Pitch #1 (5.9) - Start approx 8 feet right of the Northeast Face (West) route, near a large pine. Climb the slab to the small left facing flake system (small pro, mostly nuts). As the flake runs out, move out onto a seam that trends slightly left and up. The first bolt is encountered 12 feet up past the top of the flake system. A green Alien works nicely at the top of the flake before casting off onto the seam. Follow out onto an open slab, passing three other bolts along the way. After the last bolt, climb to the roof and traverse right a few feet to a dead tree, with an angle iron piton just left of its roots. Usually, there are slings connecting both the piton and the tree.
Pitch #2 (5.8) - From the dead tree, head straight up to a short, shallow right facing corner (thin nuts or small cams). Near the top of this corner, the first bolt is encountered. Continue up and right, passing three more bolts along the way. The terrain offers up beautiful slab climbing on rounded small dishes and edges. After the 4th bolt, one will run into a left facing corner/crack that leads up to a roof. Just before reaching the roof, step out right and over to a small foot ledge, just below the start of a seam/crack. Belay here (good pro to 1/2")
Pitch #3 (5.8R) - Head up a small crack (takes RP's, sizes #4 and below) for 30 feet before it turns into a seam. This seam opens up in a few spots (mainly on the first 1/3 of the route) but eventually closes up, making for some runout climbing 1/2 way and beyond. Continue up the seam until it "zig zag's" up and right to a left facing corner that slants up and left (good pro in the corner...up to 3/4"). Follow the corner to a jagged roof. There is a tree to the far left, near the roof. Traverse the roof to the left and down to the tree. Be sure to protect the second for this traverse. The second may have to down climb on lead to making it to the tree (slings with rap ring).
Rappel down the NE FAce (West) route. Can be rapped with a single 60m. The first rappel requires one to rap to the far left corner, with slings around a beefy bush. Rap off this to a pine tree (40 feet). From the pine tree, rap to the 1st pitch belay (dead tree and piton). One more rap to the corner of the NE Face, West, (slings wrapped around large horn/attached block), then a short rap to the base.
Location
This route is located on the North Face of Tahquitz, approx. 75 feet left of 'Hard Lark' (5.7) and 8-10 feet right of the Northeast Face (West) (5.6), on top of a ledge, in front of a large pine tree.
Protection
- Pro to 1", mostly small though (nuts, small TCU's and Aliens helpful) - Quickdraws and slings with carabiners - 60 meter rope - Slings (in case slings have been removed from the trees)
I climbed this in Sept. of 2007. I thought the first pitch was great, and well protected. The tree at the 1st belay was dead and somewhat loose. I believe there was also a fixed piton involved that was not so great. It's not a deal breaker, but it's good to keep in mind.
The two upper pitches were good, the seam on the 3rd pitch did not look like it would take much pro, and I traversed left to a shallow flake/corner for about 1/3 of the pitch. Near the top, I moved back to the original line. This 5.8 pitch is a bit R in places, but not very difficult.
Rather than rap to the loose belay tree, at the bottom of the second rap, we rapped to the far left, to a tiny tree in the middle of the face, to the left and above the 2nd bolt of Science Friction (100' rap), and then to the top of the 3rd class section of Grace Slick.
Fun route with some great slab and thin crack climbing. I felt the moves getting to the first bolt on P1 were a bit run out. I didn't see any gear options in the seam, even if I'd had the #2 lowe ball that the guidebook mentions. Having started at the base below the ledge with the big tree, I elected to traverse right 10' to Toe Biased just before the second bolt to belay from the good ledge there. I then linked the rest of P1 with most of P2 to belay in the corner about 15' before joining Toe Biased (med cams). The final three bolts on P2 are small compression bolts (1/4"? maybe 5/16"?) and although they're not that old, they're not the most confidence inspiring. The third pitch is relatively easy and I found the protection a bit tricky, but reasonable. From the top of P3, we wandered up whatever looked fun between the NE Face routes and the Larks.
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