We started out with our normal routine, meet at 7 am, go out to breakfast and then drive up to the rock. Today we noticed a lot of smoke off to the west. There have been some big fires in California and the smoke was certainly affecting the air quality. Along the drive up Highway 243 from Banning to Idyllwild we stopped to take a picture of the smoke. We happened to stop at a turn-out along the Penny Pines Plantation. As I understand it, there was a big fire on the mountain in the early 1970s and the reforestation project along the highway was part of the penny pines program. With the drought going on for a number of years, the pine bark beetles have been killing a large number of trees. This has become a major fire hazard and the areas in the town of Idyllwild were cleared of dead trees in past few years, now the roadways are being cleared of not only the dead trees, but also the under story brush and lower limbs are being removed.
Looking at the smoke to the west off Hwy 243
Brush clearing along the highway
Penny Pines
We continued on to Idyllwild and stopped at Nomad Ventures, the only climbing shop in town. We replaced a couple of SLCDs (spring loaded caming devices) and then drove up to Humber Park. Soon we had on our hiking shoes, sunscreen and insect repellent and were ready to hike.
Sign at the beginning of the trail
Since we were climbing on the west end of the rock, our approach took us up the Ernie Maxwell trail for about a quarter mile and then up the climber trail to the rock.
Where the climber's trail takes off the Ernie Maxwell Trail
I noticed that over the years this climber trail has moved slightly to the west. When I first was hiking it, it went up to the talus slopes and ran along the west edge of the talus. Since this trail was not engineered, over time the erosion became very bad and going up along the talus was like climbing a sand dune, inside a steep chute. Now the trail has more switch backs and offers the benefit of being in the shade more of the time. I think it's a real improvement.
Video of approach
The base of Tahquitz Rock
Soon we were at the base of lunch rock and heading toward our destination for the day, the Fingertip Traverse route. This route is well known for being very interesting in places, especially for an easy climb. The rating is only 5.3. Since we hadn't climbed on this side of the rock in several years, we were a little uncertain about where the route started. We went to where we thought it should start, a large ledge we at first thought was the "Jungle" we had seen in the guide book, but being uncertain we then started scrambling up the rock to try and confirm the start. We did, by scrambling up to the end of the first pitch. At this point there is a fairly good size oak tree and a ledge. We put on our climbing gear so the games could begin.
Looking up at what should be the first pitch
Roy at our first belay
Looking down what should be the first pitch
This climb has some interesting aspects to it and the start of our first roped pitch has one of them. The route has the climber climb the oak tree to it's top and then step across onto the rock ridge. I must say, this just doesn't seem right, but it certainly is the way to go. After going up some face climbing and easy cracks I arrived at the real "Jungle" ledge. I made my way through the trees and set up the belay a few feet farther up. Soon Roy had joined me and it was time to start up our 2nd (should be 3rd) pitch.
Roy in the "Jungle"
Looking up the second pitch, the classic lieback
The start of this pitch has the famous lieback section that was featured in a photo in the old Chuck Wilts guidebooks. Of course, laybacks are strenuous and so I opted for face climbing out to the left of the crack. The next section is a traverse to the traverse, hey I just tell it like it is, I don't make this stuff up. This first traverse is a face traverse that takes one out to the top of the overhang of the Fingertrip arch. From this point one follows a small crack, that takes mostly just fingertips, that runs parallel to the top of the arch. The exposure here is quite dramatic, especially for an easy climb. After about thirty feet, the climbing gets easier and one goes up large blocks and past trees to a place where you can belay. Roy then came up and seemed to be enjoying himself and the climb, the climb must have been too easy.
The traverse pitch
Roy at the end of the traverse pitch
For the next pitch, instead of climbing up and left a few feet to lunch ledge in order to do the normal finish, I traversed off to the right. This route doesn't seem to be climbed as often, so there was some loose crystals on the rock. This gives the climber a particularly unpleasant sensation we refer to as "ball bearing" effect. As the grains of rock roll under the shoe, you get a distinct sensation of falling, something most climbers prefer not to experience. As I continued up over a little roof I found easier climbing and worked my way up to a corner with a thin crack. The rock was not too steep, but the crack was like a vertical fingertip traverse crack and it proved to be an interesting bit of climbing. Then, I was on the top of the climb, three whole pitches that normally would be done as four or five.
Me starting up the last pitch
Roy finishing the last pitch
Roy on top, changing his shoes
Me on top of the climb
We then took the friction route down and hiked back to the lowest part of the west end of the rock. There we found three different parties all lounging in the shade. The sun was warm and rock had started getting hot to the touch. Everyone was waiting to see if it would cool off, so it was a good time to visit. The breeze started picking up and the other parties decided to start climbing, so we called it a day and headed home. A short but enjoyable day!
Video of the Friction Route descent
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