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El Camino Real.
Back to the climbing. We did Whodunit (5.9) on day one (well, day two actually) making sure to be back at the car before 2pm to beat the worst of the heat. Climbing is nice but kind of generic. Perfect granite, fun movement but it’s all kind of the same as many other routes of the grade and length. Though we put Cochise and The Needles in a different class as far as mid-sized granite crags go.
Next day we climbed El Camino Real (5.10a). The start is contrived in a way of a sub-par sport pitch and not worthy of a trad area like Tahquitz. Here’s what I mean: you can do the 10- slab start and risk your ankles or you can step 6 feet to the right and do a trivial 5.4. Considering that we have plans for the rest of the summer, we did the latter. Accidentally combined pitches 1 and 2 and enjoyed the classic pitch 3.
The highlight of our weekend was hanging out in the hot tub of a cabin we rented (anniversary splurge) and less so the climbing.
Pics
West(ish) face of Tahquitz formation from the trail (July 2016).
Pitch 1 and the crux of Whodunit – a short 5.9 slab and tips crack for pro (July 2016).
Shirley on the pitch 1 slab section (July 2016).
Nearing the belay (July 2016).
The fun pitch 3 chimney on Whodunit (July 2016).
Shirley climbing pitch 3 (July 2016).
Out of the pitch 3 chimney (July 2016).
Starting up pitch 4 (July 2016).
Bit higher on the same pitch. Wideness is avoided by some face climbing to the left (July 2016).
Shirley on pitch 4 …or 5 or 6. They all sort of felt the same after a while (July 2016).
Pitch 7 roof on Whodunit (July 2016).
Shirley on the summit of Tahquitz Rock (July 2016).
A sweet girl we ran into on the hike down (July 2016).
Our Idyllwild cabin …with its Christmas decorations. Hot tub was nice so really who gives a rat’s (July 2016).
Starting up El Camino Real – did the easy crack 6 feet right of the 10- slab (July 2016).
Shirley on pitch 1 of El Camino Real …which we (accidentally) combined with pitch 2 (July 2016).
Topping out on pitch 2 (slab mostly).
Starting up the nicest pitch of the weekend – the 5.10a lieback corner/crack. It’s actually shorter than we expected (July 2016).
Nearing the top (July 2016).
Shirley in the middle of the money pitch (July 2016).
Suicide Rock across the valley (July 2016).
…and nearing the top (July 2016).
Tahquitz (July 2016).
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