Tahquitz from Humber Park

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start of the summer. Being a three day weekend, it is also one of the most crowded. Here in California this is particularly true for anyplace to do with water or mountains. There seems to be a theme, escape the heat? Works for me, it's too hot to go out and play during the day here in the low desert and the high desert isn't much different. 

With three days instead of two, people hit the road and get out of town. So when Roy and I headed out for Idyllwild on Saturday morning, I expected to see full parking lots and to have to stand in line waiting for a climb. I was partially and pleasantly surprised. The parking lots were full as we drove up Hwy 243 and up to Humber park, but the Humber park wasn't too bad. I decided that since every other home in Idyllwild was having some sort of yard/garage sale, we lucked out and were able to park at the trailhead. We did notice more hikers than the previous week. We also noted some Forest Service Volunteers heading up the trail while others set up at the trailhead to check permits.

As we started to hike a troop of Boy Scouts joined us at the trailhead. The Forest Service volunteer asked who had the permit and the lead boys pointed back to the leader, she told the boys to wait and then asked me for our permit. I said, "Do I need a permit, in all my years of climbing the I've never once seen a ranger on the rock." In return the the volunteer asked me "Are you a rock climber?". My reply as I shook all the gear on my bandoliers "What gave me away?". She then said something to the effect of "Get out of here smarta**". We didn't need to be told twice and off we went.

At this time I'd like to introduce you more to Roy. He is normally a very reasonable person, doesn't take unnecessary risks and is a moderating influence. Of course that is normally, by associating with me we know that there is another Roy trapped inside and today was the day that "Go for it Roy" decided to make and appearance. As we hiked down to the stream crossing, he made good on his previous threat from the week before to lead the way across the creek. Thank goodness I had the video camera ready and was able to catch it in all of the excitement and glory. We then proceeded to make the hike up to Tahquitz Rock in about the same area as the previous week. I noticed that while we were still starved for oxygen, we were able to make the hundred yards up the talus slope with only about a half dozen rest stops. We're cruzin now!

On the approach

As we approached the base of the cliff, Roy's earlier enthusiasm was weighing heavily on my mind. We have been contenting ourselves with easy climbs of late and maybe we are getting into a rut. Perhaps we need to step it up to a higher level. But, if we do, will we be committing ourselves to something we won't be able to accomplish? At this same time, in the back of my mind I was wondering, all the complaining I've directed at Roy about not leading me up difficult climbs for the past several months, is it possible that it has started to sink in. No, I laughed to myself, that's not possible and quickly banished the thought. But I noticed with all this thinking combined with the lack of oxygen to the brain had caused me to veer off to the east and we found ourselves several hundred feet to the east of the Larks. The snow at the base of the cliff had significantly melted in past week causing Roy to think we were in another location. It proved to be a good excuse to take another rest stop while I tried to set him straight. I wasn't able to make my point to my satisfaction and  I think Roy was ignoring me, so we continued up a gully towards one of the best moderate crack climbs in the area, El Whampo.

El Whampo has a rating of 5.7 and consists of a full pitch of perfect hand jams, which makes it a classic. Since this is certainly more difficult than our recent climbs, I felt no guilt that it is a shorter climb. The length is reduced by the amount of scrambling that one can do to get to the rope-up start. As we strained, gasped and grunted our way up to where the "climbing" starts, I detected some disgust in Roy's voice when he told me that I should get a pair of approach shoes like he has. You know the kind, fancy sticky climbing shoe rubber on comfortable hiking shoes. I think he was just bragging.

I'm getting dressed to play

We finally reached a nice ledge where we could rope up. We put on our harnesses, climbing shoes, helmets and then Roy tied on the rope and announced that he was going to lead the first pitch. Something about guilt and absolution. I of course pretended to try to talk him out of it while I pushed over to the first crack. He then started up and soon reached a nice diagonal ledge that can be walked up to a little below the belay at the end of the pitch. I noticed he was stopped and looking a far more difficult route that would go straight up. I asked him "What's wrong with the ledge?" and he said that he thought it was too easy and we weren't supposed to do it. I made some comment that conveyed my philosophy on his current logic and he went on up the ledge. Soon he was at the belay and brought me up.

Roy leading the first pitch

This meant that it was my turn to take the lead. I was joking as I started out onto the face, traversing to the start of the hand crack pitch, but I don't think I was able to hide my apprehension regarding the moves up ahead. Now it was time to test my ability to climb at the next level after skating on the easy stuff for so long. I arrived at the crack and my heart sunk. It looked much harder than I remembered. I had hoped to be the "cool" leader who jumped right up on the crack without putting in protection until I had climbed high enough to give reasonable protection to Roy as he traversed from the belay to the crack. I buckled to my nerves and put in a couple pieces of protection. As I finally went for the move, after much hemming and hawing I made a comment to Roy that he was, how can I politely say this, shall we say in a disadvantaged situation. I then headed up the crack with the climbing soon as wonderful as I had remembered from the past.

Second pitch

All thoughts of the first crux starting the cracks were gone from my mind and I was enjoying the quality of the climb, perfect rock, great holds, solid protection and excellent rests. It doesn't get much better. Soon I was at the top of the pitch, on a nice large ledge with beautiful views. I brought Roy up and he again wanted to lead. I sent him up, with him repeatedly wanting to know which way I went when I did the climb in the past. I tried to discourage him from taking that route and tried to get him to go onto some very easy ground. He stayed the course and we were glad he did. The pitch turned out to be easy face climbing on large holds with thin cracks for protection. Great easy exposure. Roy set up his belay at the summit overhangs, near where we had finished the East Lark the week before.

Self portrait from end of second pitch

I took the rack of gear and went directly up to the overhang above. I looked over the possible route and decided that I would want more protection before I was willing to try that section. Without good protection, if the leader falls off of overhanging rock, he will hit the rock or ground below, being softer than the rock, the climber has a high probability of getting injured. I climb for lots of reasons, but getting hurt isn't one of them, so I traversed along the base of the overhang looking for good place to go over. The next possibility looked like easier climbing, but with even less protection, so I kept going. By this time I thought I would just be going over to a section that would be so easy that it'd be boring. I was wrong. I found another weakness in the rock and found I could get in some protection. I wasn't real happy with combination of factors so I kept trying to find different ways to place my protection and different angles of attack. After what seemed like 20 minutes, 2 hours to Roy, I finally found a sequence that allowed me to make the moves, put in three pieces of protection (at least one of them had to be good) and finish the pitch. Roy again led the next section and we soon found ourselves on the top.

Looking down on Humber Park with full zoom

While I had worried about trying a harder climb, we were able to do the climb and we had a great time in the process. The air quality was better than the week before and so was  the temperature, in fact, in the shade with the wind blowing, we were chilly.

El Whampo is beneath the dead tree on top

We soon hiked back down to the car, talked to another Forest Service volunteer who asked us if we had seen the climbers, they had a bunch of carabieners on them. Roy tried the logical approach in explaining who we were and what we had been doing. I quickly saw this was going no where and just said, "That was us." which she understood.

Safely back at the car

It was another good day on the rocks, with the best views.