Desert Views

North Buttress of Tahquitz Rock

Once again we found ourselves at the base of Tahquitz Rock, wondering what climb did we want to do. As Roy and I bantered back and forth it soon became obvious that we were lacking on the motivation factor. One comment from Roy about maybe we should do something easy and my mind was made up. He thought he was being polite and covering all the choices, while I had been subconsciously waiting for an out. The closest easy climb was the North Buttress. I'm sure that I probably climbed it about thirty years ago, but that means climbing it now makes it seem almost like the first time. Roy was saying something about the Larks, which were nearby, but I ignored him, I wasn't going to walk an extra hundred feet if I didn't have to. I was in low energy, go easy mode and I was focused, well as much as you can be in lazy gear.

Looking up the North Buttress of Tahquitz Rock

We putted around at the base of the climb till I finally admitted that I had run out of delaying tactics and I started climbing. The climbing was very easy, just as I had planned. I even remembered some of the pin scars I saw along the way. It seemed like I was at the top of the pitch in no time. When Roy arrived at the first belay, he was muttering something about how I messed up. I demanded an explanation and he then informed me that I had climbed thirty to forty feet longer than the length of the rope. Our rope is two hundred feet long, so that means I climbed about two hundred and thirty feet, a rather long pitch. Of course you are saying, how does that work? How can you climb further than the rope is long and still have a belay? Well, the simple answer is, you can't. What happened is that when Roy couldn't get my attention and with the rope still moving up, he quickly started climbing after me and we ended up doing a technique called simul-climbing. This is most often used by mountaineers on long routes, trying to save time and climbing together, being careful to keep their spacing the same. If one falls, the other is pulled off the climb. The more slack in the rope, the more distance the one who is pulled off falls. Another factor is how much protection is placed and how far apart. I won't go into a lot of detail, but the fall factor was a bit excessive. We have experimented with small portable radios in the past, we may need to revisit them to prevent this from happening again.

Roy climbing first pitch

Roy explaining I climbed too far

Looking up 2nd pitch

Roy near top of second pitch

Once I got over my surprise at how long the first pitch was, I started off on the second. It was more of the same. Easy climbing in a beautiful setting. This time I did better and stopped before the end of the rope. This was one of the busiest days we'd seen on the rock this season, so we watched several other parties climbing the Whodunit, Long Climb and Snakes on Everything. Since the climb is fairly easy, rated 5.5 I was starting to look at alternate route choices. By the third pitch I had decided not to get too carried away and stay out on the buttress proper as much as possible.

Looking down third pitch

As we progressed up the third pitch, we were coming to the point where our climb would soon be joining other routes for the final pitches to the summit. I knew that we would want to go to our left, so I started working my way that direction. We were getting close to the top of the Larks and the angle of the rock started getting steeper and steeper. We the climbing becoming more vertical, it was also getting more challenging, but I was still having fun.

Roy climbing fourth pitch

Then, on the fourth pitch, things came to a sudden stop. The very enjoyable crack I had been following became a seam. That wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have this overwhelming need for placing protection when I lead. This need becomes stronger the steeper and more technically challenging the climbing becomes. I decided that I could go out on unprotected face climbing for about fifteen feet and then continue up, but I thought my need would be left unmet. I moved back to the right and brought up Roy. I then realized that the situation was as bad, if not worse going up from our belay. I then went back to the left and did some delicate face moves to where I had another crack system going up. This crack system proved to be the key to our now modified route, even if the opportunities for protection were few and far between. If someone other than Roy was climbing with me, they would have thought that I was being bold, when in reality I just had no choice. Roy said it seemed like about two hours later I finally brought him up. He wasted no time in telling me that he never wanted to do this climb again. He felt the climbing was too "out there" even though he was on top rope. I told him that I was certain we wouldn't do this climb, or least this variation, again.

Racking gear at the belay

The fifth pitch took us almost to the top and we were on familiar ground as we joined the other routes. On this pitch we saw two kinds of berries and a plant with dark green leaves with brilliant scarlet edges. It would make a perfect Christmas plant, although a little small.

Looking down the route from the top of the fifth pitch

Roy belaying at top of fifth pitch, good exposure

The final pitch, our sixth, landed us on the summit shoulder. You would think that we would learn our lesson and stay on the normal route, but no, I had to see if I could make a traverse off the rock instead of going to the normal top of the climb. I didn't get very far and saw the futility of my plan and soon was back on track.

This traverse didn't go

A half pitch later and we were on top. Roy then led over to where we could access the east gully descent route and we finished our drinks and snacks. Soon we were heading down to the car and the drive back to the desert heat.