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El Grandote

5.9, Trad, 800 ft (242 m), 5 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 2.5 from 32 votes
FA: Yvon Chouinard and Harry Daley, 1961
California > Tahquitz & Suic… > Tahquitz Rock > (b) N Face

Description

A varied excursion up an obvious line.

P1 starts in an obvious right facing dihedral under a large roof. Exit the dihedral left before reaching the roof then move back right in to crack. Finish on a nice belay ledge to the left with a small tree.

P2 From the small tree move down the ledge a bit and then up a right to nice right facing flake. Or head up the short right facing corner above the tree with a stuck hex and piton in it and make some dicey slab moves over to the flake on the right. Trend right until right below a notch in the roof. I set up a awkward belay literally sitting on a bush.

P3 Head up through the notch and continue on easy ground (intersecting El Whampo) to another belay below a roof.

P4 Exit left through the roof or right up a short slab.

P5 Easy climbing to the shoulder. Climb up a bit on the shoulder to gain an exit into the decent gully.

Location

Obvious right facing corner into large roof directly left of El Whampo.

Protection

Pro to 3".

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Getting back into the nice hand/finger crack at roof level
[Hide Photo] Getting back into the nice hand/finger crack at roof level
The big dihedral and roof that form the first pitch.
[Hide Photo] The big dihedral and roof that form the first pitch.
Looking up at the second and third pitches. I began the pitch just right, then moved up and left to a lieback flake with a fixed pin and hex. Then I moved back right and up. I moved over the big roof system at the most obvious break visible at the center of the image.
[Hide Photo] Looking up at the second and third pitches. I began the pitch just right, then moved up and left to a lieback flake with a fixed pin and hex. Then I moved back right and up. I moved over the big ro…
Nathan Fitzhugh at the start of El Grandote. Does not appear to get much traffic but is a fun climb.
[Hide Photo] Nathan Fitzhugh at the start of El Grandote. Does not appear to get much traffic but is a fun climb.
Z Man leading 1st pitch Crux
[Hide Photo] Z Man leading 1st pitch Crux

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Stormeh
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Did the first pitch of this before bailing to El Whampo due to being stuck behind a slow party. I thought the rock quality was quite poor for the stars this route had received, although the moves were ok I guess. Sep 29, 2015
Tradiban
  5.9
[Hide Comment] How can you comment on quality if you only climbed the first pitch? Oct 8, 2015
Ryan Strickland
Idyllwild, CA
  5.9 PG13
[Hide Comment] I thought this was a full-value 5.9 for Idyllwild. Route-finding was a challenge on every pitch. Every pitch until you get over the roof a few hundred feet up was challenging and probably 5.9. There were frequent "better not fall" areas on every pitch, but nothing too crazy. Overall, I enjoyed the route and would recommend it. Make sure you're solid on 5.9 and be prepared to take your time finding the best route up, because there are often many good looking options that may or may not work out well, depending on your ability. I carried doubles from BD .5-3, some thin cams, nuts, lots of long runners, and it felt appropriate. I'm not aching to get on this one again, but it deserves more traffic than it appears to get. Definitely a high quality route with an alpine feel. Oct 10, 2015
Nick Thurston
  5.9 PG13
[Hide Comment] Climbed this today. I agree with Ryan that it is pretty full value. Second pitch especially seems to see a lot of people getting off route, although I'd wonder if this route has a truly defined line to get off route on. The second pitch has a few pretty heads up moments, demanding confident movement pretty high above the gear. You'll definitely want to bring lots of slings for this route. I used them all on almost every pitch (I had six or seven, I believe). Wouldn't call this a classic, but worth getting on none the less. Jun 13, 2016
[Hide Comment] 1st pitch is fantastic adrenaline stuff and 2nd starts off a touch left of belay with a couple commiting moves to get started in the thin dihedral cracks..Warning : Loose lichen /choss on the section under the roofs ... Aug 6, 2016
Matt Meyers
San Diego, CA
  5.9
[Hide Comment] A fun first pitch with great gear. The second and third pitches had some route finding difficulties, but the rock is good and the gear is decent. Jun 3, 2018
Tom Botterill
  5.9 PG13
[Hide Comment] Rock quality is good. Nice on a hot afternoon - gets some morning sun but in the shade by noon (early September) Sep 7, 2020
Brandon Marshal
Victor, ID
  5.9-
[Hide Comment] First pitch felt soft for 5.9, but as quite fun. Couldn't figure the second pitch out, and ended up traversing to El Whampo. Would be nice to have some better beta. Nov 15, 2025