A Terrorfull Day

Sahara Terror 5.7

September 27, 2009

Once again, in order to beat the heat, Roy and I headed up for Idyllwild and some fun filled climbing adventures. When we arrived at Humber Park we were pleasantly surprised to see the parking lot wasn't very crowded.

Empty spaces in the parking lot, right next to the trail head

We pulled into our favorite parking spot, right at the trail head and got ready to go. We did notice that we were running a bit later than we expected. This was mainly due to two factors. First, uncharacteristically Roy was late. The second had to do with breakfast. We have started frequenting a new restaurant in Palm Springs and it seems that we eat at a more leisurely pace, so we started our approach a little before 10 am. Don't worry, we made it to the climb before dark.

Roy at the base of the climb

I'm not sure why, maybe because the easy climbs of the past few weeks have been so much fun and well, easy, that I decided to up the grade a notch and decided to climb Sahara Terror, 5.7. This climb is on the north recess area, next to the Error which we had climbed a few weeks earlier. The name for this climb comes from the first ascent party climbing the route on the 4th of July on a day when it was 100 degrees F in Idyllwild, an extremely hot day by Idyllwild standards.

The route follows the two cracks, most of the time, all the way to the top

We roped up and I started up the first pitch, it's easy and I soon found myself out of breath. I decided to stop and take a few pictures while I caught my breath.

A climber starting up the White Maiden

Looking up at the roof shared with the Error

Looking down at the base of the rock, the trees look pretty big from this height

Well, I finally caught my breath, after checking out the climbers on the Hoodunnit, Long Climb and White Maiden. Although the parking lot wasn't very full, we still had a good number of climbers on the rock. I ran out the rest of the pitch (using the term loosely) and set up the belay. Soon Roy was up on the belay ledges with me.

Roy almost at the belay

The second pitch is one of the historically more infamous pitches at Tahquitz. One climbs up to the large roof that is shared with the Error and turns it without much difficulty. Then you climb up increasingly steep rock over a second smaller roof and arrive at a horizontal ledge. The crack up to this point turns into a seam, which continues up as a more difficult climb. For us mere mortals, the climb traverses off to the right, along a very wide crack that turns vertical and then breaks right again in a dogleg. Unless you have some custom large protection, this section is unprotected. Of course the fact that you are just over a roof only adds to the fun. I decided to put in some special protection to protect the start of the traverse since I knew my next protection wouldn't be for at least 20 feet. Then I started and stopped and started and stopped and finally headed on out. Needless to say I took my time on this section of the pitch, just to savor the moment of course. After the dogleg crack the climb continues up a chimney with some easier climbing. I again ran out the rope for a full length pitch. I set up the belay and brought up Roy. He had some rather colorful comments regarding this pitch.

It is getting steeper all of a sudden

Special protection to protect the long run out on the dogleg

Roy getting psyched up for the dogleg

Roy at the end of the dogleg crack

I started up the third pitch, which was more of the easy chimney, but it didn't last for long. Once again the crack narrowed down and became steeper. There was some mixed face and crack with a very high quality bolt protecting the move over a very delicate flake/block wedged in between two mini dihedrals. The amount of contact between the main wall and the block defies the imagination when it comes to trusting the block for your holds. Of course your belayer is going to get the worst part of it, so it's an exciting move for everyone. Soon I reached a short dihedral with very smooth walls. I placed a small cam in a horizontal crack at the base of the dihedral and then started looking at required moves in earnest. The climbing looked to be at the extreme of my limits. Above the corner I could see a fixed piton, but it was going to require a very strenuous and demanding move to get to. As I was checking out the holds I heard a strange sound. It almost sounded like a rattlesnake buzz. Of course it wasn't a snake and I knew it, but it sure didn't do much for my confidence. I suddenly decided that I would try and see if I was missing something. As I came back down I heard the sound again and realized it was coming from the horizontal crack where I had placed the small cam. I realized that a bird or bat was in the crack and making the noises I was hearing. I looked around and saw easier climbing off to my left and almost leapt at the crack. I soon was up under a roof with a couple of pitons above it. With some creative moves I was able to get into position to clip into the pitons and then made the move up and over. I didn't get far and I was out of rope once again. As Roy came up, he again had some colorful comments regarding the difficulty of the climb. While 5.7 may not be all that difficult, the climbing is often quite continuous and challenging for the grade, at least for us.

Looking down the third pitch

Roy above the roof on the third pitch

The fourth pitch became interesting very quickly, with two possible ways to go. To the left was a unprotected friction face and to the right was a very off balance system of ledges and seams. I eventually decided on the later. To put it bluntly, the climbing was airy. Soon the angle eased off and easy climbing brought me to the end of the rope once again. I set up the belay and brought up Roy. I think this climb made a lasting impression on him. His comments, well, they were interesting!

Looking up the fourth pitch, it's still steep

Taking a break on the fourth pitch, looking down at Roy

It's still steep

The angle finally eases off at the top of the fourth pitch

The fifth pitch really was easier going and soon (relative to our gasping crawling state of climbing by this time) I was at the top and setting up the belay. Roy came up and the climb was over. This seemed like the longest climb we had done all summer. Our rope is 200 feet long and we ran it out on almost every one of our five pitches. This climb has minimal traverses except for the dogleg, so we figure we climbed almost a thousand vertical feet. We got our money's worth.

The last chimney near the top and start of the 5th pitch

View from the last belay, the trees look pretty small from here

Roy commenting about how we made it by that much

We changed shoes and picked up our gear and stumbled back down to the car. We arrived at close to six pm, a very terror full day indeed.

Say, if you look carefully you'll notice that the slab is more horizontal than it was last time, I'm sure it moved!

Video of the climb

DATE WITH A MAIDEN

September 19, 2009

Well, it finally happened, I had my "play date" with my long time friend Albert and his son Kevin. We normally get together once a year for a weekend camping trip in Joshua Tree. They had planned on climbing in Idyllwild with me a few weeks ago, but decided due to the hot weather and all the So Cal fires, that conditions wouldn't be so good and bailed. Yesterday was the first day we were able to match schedules. We had decided to climb the White Maiden's Walkaway, since it would be the first time that Kevin would be on a multi pitch climb. I also think that Albert has some fond memories of this climb from when we were climbing partners back in college days. I have to admit that his memory is good, even after roughly 30 years.

We agreed to meet at Humber Park at 8am. Fortunately my watch died a few weeks ago and so while I knew they were late, I had no idea how much. In the meantime I was able to leisurely put on my sun screen, socks and shoes, finish my coffee and people watch. I think that the recent wildfires have had an impact on Mt. San Jacinto and the surrounding wilderness. I had heard that the Station Fire had caused a number of areas to be closed to the public and I think I got to see first hand a large number of the displaced hikers. During the time I was waiting, I saw three large organized groups of hikers. What surprised me the most was that two of the groups were Japanese. They didn't come in tour busses, but one group did do a "count off" before heading up the trail. One thing that impressed me was that they were very well protected from the sun, with a few of them even wearing gloves. I didn't think it would be polite to take pictures of them, but next time I will, when they pose for their group pictures.

After people watching for a while, Albert and Kevin showed up. We sorted out our gear and then hit the trail. The hike from the parking lot to the rock is normally about 45 minutes for me, I'm not the fastest hiker out there. After hiking about 15 minutes, Albert mentioned that it was almost 10am, I guess they were considerably later than I had thought. When we arrived at the rock, there were the most climbers I've seen this year. I know I've said that before, but it was true. We saw climbers on the Uneventful, Hoodunit, Long Climb, Sahara Terror, Consolation, The Flakes, The Vampire and several other climbs that I wasn't sure of the names of. I'm wondering if more climbers are climbing closer to "home" now that school has or is about to start?

Albert and Kevin approaching the start of the climb

I asked Albert and Kevin if they wanted the easiest version of the climb, or if they wanted to make it a little more challenging, they opted for the latter. With that, we did the start at a steep crack near the beginning of the Long Climb. This goes up and zig zags through some trees, which creates a lot of rope drag. Rope drag is the enemy of the lead climber, because the effect creates a pulling force of unwanted extra pounds on the climber. The more rope drag, the more pounds required to pull the rope up behind you. Kind of like an instant weight gain. I figure I weigh more than I'd like when climbing as is, so I don't like rope drag and I stopped after half a pitch and set up the first belay. Kevin quickly followed and then Albert came up with Kevin belaying him. The start can be kind of tricky and Albert took a slip on the start. No damage was done except for the surprise factor to his composure, but he took it all in stride.

Albert on the first pitch

The second pitch started up a wide crack, which for me means strenuous, but it went well and the crack soon narrows down to good hand jams with lots of good face holds for the feet. This section parallels the actual "walkaway" on the true Maiden route. At the end of another half pitch, the climbing traverses over to the regular route and and then on to the top of a prominent gendarme. This is a natural belay station, with great views and a large flat area. We took a break for some photos, water and snacks.

Kevin belaying Albert up the second pitch

Albert climbing the second pitch

Albert near the end of the second pitch (what's he thinking?)

Albert clipping into the anchors at the end of the second pitch

The third pitch is one of my favorites, this pitch goes up some classic white rock, very solid, very clean. The moves are fun and airy. This was another short pitch, ending on a large ledge. This pitch has a couple of fixed pins, which Kevin had never seen before. Besides some family camping trips to Joshua Tree, his climbing has mostly been relegated to the climbing gym. We switched the line up for this pitch, with Albert coming up second and Kevin coming up last. I was the designated videographer while Albert belayed. I was using two camera to record Kevin's ascent of the pitch.

Kevin starting the third pitch

Kevin on some of the fun moves of the third pitch

I then started up the fourth pitch, this one has the infamous "doubtful corner". From the belay one traverses the big ledge to the left and then the climb goes up an exposed corner on some very good rock, similar to the quality of the rock on the previous pitch. As this pitch goes up, it goes to a ledge, that is from two to three feet wide and about eight feet long. On this ledge is a large block of rock that will be gone some day, but who knows when, for now it just sits on the ledge, gravity holding it in place. The climb goes to the right edge of the ledge, where there is a good crack for a bomber nut placement, then you walk left across the ledge, on top of the loose block to the outside edge of a corner. The climber must then go around the edge of the rock and into the corner, all the while looking down on the recess in the rock where the Long Climb, Consolation and others go. This recess results in the climber being on top of a large overhang at this point. Once around the corner you are quickly in reach of a large old Mountain Mahogany and once on top of the tree, it's a good time to set up another belay, again about a half pitch. With all the traversing, the rope drag is starting to build up at this point and it's fun to watch the climber's reaction to the corner. For three people this belay is a little bit of a squeeze, but you can't argue about the intensity of the view.

Albert enjoying the exposure at doubtful corner

Kevin "stepping out" around doubtful corner

The next pitch goes straight up some very easy climbing for almost one hundred and fifty feet and then traverses off to the right to a interesting ledge. This ledge has a flake about waist high that you can stand behind or sit on and enjoy great views looking down to the beginning of the climb. About this time Albert and Kevin were commenting quite a bit on the gliders over the mountain. Since they haven't been climbing with Roy and me this summer, I didn't want to concern them with our theory that the gliders are actually watching us.

The sixth pitch traverses off to the right some more and then on to the top. As with most of this route, the climbing was on easy excellent rock and very exposed. We were all soon on top and as we coiled the ropes and racked the gear, the party from the Long Climb joined us. We had been in the shadow on almost the entire climb and now up on the shoulder of the rock we were in full sun and the wind died down. The increase in the heat was almost unbearable. We also noticed the start of the Vail fire near Vail Lake in the Temecula area.

The Vail Fire just starting over by Temecula

We moved on up to the true summit and then had water and snacks while we enjoyed the views. Kevin signed the register and everyone took and posed for photos and video. Then it was back down the east gully and to the cars.

Scrambling to the summit

Albert pausing to enjoy the views

Kevin reaching the true summit

Kevin signing summit register while Albert looks on

The weather was great and the climbing was also. It's a joy to experience days like this one and I"m lucky that days like this are the norm.

On top with Kevin, fire to the left of me

THE ERROR OF MY WAYS

September 6, 2009

Happy Birthday to my youngest, turned 18 today. Normally we would have a party or go somewhere for a birthday in our family, but today was different. For her present, she wanted to go to Disneyland with her boyfriend, not with her family. As much as we would have preferred another plan, we gave in to her request. That meant that I had the day free to climb. I sent Roy an e-mail and he replied he'd be by at 0700.

I had asked around the house if anyone else wanted to go and the answer appeared to be no when I looked around at departure time and saw everyone was asleep. Roy showed up on time and off we went. For some reason we ended up starting late, it may have had to do with a more leisurely breakfast than normal, oh and also the fact I forgot my hiking shoes and so we had to run back to the house.

The weather reports had predicted temperatures in the mid to high 80s in Idyllwild, so we figured it would be prudent to climb one of the north facing routes on Tahquitz Rock. We hiked on up to the rock without too much apparent difficulty and noticed that there were more climbers than normal. I believe that we saw more climbers than on any other day this season. I suppose that could be due to the fact that it was Labor Day Weekend. When we reached the base of the rock we ran into a belayer at the base of the North Buttress. He was about 30 or 40 feet to the left of where Roy and I had started our climb of the North Buttress route. Since there are many possible route combinations on the buttress, I assumed that they were climbing the North Buttress route and told the belayer that we had climbed it a few weeks earlier. Small chat over, we continued to the west along the base of the rock. Roy wondered what climb we were going to do and I told him I was thinking of either The Error or Sahara Terror. both climbs are close together and offer some excellent climbing at their grades. I suspected that we would have to take which ever one was open, considering how many climbers we saw, but both we untaken and so we jumped on The Error, it being the closer of the two.

Roy getting the rope ready for the climb

The Error was first climbed in 1952 and is rated 5.6, for many years it was not nearly as popular as it's neighbor, Sahara Terror. When I finally got around to climbing it the first time, I was in for quite a surprise, what it lacked in technical difficulty it more than made up for in other areas, such as exposure, route finding and challenging protection. I have thought ever since that it is one of the under appreciated climbs on the rock.

Looking up the climb from the base of the rock, climb heads up to the tree on the left skyline

The first 200 hundred feet consists of mostly easy scrambling up a gully to a little below a large roof. This gully is fairly wide and the left side is normally used to approach the Error, while more towards the right is taken to approach Sahara Terror. I stopped for the belay about 35 feet below a large roof which is the landmark feature of the climb.

Looking down the first pitch

Looking up at the roof from the first belay

There is a large ledge about 30 feet below the large roof, one can make a traverse right onto this ledge and then follow a crack to the roof. This has been the standard route for many years, but there is a large block of rock that has been sliding toward the edge of the ledge that is starting to look rather precarious. I opted to stay in the left corner and then go up to an undercling which took me over to the weakness in the roof. Since I knew from experience that there can be a tremendous amount of rope drag going over this roof, I set up a belay after a short pitch, just below the roof. I think Roy thought that I set up the belay at that location just so I'd have a softer landing in case I fell. No way, he's too bony.

Looking back at the traverse to the roof

Roy climbing up to the base of the roof

Looking up from the base of the roof

The weakness in the roof on the Error is about 30 feet right of the corner. There are more difficult ways to cross over the roof, but those weren't in our game plan for the day. The weakness has two options, separated by a flake of rock. I have climbed both sides of the flake over the years and have chosen the right side the last several times. I think the left side may be better protected, but the right side has some more positive holds. Going off the small ledge where the belay was set up, one grabs the top of a flake, kind of like grabbing the top of a door, only much more solid. Then you work your feet up till you can mantle on top of this flake. The handholds at this point in time become somewhat nebulous and balance becomes the paramount concern. Once you have fully stood up, you can reach some really good horizontal cracks that have great handholds as well as provide good protection. At this point the difficulties of the roof are finished and you move up into a steep corner.

Looking down from the rest at the top of the roof

The corner has beautiful white rock, very slick beautiful white rock. But what really adds to the fun at this point is the crack, or lack of one. There is a seam, which will take protection in very few places and that protection seems marginal at best. I decided I wanted to be little more confident, so I traversed left onto the edge of the corner.

Looking back at the traverse above the roof

The climbing was easier and better protected. It was also a little more "airy". I went on up to some steep sections of rock and started to work my way left. This climbing was enjoyable and soon I had run out of rope and set up the belay on another large ledge.

Looking up from the large ledge at the end of the third pitch

Roy belaying on the large ledge

The large tree on left was the belay at the top of the fourth pitch

I noticed at this time we were very close to the climbers that we had seen at the base of the North Buttress. We continued up another easy pitch and arrived at the prominent ledge at the top of the North Buttress. As summer is nearing the end and the days are getting shorter, our climb was in the shade all day long. We also had a fair amount of wind at times and on this ledge we came close to being chilled.

Several routes meet on this ledge and the climber I had spoken to at the base of the rock was setting up to belay his partner. We said "Hi" and I brought up Roy while he belayed up his partner. Once Roy arrived, I decided to climb up a steep corner that goes past a very unusual pine tree. It is growing out of a vertical crack and the trunk is horizontal at the beginning and then makes a 90 degree turn and is vertical like a normal tree. I thought it would be a good idea to climb this route so we wouldn't cross over the rope of the other party. We also would have run into a party of four who were on the Larks, so the finish would have been crowded. As I started to climb, the other party on the ledge asked if we knew which way their finish was. I said sure and pointed out the finish for the North Buttress route. The climber I had spoken to on the ground at that time told his partner that I had climbed the route two weeks ago and should know what I was talking about. Then his partner said they were climbing Lip Up Fatty (5.8) and that is finishes between the North Buttress finish and the finish we were climbing. I quickly admitted that their route was unknown to me and I didn't know which way they should go. I have to admit that I was a little embarrassed.

Looking down the fourth pitch

I continued up the steep corner and found the climbing to be delightful. I had first climbed it on a warm day, in full sun about 35 years ago and thought it pretty tough at the time, maybe about 5.8 or so. I couldn't believe how everything seemed to just flow for me on this pitch. I recalled having climbed it on another occasion and it seemed fairly reasonable at that time, but I was also climbing at a much higher level. When I reached some nice ledges I set up the belay and brought up Roy. As much as I had enjoyed this pitch, Roy disliked it. I suspect that the main reason was that is was a modified chimney pitch and Roy was climbing with a pack on. Some climbers love chimneys and some hate them, but no one likes them when having to climb with a pack on, so Roy suffered on that one. I'll have to arrange for him to climb it without the pack sometime so he can enjoy it too. Once back at home I checked my old guidebooks and found that this pitch is part of the Uneventful 5.5.

Looking down the chimney pitch (5)

Near the end of the chimney pitch

The next pitch was as much a scramble as a climb and it went quickly. Roy asked me if I thought I was soloing when he arrived at the belay, because I had placed so few pieces of protection. On this pitch I kept expecting to run into the climbers on Lip Up Fatty, but we never saw them again.

Roy on next to last pitch (6)

The last pitch (7) ended just past the tree

The last, or seventh pitch was another short one and again just a scramble, but Roy assured me that he didn't feel cheated, he had had a full days worth of climbing. I suspect the fact that he was breaking in a new pair of climbing shoes didn't help either.

I'm not sure if Roy was breaking in the shoes, or the shoes breaking Roy

Our finish was just below the true summit of Tahquitz, but we both said, "been there, done that" and we quickly packed up and hiked back down to the car.

View at the finish of the climb

Roy demonstrates how the rock hit the tree like a "machete"

After we left the East Gully we opted for the traditional descent that down climbs some exposed face and then drops into a gully with some tricky chimney down climbing. We decided that there was a reason for not using this route in the past few years and it's not because we don't leave our packs at the base of the climbs.

Desperate downclimb

Another good day for the old timers. Below is a video of the climb