Question about Tahquitz/Suicide

Thanks for the info Tim! Want to climb tomorrow?!

Goshdamnitalltoheck!!! What is wrong with you people! The place is totally unclimbable!! I said so... musta missed you the other day... was out looking for idots to chase off the hill, and had to do a climb or two just to make sure the rock's not broken... gate is locked and the glacier advanced. Go to red rocks, or Jtree. Much better spots anyways, even without the advancing glacier...

Tim FromMaine wrote:

Mid-July Conditions...in March (snow drifts exist at the base) 3-14-19

It gets a little worse than this...but not much. 3-14-19

Friction Descent 3-14-2019

From Humber 3-14-2019

Lots of dry rock folks, south faces are looking grand. Come on up and get some (via Palm Desert or Anza way) Show some love to local businesses, be a good steward and get after it!

What part of tahquitz and suicide rock are locals only do you not understand?

Tradiban wrote: Thanks for the info Tim! Want to climb tomorrow?!

Leave some stone for us!

I have been climbing at Taquitz and Suicide for 45 years now. Lived there off and on during that period. Conservatively I’ve logged over a 1000 days of climbing there. Yes there can be loose rock once in a while primarily with the spring thaw, but overall the place is Way Solid. A good habit to get into in any climbing area is to pick a route that has no one on it.  Don’t climb immediately below another party.. be Flexible. Have plan B and C if a party is already on your first choice. Another suggestion, especially in Spring after the freeze thaw that can transform an attached flake into a detached flake. Gently test each flake before you yard on it.. now if you are in the mountains forced to climb a loose pitch and you have the option climb slightly diagonal to your belayer. Do so. That way if you do go surfing on A loose rock You reduce the odds of taking out your belayer or chopping your line. Loose rock is a part of climbing.  Stay awake as you move.  Wideawake..

Super windy and cold today.

Tradiban wrote: Super windy and cold today.

Even on South-facing stuff? I think you've gone soft since the injury my friend...

Thomas Claiborne wrote:

Even on South-facing stuff? I think you've gone soft since the injury my friend...

No way. We would have suffered hard today.

Tradiban wrote:

No way. We would have suffered hard today.

I'll make sure to leave a stick-clip up at Humber for ya.

Just did Tah approach. Very doable for a local, non-locals best stay at Riverside Quarry.

Little windy today but prime condition in the sun.

West Face

Tradiban wrote: Just did Tah approach. Very doable for a local, non-locals best stay at Riverside Quarry.

Little windy today but prime condition in the sun.

West Face

Did you hike the Suicide approach too?  If so, how does it look?

Greg Kommel wrote:

Did you hike the Suicide approach too?  If so, how does it look?

I didn't but I can guarantee it's better than the Tah approach, much more sun that way.

Tradiban wrote:

I didn't but I can guarantee it's better than the Tah approach, much more sun that way.

Blogging live from Suicide!

As predicted, easier approach than Tah right now. Base of climbs has snow but routes are accessible.

Non-locals will need boots, gaiters, ice axes, gps sos device, bear spray, first aid kit, 50spf sunscreen, two helmets and belief in God to make it to the climbs. Locals will be fine in running shoes and a t-shirt.

I have witnessed rockfalls at T that happened with no climbers around. On one very hot spring day, we all herd a loud “pop” and watched some coffin sized blocks bombard the belay spots on Finger Trip. This was on a Tuesday, if on a Saturday there would have been dead bodies.
Treat the place like Alpine... never climb or hang below others... sit below solid objects. Look at the trees for tell tale impact scars as well as the the base of cliffs. Don’t hang out in the nice open areas .... these are created by rockfall, don’t be there when it happens next.
Have fun 

Rockfall can occur at anytime of year at T. That’s a fact. Though Today with the tremendous increase in shear numbers  of climbers. The leading cause of  rockfall is without question a climber. Any guess as to how many climbers are found on Tahquitz Saturdays and Sundays in good weather? I have witnessed 3 and 4 partys on a single climb more than once in the last few years. Whenever given a choice I climb during the week. 

In fact only in the winter will I climb there on a weekend.  

Fresh snow up near Humber, maybe a light inch. Shouldn't effect sunny climbing.

I'll be up at tahquitz and suicide and give a new conditions report at the end of the weekend. Should be splitter!

Thomas Claiborne wrote: I'll be up at tahquitz and suicide and give a new conditions report at the end of the weekend. Should be splitter!

Oh, it's been splitter brahjirahji!!! You've already missed some of the best conditions of 2019!!! 

x15x15 wrote:

Oh, it's been splitter brahjirahji!!! You've already missed some of the best conditions of 2019!!! 

It's going to be a skies out thighs out kind of weekend. Yip yip!