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pbjosh
Aug 5, 2002, 9:52 PM
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I'm curious what people's favorite routes are at Tahquitz (and Suicide)... I've probably logged 150+ pitches up there and done most of the routes at Tahquitz up to mid 10 and a few of the routes at Suicide. So far my favorites are:
On The Road 10c
Traitor Horn 8
Coffin Nail 7+
El Camino Real 10a
Consolation 9
Fingertrip 7
Dave's Deviation 9
Upper Royal's Arch 7+
My least favorites have been:
Sahara Terror 7
East Lark ?
West Lark ?
Hard Lark 7
White Maiden's ?
Jensen's Jaunt 6
Gallwas Gallop 9+
Anyone else's thoughts? Anyone have comments on Zig Zag, Jonah or Edgehogs? I'm working on building both the endurance and the balls to take a stab at the Vampire soon... wish me luck I'd also like to attempt Insomnia this summer/fall.
josh
[ This Message was edited by: cass on 2002-08-06 03:39 ]
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murf
Aug 5, 2002, 10:35 PM
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Edgehogs is a great route, hard at .10d. The first pitch needs a small nut or two. The second pitch starts fast, with moves right out of the belay. The upper section is sporty, but the moves are all there. The third pitch has fun arete sqeezing goodness. I'd only do those three pitches. I've done the fourth pitch and thought it was scarier than the previous three, with much lichen, without the fun moves.
Jonah is not as great a route, but is worth doing. Break through the beginning roof somewhere left of Angel's fright ( I've done three different variations ), there are some pins about through there. From the bush at the shared belay w/The Blank head straight up, the moves left on this pitch are the hardest on the route, and a big swing is in the works if you botch it. The "Ubangi Lips" are a little awkward, but not hard. The .10d moves on the last pitch are single moves near bolts, nothing to worry about.
Another combo in this range would be the Z crack ( hard .10c, the crack is harder than the face move, regardles of what's marked on the topo ). It didn't seem to be getting much action when I did it and was slightly dirty. From the belay, do the first part of "Zeno's Paradox" for some liebacking ( 10c/d ) fun. Instead of heading through the roof of ZP to eye the original rusty 1/4" bolts, move down to the second pitch of "The Illegitimate" and finish on it ( one of the best 5.9 pitches up there IMHO ).
If you haven't done the "Y Crack" that's one .10 pitch you shouldn't miss as well.
Cheers,
Murf
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fitz
Aug 5, 2002, 11:58 PM
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Hard to choose, but running up the grades:
5.4 The Trough
Easy intro to multipitch, with some fun exposure (especially leaving pine ledge)
5.5 Angel's Fright
A little of everything, big ledges, another nice intro to multipitch.
5.6 Left Ski Track
The first two pitches are great. Steep, good exposure, cool step around move. I prefer a direct finish (pretty much straight up from the second belay), which is a little harder. But a great route either way.
5.7 Fingertrip
First pitch is a classic, though the semi-hanging belay farther up is always fun for first timers.
5.8 Traitor Horn
I also like Jensen's Jaunt, which shares the first two pitches (but then, I don't hate offwidths ) Personally, I find the traverse below the 'false' horn more thrilling than climbing the 'true' horn. Though, I usually go up the cracks near the fixed pin instead of up the horn itself.
5.9 Hoodenett (Whodunnit?)
Sustained and steep. This is nice if you are matched with a less experienced partner. Swinging leads, one climber leads 5.7, the other 5.8-5.9. The first pitch, coming right after the hike, seems really stiff.
Sandbag 5.9 Open Book
This is a great route. I love it because it seems built to focus on my weaknesses. Even the runout slab (5.6?) near the top, normally my forte, seems hard, because I'm so exhausted from the first few pitches.
5.10 Jonah
I don't know why I like this route so much. There are definately some more classic 5.10 pitches on Lily Rock. It just seems to have a big wall feel to me.
5.11 The Edge
Vampire is truly a classic line, but the Edge has always been a mind blower for me. I've seconded it twice. Once whimpering and squirting urine, once is not-entirely-humiliating style. I'd like to lead it before I'm 50 (seriously), though I may never have the mental stamina.
5.12 and beyond - you'll have to get an opinion from someone who has ability...
-jjf
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wallhammer
Aug 6, 2002, 4:49 AM
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favorite new...has to be the gulp which shares some of whodunit and the swallow. IMHO this has to be the most overlooked fun climb in tahquitz. i cannot believe it has no stars. ditto the above post about open book being sandbagged.
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pbjosh
Aug 6, 2002, 4:56 AM
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Hmmm - I've led all of the Open Book by now (been on it a couple times) and don't find it particularly sandbagged. The first two pitches are truly stellar but the third pitch R slab or grunt squeeze is kinda unpleasant. Re: Jensen's Jaunt, I don't dislike offwidths at all, but Jensen's Jaunt isn't much of an offwidth. I'm decent at OW (led a couple of 10's, can usually TR 10 OW ok) and find that the easiest way is not to OW a single move of it...
For fun moderate offwidth moves the Jam Crack and Super Pooper have some fun stuff on them. I bet the second pitch of Open Book would be fun OW if you did it that way (I've always liebacked it which looks WAY easier). I hear the Swallow is nice, never done it.
I forgot to add in the Long Climb on my original post - great route, the first pitch variation start on the Wong Climb is one of the best easy/moderate cracks up there - same with the 200' of 5.7ish hands on Consolation (pitches 2 and 3 or something I think).
josh
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fitz
Aug 7, 2002, 8:33 PM
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I don't know, the top of the first pitch on Open Book is pretty hard for duffers like me...
I'd agree that Super Pooper is a nice route.
I like the second pitch on Jensen's Jaunt, when the rock is cold you can milk it as a balancy face climb. A lot of people don't like the flaring crack on the third pitch, which the guidebook calls 'offwidth', which is why I mentioned it.
Tahquitz is probably my favorite crag. Thank God for the hike, it means that I can still have 900' of granite to myself on many weekdays!
-jjf
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roughster
Aug 7, 2002, 10:04 PM
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Tahquitz: Open Book 5.9. All three pitches are stellar and the line is inspiring and intimidating even for higher end climbers.
Suicide: Could it be any other than Valhalla 5.11a? Actually yes, I think the neighboring Sundance 5.10b is the better of the two routes though Valhalla is also an amazing route.
Sundance is varied from Steep Lieback, run out just off vertical face, to tenuous slab/dike traversing at the top. Valhalla is a much more straightforward slab climb on smears and is actually pretty repetative.
Anyways, Tahquitz and Suicide are both great places to climb!
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climblouisiana
Aug 7, 2002, 10:26 PM
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I went to Suicide for two days this summer and did a few routes. Sundance was definitely my favorite and is one of the best and most memorable routes that I have done. I am looking forward to going back again. I only wish this crag was closer to my home.
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roughster
Aug 7, 2002, 10:58 PM
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climblouisiana:
Back when I was a wee pup I fell on the second pitch of Sundance as I reached the large flake with my right hand after the 20 foot traverse and about 10 feet above the bolt. Man was that a screamer
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pbjosh
Aug 8, 2002, 5:57 AM
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roughster - A friend of mine fell leading Sundance. He missed the traverse across the mini-dihedral and out onto the face and started climbing up the dihedral. He got a decent ways up it, with like a #3 nut in for pro. Then he got himself into a corner (literally and figuratively) that he couldn't get out of and knew he was going to fall. About this time the nut lifted out and tinked down the rope to the last bolt. About that time a great rushing of wind and blurred partner ensued and I got yanked off my ass as he took an absolute SCREAMER! Probably a good 40-50' fall, yanked me up about 5' from the seated position I was in on the pinnacle. Luckily he was just fine but it was exciting!
..josh
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roughster
Aug 8, 2002, 6:32 AM
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PB:
Heheh that sounds very familar. I actually fell trying to tinker in that nut
I know I took a whooper and I was only at the corner, if he continued up, man that must have been one spectacular fall. I know mine was long enough for it to register I was falling and still had enough time to wonder when the Hell I was going to stop!
Anotehr surprising thing is how much seperation I got from the wall during the course of the fall. I didn't push off at all (I fell unexpectedly) but I still ended up a good distance from the wall during the fall. I just remember thinking I would cheesegrater down, but it was clean air.
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fitz
Aug 8, 2002, 6:37 AM
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FWIW, I know quite a few people who feel the same way about Sundance, though I'm partial to Valhalla. Slabs have always been what I sucked at least, so part of it is that. Part of it may be the 'repitition'. For me it makes keeping focused more challenging.
Of course, it always makes me smile to remember that by the time the right-of-passage for the Stonemasters was potentially doable for me, the sport and the Stonemasters had long since moved to dramatically higher levels
-jjf
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addiroids
Sep 19, 2002, 6:56 AM
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Here's my "transplanted local"'s opinion:
For 5.easy, I would have to say:
White Maiden's (soloed it 2 months ago)
El Whampo (150' of straight-in hand crack how beautiful is that??)
For 5.fun:
Fingertrip (probably my favorite on the whole rock)
Dave's to Piton Pooper to Upper Royal's Arch (a lot of climbing and great location)
Wong/Long Climb (first pitch alone makes this a great climb)
For 5.hard:
Whodunit (just lead all pitches with only 4 cam placements)
Consolation (the two crux sections shut me down last year, but freed it all last week. Kind of loose, but pitch 2 is a great hand crack.)
El Camino Real (onsighted it with passive only - nice finger locks!!!)
The Swallow (it took me 1/2 hour to get my feet where my hands were on those little white knobs while Wallhammer did it in like 7 minutes. Favorite that I will never do again but good clean cracks for sure!!)
The WORST:
The Error (I got off route like 37 times and didn't know what the hell I was on. Ended up on Sahara Terror like 5 times. It sure seemed vertical for 1941 too.)
Haven't done a lot at Suicide, but Flower of High Rank is about one of my favorite climbs ever (1st is Igor Unchained).
TRADitionally yours,
Cali Dirtbag
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micronut
Sep 20, 2002, 4:10 PM
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Coffin Nail to Traitor Horn is great. Coffin Nail felt hard for a 7+. First pitch of Fingertrip to El Camino Real, then rap off the bolts atop the flake. Flower of High Rank with the 5.9 finish is good, although not as good as I expected. Super Pooper, Open Book, all the usual suspects.
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antimatter
Nov 28, 2002, 7:24 AM
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Hey! That was me that took that fall on Sundance!
But at any rate, to keep this on-topic, Whodunnit 5.9 is my fave at Tahquitz, it's a classic straight up line with slab/jam/chimney climbing. It takes great pro, has some nice exposure, some exciting moves, and some just plain fun climbing.
My least favorite is El Whampo 5.7. God, what an awful traversing rope-dragging affair. Non-classic climbing leads up, around, over, under? features so much that even if you extend each piece 4 feet, you're still doing leg presses to get any slack. Ick! (Except P2 does have a classic 100' handcrack--too bad there aren't rap anchors at the top of it)
[ This Message was edited by: antimatter on 2002-11-27 23:28 ]
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curt
Nov 29, 2002, 4:54 AM
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"Magical Mystery Tour" to the right of sahara Terror I liked a lot. It may not be as "classic" as Vampire (which I have not done) but it was really nice climbing.
Curt
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betaflash
Nov 29, 2002, 5:42 AM
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I'd like to add a couple of my personal favs to the fine list ya'll have got goin' on here. Of the pitches I've led personally some that come to mind are:
Fred...One of the best, sustained face pitches in SoCal
Hair Lip...Fun and exciting exposure with a great position at the crux
Super Pooper...The best moderate line on the upper bulge
on the tick list: Vampire, of course, Insomnia, followed, but not led, Chingadera, but not in lug sole boots as Kamps did originally, plus many more!
climb on
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tigerbythetail
Nov 29, 2002, 4:59 PM
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Probably The Vampire, but Dave's Deviation to Piton Pooper to Upper Royal's Arch is a fun link-up to do.
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pbjosh
Nov 29, 2002, 5:13 PM
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Getting back to this since I originally posted it...
I led the Vampire this fall, and it's my new favorite route, anywhere. Simply bloody fantastic. Unfortunately I fell at the bolt on P3 so I'll have to get back to it but what an excellent route.
Insomnia is stellar as well but I flailed at the crux with a toprope so it'll take some work for this one
josh
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esoteric1
Nov 29, 2002, 5:17 PM
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there is a bunch i havent done up there, so its hard to say...but the ones i have done are memories i will never forget...on suicide flower of a high rank, and valhalla.
on tahquits human fright will hold a high place in the deep recesses of my mind, el camino real is a blast, open book wasnt my fav, but it has history so its right up there.
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froggy
Nov 29, 2002, 7:11 PM
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I agree on not liking Sahara Terror - Yuck! I think there was about 1 pitch on that whole route that was fun.
Anyway - I have really enjoyed the climbing on The Wong / Long Climb.
Jenson's Jaunt - Traitor Horn (sp?)
Fingertrip
That is about all I have done so far including some 10a somewhere... Don't know the name...
Can't wait till next year though!
bye:)
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pbcowboy77
Dec 1, 2002, 5:46 AM
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Dude, so this post got me itching for some Tahquitz and guess what...EPIC. It started out a beutiful morning today and we headed up the trail about 8am. Decided the night before to do Finger trip. When we got there someone was starting the route. By 10am they had started the 2nd pitch. Our three man group headed up. I was third and when I got to the belaythe other team was gone so I started leading the 2nd pitch. When I got around the dihedral I found the other group had made P2 into 2 diffrent pitches. So I had to sit and wait, so when thier 2nd headed up so did I. She had a 00 metolious stuck so I got it out for her, and that was the last I saw of them. But as soon as I hit the belay ledge it started snowing and the wall had become so wet that the others in my group could not stay on the rock. So we bailed, all this along with the rope getting stuck 3 times (once when I was on Rap and pinned me down) was such a tease. So end this post now and don't talk about Tahquitz until spring
Climb safe and don't Epic
Oh and to top it off I cut my ankel open and I got blood all over my Climbing Shoes. Who cares about stiches, thoese are new shoes.
-Zac
[ This Message was edited by: pbcowboy77 on 2002-11-30 21:47 ]
[ This Message was edited by: pbcowboy77 on 2002-11-30 21:49 ]
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criscokid
Jul 1, 2003, 3:11 AM
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fingertrip is amazing but too crowded.
open book is classic but the third pitch bites!!!
daves deviation is good but the last two pitches are ho-hum.
piton pooper is rad but also crowded.
whodunit is great but again...crowded.
unlike the rest of yous guys...i like sahara terror...fun and uncrowded with one of my favorite ledges on the whole rock(end of pitch 5).
and how can the vampire not top every list out there??????
my friend gonzo and i added two routes to the rock in 1999.both are 5.8 and fun. Lip Up fatty(in the new guidebook) is on the north buttress and is 7 or 8 pitches. the first few pitches are great!!! it is a great option is whodunit is packed. the other, "mercy of the sisters" (also in guide) is on the face in the north gully deacent. we were surprised at how cool the first pitch was (of two). it is the obvious wide crack just left of center on the wall. really cool climbing. im betting that it was done before us but oh well...after a few ascents it will be good and clean.
with so much great climbing...how can i pick others? i've liked every route i have ever done there!!!!
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alpnclmbr1
Jul 1, 2003, 4:04 AM
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The Vampire is one of the best anywhere. Link the last two pitches if your careful about rope drag.
The green arch is good to great. Use to be full of fixed pins, I heard they are gone now.
Valhala the stonemasters entrance exam
Insomnia the closest I ever came to dying
The pirate great practice clean aid route or super hard thin
Bats in the belfry which is listed as a A2 crack in the guidebook???
Hairlip took big air on it twice
Traitor horn stellar, especially if you pull out onto the horn with a cloud deck below you
Angels fright use to be the quickie downclimb (or was it the trough??)
On the road obscure, can link to coffin nail
Dave’s deviation 1 or 2 pitches of it
Super pooper
Scarface for bolts, fitting name if you fall
Le toit all about one almost useless jam in a roof
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fredbob
Jul 1, 2003, 4:33 AM
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Tahquitz & Suicide have lots of great climbs. Compared to most crags, nearly all the routes would be multiple stars. Yet, the 3 star routes at Tahquitz seem to attrack all the traffic (making them difficult to enjoy unless you get some pre-dawn start, and who wants to do that?)
Anyway, many of the lesser starred routes at Tahquitz are really worth doing. Of course The Vampire is simply fantastic, but here are some good alternative routes to check out and some not listed above that I enjoy...
The Illegitimate 9. This route is excellent and very challenging for the grade. Lots of continuous climbing.
The Step 10a (used to be a 5.8, but something broke off a few years back, and like a lot of routes at Tahquitz, they have been readjusted to account for general grae inflation). Not nearly as crowded as Super Pooper.
Le Toit 11d/12a Hardly ever done and a real adventure.
Super Pooper 10a
The Flakes 11c , finish up The Price of Fear.
Human Fright 10a (short though; rap off)
Fred 11a rarely done 2nd pitch is good, but then you are committed to topping out.
Blanketty Blank 10c
Traitor Horn 8 (fun)
Green Arch 11b
At Suicide:
Disco Jesus 11b
Miscalculation 10c
The Man Who Fell To Earth 11a
Iron Cross 11a (Red Rain 11b variation start)
Moondance 11b
Ten Karot Gold 10a
Godzilla's Return 10d
Hair Lip 10a
Jonny Quest 10b
Flakes of Wrath 10c
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