Tahquitz

Tahquitz

Go back to SoCal page.

El Camino Real
El Camino Real.
A quick weekend trip to Tahquitz – our first time there. What was supposed to be three days, turned into two as our flight into LAX was delayed by 90 minutes before take-off and then spent another 90 minutes driving around the tarmac in LAX waiting for a gate to free up. In other words, what was supposed to be a 2am arrival in Idyllwild, turned into a 6am arrival. Thinking back to our quick Jakarta trip a week prior, I have to say that our air travel system here in the US really does feel third world.

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

Tahquitz
West(ish) face of Tahquitz formation from the trail (July 2016).

Whodunit
Pitch 1 and the crux of Whodunit – a short 5.9 slab and tips crack for pro (July 2016).

Whodunit
Shirley on the pitch 1 slab section (July 2016).

Whodunit
Nearing the belay (July 2016).

Whodunit
The fun pitch 3 chimney on Whodunit (July 2016).

Whodunit
Shirley climbing pitch 3 (July 2016).

Whodunit
Out of the pitch 3 chimney (July 2016).

Whodunit
Starting up pitch 4 (July 2016).

Whodunit
Bit higher on the same pitch. Wideness is avoided by some face climbing to the left (July 2016).

Whodunit
Shirley on pitch 4 …or 5 or 6. They all sort of felt the same after a while (July 2016).

Whodunit
Pitch 7 roof on Whodunit (July 2016).

Whodunit
Shirley on the summit of Tahquitz Rock (July 2016).

Whodunit
A sweet girl we ran into on the hike down (July 2016).

Tahquitz
Our Idyllwild cabin …with its Christmas decorations. Hot tub was nice so really who gives a rat’s (July 2016).

El Camino Real
Starting up El Camino Real – did the easy crack 6 feet right of the 10- slab (July 2016).

El Camino Real
Shirley on pitch 1 of El Camino Real …which we (accidentally) combined with pitch 2 (July 2016).

El Camino Real
Topping out on pitch 2 (slab mostly).

El Camino Real
Starting up the nicest pitch of the weekend – the 5.10a lieback corner/crack. It’s actually shorter than we expected (July 2016).

El Camino Real
Nearing the top (July 2016).

El Camino Real
Shirley in the middle of the money pitch (July 2016).

Suicide Rock
Suicide Rock across the valley (July 2016).

El Camino Real
…and nearing the top (July 2016).

Tahquitz
Tahquitz (July 2016).

Go back to SoCal page.