Early history of Tahquitz

Guy Keeseewrote:

Angles Fright .... the aid and the pins (not original ones I’m sure) are on P2 - getting out of the alcove, up the overhang. Those old-timers taught me well. P1 is very short- you do the OW with the chalk stone and stop on that ledge and belay. P2- climb the steep part using pins for pro and get into the V-shape groove, continue climbing up that till you get to the cracks at its end and use them to gain the ledge .

Are you sure the aid wasn't higher up? The newsletter that JT posted says the climb is "a small, steep trough, which leads with direct aid over an awkward overhang and connects with the Fingertip Traverse." This sounds to me like they aided the 5.6 headwall near the top of P3, before the fourth-class stuff that leads to Lunch Ledge.

The Bookseller's Route is Mechanic's Route! Now I'm wondering when/why it changed names! Bookseller's makes more sense since Glen had the bookshop at the time.

I agree with Ben's interpretation of the aid maneuvers on Angels' Fright. The steep moves off the ledge on traditional P2 are harder, but the overhang on P3 is more intimidating, eh? Especially when you already FA'd Piton Pooper the same day!

Guy the notes about Glen's life sure are amazing. One of the best things about rock climbing is the connection it provides us to those adventurous spirits , who are closer to us than we realize! 

Interesting that Idyllwild had a swimming pool in the 1930s and none now. I always thought the only thing really missing there was a good place to take a swim after climbing on a summer day.

Andrew Ricewrote:

Interesting that Idyllwild had a swimming pool in the 1930s and none now. I always thought the only thing really missing there was a good place to take a swim after climbing on a summer day.

The swimming hole is locals only.

That short article is packed full of interesting tidbits. The first paragraph is essentially an ode to local climbing. As someone who also enjoys tooling around "in the backyard by the incinerator" I can appreciate the author's perspective.

We all know Joshua Tree has the chasm of doom, but have you tried the Tahquitz slip and slide down the Colorado River Aqueduct? Author says it goes under the mountain?

Ben Crowellwrote:

Are you sure the aid wasn't higher up? The newsletter that JT posted says the climb is "a small, steep trough, which leads with direct aid over an awkward overhang and connects with the Fingertip Traverse." This sounds to me like they aided the 5.6 headwall near the top of P3, before the fourth-class stuff that leads to Lunch Ledge.

That too..... When I first climbed the root in 1973 with Mark he had me lead P2 (starting in the alcove). He told me it was originally AID climbed and had me clip into them for protection. He said they Aid climbed at the top of the “v” groove and probably higher. He also told me that “wherever they could get a good pin in they Aid climbed” Remember in those days there were only thin pins - nothing big- so climbs followed thin cracks.
This is good discussion. I need to get back and do these classic climbs.  

Tradibanwrote:

The swimming hole is locals only.

Do you ever grow tired of parroting the same tired old line?

Guy Keeseewrote:

Do you ever grow tired of parroting the same tired old line?

No. 

But your MP history lesson is that Burchy was the OG "Locals Only" guy, I just thought it was funny so I carry on the legend. 

Guy Keeseewrote:

When I started out- back in the dark ages- I was lucky enough to climb with people like Mark Powell, Mike Dent, Joe Fitchen (sp?) and Bob Kamps. All of those guys knew Glen via the RCS and always spoke very highly about him, the Mendenhall’s and the newcomer Chuck Wilts.
 

Guy, that's incredible.  Occasionally I'd see someone from the older gen, but it was usually someone just hanging out, like TM Herbert in the cafeteria (or Kamps of course at Stoney).  What a privilege to have roped up with that crowd.  

I'm not really into the history of it all but I do enjoy imagining dudes pulling the hard moves in walking shoes, Mechanics (Bookseller) comes to mind. And Chingadera in 67'?!! Cool.

Guy Keeseewrote:

I think Glen inspired several generations of climbers. When I started out- back in the dark ages- I was lucky enough to climb with people like Mark Powell, Mike Dent, Joe Fitchen (sp?) and Bob Kamps. All of those guys knew Glen via the RCS and always spoke very highly about him, the Mendenhall’s and the newcomer Chuck Wilts.
Glens photo collection... some amazing ones to be found. There is one where Glen is 3 Years old, sitting in his hi-chair eating breakfast, and John Muir is sitting next to him! I tell you that made me realize that it has not been that long ago when all this (outdoor enjoyment) started and how we are connected to it.
Glen showed me his Sierra Club Membership Card- he was #12.

Awesome about you climbing with some of those rock masters.  What struck me about Glen is that he was in his mid-80s (or thereabouts) when I met him, but he he was so boyish and healthy that he seemed 60!  

Agreed, we aren't that removed from the first generation that scaled the Sierras.  Awesome hearing about Glen's membership card being #12.  Is John Muir's #1?  

Tradibanwrote:

The swimming hole is locals only.

Notice I said, "good place to take a swim." I know the wet spots down the hill.

Did someone say, wet spot ? Check out the 2nd half of this vid for some more ultra-cool SanJ history: Colorado River Aqueduct tour

Some real cowboy sh!t building that wonder. An incredible feat of engineering ..... I wanted to follow up on that since the 1938 bulletin article I posted upthread mentioned a water tunnel running beneath the mountain!

Back on the climbing history. I'm told that SCMA, the modern-day incarnation of the original RCS, has the Mugelnoos newsletters all archived nice. I'm gonna avoid posting much to avoid stepping on their toes. The letters are focused more on the business of the section but yield some interesting climbing insights and even a few charming animated comics! 

Eagle Rock and Devil's Gate Dam are mentioned as the training areas. <-- By the way, where are these spots, anybody know?? Every year the group planned organized teaching sessions in these areas, which led to outings in the Sierra for the summer. Whitney's east side and the Cathedral Spires in Yosemite were the early hot destination climbs. 

Can't help showing an example of a comic!

jt newgardwrote:

Did someone say, wet spot ? Check out the 2nd half of this vid for some more ultra-cool SanJ history: Colorado River Aqueduct tour

Some real cowboy sh!t building that wonder. An incredible feat of engineering ..... I wanted to follow up on that since the 1938 bulletin article I posted upthread mentioned a water tunnel running beneath the mountain!

This reminded me of a very cool experience years ago. A friend of mine was the dam keeper at Juncal Dam, which is across the Santa Ynez mountains from Montecito, near Santa Barbara. One day I was hanging out up there and he said, "Hey, let's go walk through the mountain."  We climbed up to a steel grate gate and he unlocked a padlock to reveal a tunnel just wide enough that you could walk with your arms out and fingertips would graze the edges. And tall enough that my 6'4" friend could stand upright. We walked into the darkness in ankle deep water with the light receding behind us. Then it grew dark for a few minutes and a pinprick of light appeared ahead. We walked toward it until it grew and became another gate. My friend unlocked that gate and we were standing on the mountains just above Montecito. We enjoyed the ocean breeze and view for a few minutes and then walked back to Juncal. 

jt newgard

I have all the Mugelnoos from 1950 to present ( I edited the newsletter part time in the late 70s and 80s after Ruth Mendenhall, the original editor, left LA for the Pacific NW) and all the SCMA Cliff Notes from the club's start in 1986 to 2005. Unfortunately, it is all in boxes and unsorted. One of these days I will scan it all, but what a work...If you might be looking for something specifically, let me know.

jt newgardwrote:

Back on the climbing history. I'm told that SCMA, the modern-day incarnation of the original RCS

FWIW In ~1985 the the Sierra Club ended their RCS activities after an incident. I can not remember what it was. From that came the Southern California Mtneering Ass. SCMA (aka Sierra Club My Ass) that organized outings and taught basic skills at locations like Stoney Point, JT, and others. https://rockclimbing.org/index.php/about-the-scma

Alois and I were around when SCMA was formed.

Alois Smrzwrote:

jt newgard

I have all the Mugelnoos from 1950 to present ( I edited the newsletter part time in the late 70s and 80s after Ruth Mendenhall, the original editor, left LA for the Pacific NW) and all the SCMA Cliff Notes from the club's start in 1986 to 2005. Unfortunately, it is all in boxes and unsorted. One of these days I will scan it all, but what a work...If you might be looking for something specifically, let me know.

Are you still with the SCMA?

As a newer member (well, embryonic member, my rock climbing safety climbing course was COVID-interrupted), I'd love to be able to browse the early SCMA cliff-notes one day.

James Jen

No, I left the club in 2005. 

James Jenwrote:

As a newer member (well, embryonic member, my rock climbing safety climbing course was COVID-interrupted), I'd love to be able to browse the early SCMA cliff-notes one day.

I am in process of joining (also covid affected). I have climbed here and there with sCMA people for almost 20 yrs, so I figured it’s about time I join. Hoping to get partners for Sierra alpine climbs. I will you let know if I get in.
david