First Ascents: I think I’ve spent so much time exploring and trying to find new lines that they all, in their moment, become my favorite! I’m always calling some line “the best EVER” every other week it seems. But, I have two all time favorites: Peggy Sue I Love You (V10) and Old King Frost (V10) — both secret problems, hidden and unrepeated. Some other problems that stand out would be a thin line of crimps in the Mojave desert called Crimpe Diem (V11 - unrepeated). Then, at the Tram, the beautiful Standing On The Head Of The Dragon (V5), The Diving Board (V4 R/X -unrepeated), Porcelain Salamander (V8 R/X - unrepeated), Clean-Cut Goth (V5), Mr. Toads Wild Ride (V5), Bad Mutha Fucka (V7 R/X - unrepeated), and A Tribe Called Conquest (V6 R). At Mt. Rubidoux I’d have to say the DHMFP (Darryl Hensel Memorial Face Problem V10 – unrepeated).

Dream Trip: My dream trip would be a nice long, lazy stay deep in the Sierras establishing beautiful new lines on glowingly immaculate rock - like candy.

The Insider:

I heard rumors of Joe Morgan, “The Tram God”, prior to my first visit to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. He’s got countless first ascents at the Tram – and the highballs?! He’s done them all, with half being his own FAs. He’s the dude you want to meet. While I was there for the first time, with a crew that ranged from V0 noobs to V11 crushers, I happened to run into Joe. It was before the guidebook existed, and Joe immediately threw us an ‘open arms’ tour, getting everyone on problems to suit their abilities. It was an amazing experience, and we became friends. In November 2007, I got a phone call from Joe informing me he broke his femur in half, the result of a nasty fall in the gym. I spent the next few weekends playing Frisbee golf, watching Planet Earth, and doing stupid human tricks to keep him amused. By February 2008, Joe began easing himself back into climbing, and now Joe’s crushing everything he touches (see tick list). He truly is the Tram God. In fact, just last weekend Joe put up his first highball since the injury, a 25+ footer called “Yggdrasil”, a five-star classic on perfect alpine granite. Welcome back, Joe!
Damon Corso