Suicide Rock

Suicide Rock in the Distance, taken from Tahquitz Rock

For the first time of this summer season, Roy and I decided to climb at Suicide Rock. In past years we only climbed at Suicide, but lately we have stayed over at Tahquitz. We were planing on climbing in the Idyllwild area, but I really planned on climbing on the northeast face of Tahquitz. The summer heat has finally arrived and I figured we would want to be in the shade. So much for plans, when we drove up to Humber Park, there was only one car parked at the trailhead for Suicide Rock. I wondered if someone was throwing a big party for climbers, all the food you can eat with a hosted bar and climbing equipment prizes for everyone thrown in. I've never seen so few cars on a weekend since I was up during a snowstorm years ago. Well, we kept driving to our regular parking spot, and we no more than had turned the corner when the sides of the road were packed with parked cars. The only parking spaces to be had were at the start to the Ernie Maxwell trail, which is the approach for most of the climbs at Tahquitz. Roy tried to squeeze into a small opening, with the front end in the dirt and the rear blocking traffic. I expressed some concern at the obvious crowds. Sure, many were backpackers and hikers, but if just a fraction were climbers, we'd be waiting in long lines like at Disneyland. Roy asked me what I wanted to do, it took a minute for my mind to compute the options, then I said, "We're climbing at Suicide". 

We drove down and parked at the Suicide trailhead, started our normal ritual of sunscreen and insect repellent and then headed up the trail. But not before we had a discussion regarding the water that was flowing down the road, from under the fence, next to where we were parked. Roy figured one of the large water district  storage tanks was leaking, about to fail and going to take out everything within 100 yards. We did some investigating and discovered a open pipe that the water was coming out of, we figured it was some sort of overflow, nothing to worry about and continued on our way.

As we hiked down the trail, yes, the start of the trail goes down to a stream, just like our approach to Tahquitz and then to a paved private road. We can walk on the road, but not drive on it. We then get to the end of the pavement and turn a corner to a Forest Service kiosk. There we sign in, this is our "permit", don't get caught without it. I can't help but wonder how often they patrol and how do they remember if they saw your name or not? I'm not complaining mind you, it is very convenient and I do appreciate that.

Trail sign, Suicide Rock can be seen through the trees

Roy signing in for our permit

Climbers Trail 3E06 - (1.5 Miles) This trail is used primarily by rock Climbers to access the base of Suicide Rock. The trail leaves from Fern Valley Road near Humber Park. The trail travels through private property; please respect private property rights and stay on the trail. For the Climbers Trail, register at the sign-in box a short way up the trail; this is your permit.

Copied from Forest Service web site

As we continued up the trail we saw some lupines, lilies and snow plants in bloom. The lilies were a special treat, since they are not as common as the other two plants. The trail to Suicide is more horizontal than the routes to Tahquitz, but it makes up for it at the end, when it's just as steep. Once at the base we traversed around the rock to the northeast end. This is where everyone goes on hot days, because this is where the shade is, except during the longest days of the year, when the sun is directly overhead. We would have suffered for being in the sun all day, but it was windy which kept the temperature just about perfect. Once we got to our destination, of course we found the people that belonged to the other car, and they were on one of the climbs we wanted to do. But it was OK, since there were plenty of other climbs we also wanted to do.

Lily along the trail

Snow plants

We started out with a climb called Little Murders, like so many climbs, named from pop culture at the time it was put up. In this case a movie from 1971, considered a very good/funny/disturbing movie. I'm not sure how the climb and movie relate, or if I'm supposed to be Alfred or Patsy or another character. I just like the climb. It's only 5.3, but at the end you have to undercling out around a large flake, which makes it one of the most exciting "easy" climbs I've ever done. It was a great warm-up and then we were quickly back down to the next climb.

Look up Little Murders

The next climb was literally the next climb, in this case it even started from the same place. But instead of going straight up like Little Murders, it goes out to the left across the entire face to it's far side and then up to the top. This climb is called Break Out and is rated 5.6. At first it's face and thin cracks, then opens up to larger cracks and when you reach the far left of the face, you then climb up easy but largely unprotected face climbing. Again, a very enjoyable climb. 

Sequence of me leading Break Out

When we returned to the base of the rock, we picked up our gear and headed back to the climb that other party had been on. They had finished and now we had our turn on the climb. Another party had shown up and led the first half of Flower of High Rank 5.9 and were top roping it. We watched for a few minutes and then started watching the first pair of climbers. The leader started up a climb called Etude. This is a 5.11 climb, I tried it on top rope many years ago and fell many times. This climber fell, but only once and he was leading which is much more difficult, since he used up so much energy placing protection. It was nice to watch. Then it was our turn again.

Looking across the rock at the area of Etude and Flower of High Rank

Our next climb is known as Graham Crackers, 5.6. Because the weather was nice and the climbing so enjoyable, Roy got up his nerve and said that he wanted to lead the last pitch. I asked him who did he know and he laughed. Well, I started up the climb and when I got to where everyone normally sets their first belay, I yelled down and asked how much rope was left. Roy called up and said that I was at the half way mark. Yes, our rope is marked. We use a bicolored rope. When the rope is being made at the factory they switch patterns and they cut the rope so that where the pattern switch is made will be the middle. It's then sold as a bicolor, it usually costs a little more, but I think it's worth it. Many climbing accidents are after the climb is over and the climbers are going back down. Sometimes you have to rappel and during rappelling many accidents have happened. By being able to tell at a glance that the rope is at the mid mark, you have one less worry, in this case of the ends of the rope being unequal and you rappel off one end and then the other end is pulled through the anchor and down you go. Well, if I still had half of the rope to go, I'll keep going, that's my thinking. On I went till I came to a little overhang. I was feeling rope drag from so much rope being pulled up as I climbed, but that comes with the territory when you have a 200 foot long rope. When I started climbing a long rope was 150 feet and that length was a new improvement over the older 120 foot ropes. A longer rope gives you more flexibility, but gives you that much more work to deal with. I worked my way over the overhang and had only 20 feet to where I could set my belay anchors and bring up Roy. I didn't quite have enough, but Roy was a good belayer and moved up just enough for me to make it to the belay. Of course you may think that I was being rude to Roy,not letting him lead, but when the climbing is going so well, it's hard to stop. Besides, I often offer leads to him he turns down, usually hard and/or scary ones.

Looking up at Graham Crackers, Yours goes up on the other side of the closest tree

From the top of cliff in this area we could see Tahquitz Rock, after so many pictures and videos looking at Suicide Rock, we now took advantage of taking pictures looking the other way. Then it was back down for another climb.

Tahquitz Rock from the top of Suicide Rock

A sailplane on the right side of the picture

For our next climb we had to wait a little bit, since the second party was climbing a climb that crossed the climb we wanted to do. It also shared the same belay and since they were a party of three, we didn't want to all be sharing the same ledge at the same time. Even a big ledge gets crowded with fire people on it. Mind you we are friendly, but you have to draw the line at some point. This climb is Yours 5.7 and has long been one of my favorites (aren't they all?). Well, once they started leading from the belay station, I started leading up. The climbing was good, not too strenuous like the Long Climb had been. Soon I was up at the belay. Fortunately the ledge is big and the two climbers still on the ledge were gracious in sharing their space. I then brought up Roy. The third climber was still at the belay when I led off. I went off to the left, since the other party had climbed out to the right and made my way up to the same belay I had used at the top of Graham Crackers. We then visited with the other party, even took their pictures for them, before starting down. Soon we were at the base, Roy said it was time to go, my stomach had been saying that for some time so I didn't put up any argument. As we hiked out, we noticed that a large tree had fallen, taking out parts of several other trees in the process. We stopped to document the debris and then to the car. It seemed that the water tanks hadn't failed after all and we still had a vehicle to take us back down to the low desert and 111 degrees. I am attaching a link to the video I shot, it's on youtube and I think some explanation is in order.

Descent route from the top of our climbs to the base of the rock

Synopsis of the video, it's about six and a half minutes long. It starts out with the parking area and water issue, then a shot from the start of our climbs, descent route, then shots taken on the climbs,  and finally a shot of the logs, branches and other debris from the big dead tree that fell and took out parts of some other trees as well.