The Idyllwild Micro Trip Report Summer Climbing Thread

How about a thread where we just talk about climbing?

Yesterday I took a vacation day off work and went climbing in Idy with my friend who is going overseas the rest of summer. No time, gotta climb. When you drive from Santa Monica on a weekday, there is no traffic because you reverse the commute both ways. I know the traffic makes climbing here very miserable as we all know from the other thread.

We had a magnificent time getting pooped on by super pooper. I was WORKING to get that crux pitch redpointed and was (debatably) just as tired afterward as I was on top of positive vibes last weekend (no honestly I'm being serious). I overcrimped the crux and my ring finger is a lil tweaky today. Credit to Bob Kamps, he is a better climber than you are, and styled this pitch at 5.9 in mountain boots.

The high in town was 86F yesterday. Summer is here people. The season of waking up early and climbing one route in the morning, then bailing to town to grab some cool drinks. There was only one other party on the rock yesterday. I think they did Jamcrack, although I've never done that first pitch, just done Dave's like a million times. It looked great, I could see those boys doing hand jams, around a mini roof pull. Excellent. I was gonna yell at them but decided against it so as to leave no trace to the serene soundscape pervading our happy little rock, punctuated by falcon screech and the highly agile flits and chirps of one exuberant swifty bird, sporting brilliant green plumage.

As per usual, I walked down the friction descent barefoot. However, it was so warm over there I burnt my feet and now I have blisters on my feet, but am happy to report, the skin flaps are holding up nicely back at work today. Owing to this slight, I will deduct one star from my current review of Tahquitz Rock.

So what are y'all up to? See ya on the rocks!

Just dropping in to say I love the stoke of your post dude. I'll probably be there again this Sunday, not sure what I'm climbing yet. I did The Long Climb a few weeks ago and that was a great time

thanks Chris, much appreciated! I recall trying (and failing) to squeeze into the mummy crack with 20 lbs of gear on my harness, approach shoes, probably a backpack ... you live and you learn lol

In that grade range I would consider Dave's/Jamcrack into Piton Pooper and Upper Royal's topout. Guaranteed to blow your doors off   

A few days back, I drove up to Black Mountain road. Not really a boulderer, but Future Direct caught my eye. Loaded up the pad, chugged my way up the road, and wandered through the woods until I found it. One look and I knew it wasn't happening. The topout was taller than I willing to do solo, though that was a non-issue as I didn't get anywhere near topping out. I need to get back at some point with some more pads and spotters. 

I found some other problems in the guidebook that were pretty fun that I could actually do. I ended up getting up the easy problem to the right of boneheads and then spent twenty minutes summoning the courage to get down. I think I'm better with a rope.

The session ended with me wandering around Velvet Ridge looking for a handcrack problem. No luck.

Speaking of roads, how is South Ridge? Is it open? Can you drive up rn?

JT, that's crazy about Super Pooper! I was just thinking about that route the other day. Pretty sustained. I remember getting stuck on a cupped-hand jam that felt pretty insecure near the end of that pitch. Didn't want to blow it! 

Have you done the price of fear? I haven't, but I've been thinking about it. 

S ridge is fine. Still very muddy just before parking area 6/8/24

jt newgardwrote:

thanks Chris, much appreciated! I recall trying (and failing) to squeeze into the mummy crack with 20 lbs of gear on my harness, approach shoes, probably a backpack ... you live and you learn lol

In that grade range I would consider Dave's/Jamcrack into Piton Pooper and Upper Royal's topout. Guaranteed to blow your doors off   

haha yeah that's a tough pitch to make work if you keep a pack on, or at least getting established in the OW before you can layback the upper parts using the inside cracks. I took the advice of a commenter on the MP page for the Long Climb who said to drop a loop and haul up packs after you lead the mummy crack. I led that pitch, dropped a loop to my partner and used a microtrax for a simple 1:1 haul of a very light pack so my partner could follow without a pack on. Highly recommend doing that - the rope dropped right above the start of P2 and it's pretty vertical so there was minimal change of the rope getting stuck

Sean Sullivanwrote:

JT, that's crazy about Super Pooper! I was just thinking about that route the other day. Pretty sustained. I remember getting stuck on a cupped-hand jam that felt pretty insecure near the end of that pitch. Didn't want to blow it! 

Have you done the price of fear? I haven't, but I've been thinking about it. 

Hey Sean, yes! The v-slot flare at the end of that pitch is gnar. At one point I called to my belayer, "I'm losin it" with the humble acceptance of defeat. lol. I wedged my body in the slot, de-pumped and finished it off. It's a very yin and yang kind of experience after the sporty, elegant crux sequence. Yes I have done price of fear and the original finish up and left. I recommend trying both as they each have their merits. Price of Fear is way exposed and awesome, harder moves, more bolts, prob safer for that reason. It was kinda sweaty last Tuesday so we opted for easier moves on the original finish. A couple unprotected 5.4 slab moves right at the very end, thought it was pretty aiight. Then we read the comments afterward and everyone was talking like it was a horror show. Good for a chuckle!

Chris, yes, treating your follower well is an underappreciated skill I think. I am guilty of handing the pack off to my partner to try and thrutch up wide pitches. Very rewarding when you can put some "advanced techniques" to good use! Just be sure to declare, "These are advanced techniques" before deploying ;)

Climbed Whodunit on Sunday and my partner and I were the only people on it all day which was a surprise! At the same time, I wouldn't want to climb below a party on that route because there are some serious death blocks high up on the route (top of P6 belay in particular). Really good day out though, despite the heat I didn't feel uncomfortable at all on route. The descent sucked in the heat but still not that bad for ~80 degrees.

Whodunit is sustained throughout and I'd say you want to be very confident at Tahquitz/Suicide 5.9 before getting on it. I finally got to whip on my BD #0 cam which absolutely made my day - peeled off on the P1 slab crux before figuring out the right sequence. Sent the chimney crux pitch clean which was a blast, led all pitches other than P2. Really fun day out there and it was awesome to tick such a classic route. 

That's good to know, Chris. I've been trying to work up the nerve to get on Whodunit, but maybe I'll take some more time to dial in 5.9. I've also been eyeing Flower of High Rank on Suicide Rock, so maybe I'll start there first. 

Randy Zzyzxwrote:

That's good to know, Chris. I've been trying to work up the nerve to get on Whodunit, but maybe I'll take some more time to dial in 5.9. I've also been eyeing Flower of High Rank on Suicide Rock, so maybe I'll start there first. 

Flower is way harder than Whodunit (imo). If you’re not confident on the finger crack at the bottom, make sure you have your belayer belay from the top of the gully! I’ve seen two people bonk their ankles falling off the finger crack into that gully with their belayer way down on the ground

Randy Zzyzxwrote:

That's good to know, Chris. I've been trying to work up the nerve to get on Whodunit, but maybe I'll take some more time to dial in 5.9. I've also been eyeing Flower of High Rank on Suicide Rock, so maybe I'll start there first. 

For sure, I'd see how other 9's feel and then gauge it from there because even though it's more 5.8 pitches than 5.9, there are several 5.8 pitches with some spicy moves on them. Nothing felt like a gimme until the second half of the last pitch. 

Nothing to be intimidated by, just a matter of "will I have a good time, or will this be an all day beat down?" haha

Pugnacious Slabwrote:

Flower is way harder than Whodunit (imo). If you’re not confident on the finger crack at the bottom, make sure you have your belayer belay from the top of the gully! I’ve seen two people bonk their ankles falling off the finger crack into that gully with their belayer way down on the ground

was also going to say flower is way harder than whodunit. flower is a sick sick route.

Y'all are leading quite a bit harder than me, but I hit up White Maiden's Walkway on Sunday.  I have climbed it twice before and every time we've done a different combination of pitches.  I love that it can feel like a completely different climb every time.  Followed the amazing alternate P2 handcrack, lead the money pitch with the step around (so much fun!), and finally worked up the nerve to lead the 5.7 direct finish.  Definitely the hardest thing I've lead so far.  As someone who is breaking into 5.7 in that area though, it was a nice confidence boost.  Thinking of Fingertrip next. El Whampo is also definitely on the list.  Curious what people might suggest for a starter 5.7.  

White Maidens is so good! You know it's going to be fun when the guidebook uses words like "improbable" and "doubtful". I think it (or maybe fingertip) is the best of the easy routes. The Trough is garbage. (I said it.)

I think Fingertrip is a good 5.7 starter for the area with easier route finding and bail options than El Whampo, though there is a fair amount of jamming (if that isn't your jam...see what I did there? ). El Whampo feels more adventurous, even just getting there. If you do that one, though, make sure you get the hand crack! So sick!

'Garbage'. 

Meh.

Got on the Price of Fear. True to the name I almost didn't as the traverse in was pretty intimidating! Not hard but scary, and the lichen at this point makes the route feel less well-traveled than the normal finish. Past that, that crack on the arete just before the bolts is truly spectacular. The bolted face is pretty doable and tightly bolted, not like that Grace Slick nightmare that I took that huge fall on a few weeks prior. Price of Fear has a heady runout at the top but the difficulty eases a ton at that point. 

Having done the entire route now, I'd argue that the jam move on Super Pooper right above the face move is the hardest single move. I did the face relatively easy (though I did stop halfway through to place some wires, even though I'd told myself before that I wouldn't do that as the position is pretty strenuous), but it took me a good long while to figure out this jam. I nearly gave up and stepped in a sling, but eventually thrutched my way up. I figured it was a hand size and reach issue, but my taller partner with larger mitts also struggled. I wrote down my beta for next time. We'll see how that goes! 

A final question for debate: Which is harder? Super Pooper or the Step? My partner and I were in agreement that the Step has harder moves (the roof pull and the Step/mantle move) but Super Pooper is more physical and sustained. Where do you stand? 

PS- Ferrying my daughter to camp this week, so I'm climbing vicariously through the internet.

Sean Sullivanwrote:

White Maidens is so good! You know it's going to be fun when the guidebook uses words like "improbable" and "doubtful". I think it (or maybe fingertip) is the best of the easy routes. The Trough is garbage. (I said it.)

I think Fingertrip is a good 5.7 starter for the area with easier route finding and bail options than El Whampo, though there is a fair amount of jamming (if that isn't your jam...see what I did there? ). El Whampo feels more adventurous, even just getting there. If you do that one, though, make sure you get the hand crack! So sick!

I do love 'doubtful corner' on WMW.  It's not that difficult, but you do feel like a boss leading it with the exposure haha.  I have followed Fingertrip before and my goal for this season has been to lead it, but the roof section has always intimidated me.  After doing the awkward af WMW 5.7 finish though I feel like it's probably within my abilities.  Something I followed this season that I also really want to try my hand at leading is Coffin Nail > P3 Jensen's Jaunt > Angel's Fright lieback finish.I feel like that really puts together some interesting fun pitches (for someone who is currently scared of the classic Traitor Horn link up haha).

Fingertrip is straight forward with pitch 1 and 3 being more sustained 5.7 climbing and very little route finding. El Whampo on the other hand is more adventurous but easier climbing, pitch 2 will required decent crack climbing technique. Everyone seems to have a different experience on El Whampo above the third pitch.

I'd also look into the Northeast Face West route. We got on it after seeing a line for El Whampo, it was a wild ride. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it used to be 5.6 and looks like it's been upped to 5.7. As someone posted in the comments, if this route had a better name it would be a lot popular.

I kind of agree with The Trough sentiment, but also, fresh beginners gotta start somewhere. 

It took me a few minutes to articulate why the characterization of The Trough as 'garbage' struck me poorly. Virtually any route on Tahquitz or Suicide have histories to them that outdate almost anyone who posts here on MP- this includes The Trough, especially, as it was probably the first route ever climbed on Tahquitz (1936, I believe), using equipment of that time that would be horrifying to modern climbers. Very bold stuff for the era.

Climbing skill and equipment has changed immensely in the last hundred years- to my eye, making qualitative comparison statements of routes from a very different era really only highlights the ignorance (I said it) of those who make those statements. Surely there are more respectful, accurate ways to describe a route.