suicide/tahquitz

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Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jun 28, 2007 - 01:11am PT

"To recommend Hairlip ou of all the routes there... That's pretty funny. LOL."

just seems weird since it is the first reply is all. I knew everyone would eventually consensus around other lines like Flower and Serpentine.

Throwing it out there because it was funky and aesthetic at the same time. Unusual in a way.

but hey, I'm a fungi. :)

reddirt

climber

Jun 28, 2007 - 01:15am PT

moooooan, fungi... that stupid joke is on one of the stupid test prep cd's I should be absorbed in right now. Busted again, munge, i know ; P

curlie

Trad climber

SLO, CA

Jun 28, 2007 - 02:07am PT

Too bad Tahquitz & Suicide are so far away from SLO...

I always liked Serpentine (5.9) at Suicide. Plus Razor's Edge is a nice 5.8. Delilah is...interesting as well (5.8 or 5.9 depending on the book you have). Flower of High Rank is great, one of those burly 5.9s.

Traitor Horn (5.8) at Tahquitz is the best! I had the pleasure of watching someone on it the first time I was there -- I knew I had to come back and lead it after I found out it was "only" 5.8! The rating on the Open Book always cracks me up -- the first and THE classic 5.9 -- with what I swear is a 5.10b opening boulder move!!! But that's just my opinion. A fine route, really. I'm glad Kris says the Long Climb isn't worth it. That means I don't have to go back and finish it. My partner and I ran out of time and routefinding skills one day and ended up finishing on some other 5.4....

PMS

climber

Woodland Park, CO

Jun 28, 2007 - 09:35am PT

Tahoe climber

Trad climber

a dark-green forester out west

Jun 28, 2007 - 10:47am PT

There was a good thread on this a while back - I don't have time to search it out, but it's good - worth printing!
-A

Todd Gordon

Trad climber

Joshua Tree, Cal

Jul 20, 2007 - 05:01pm PT

Slab climbing at Suicide.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jul 20, 2007 - 05:50pm PT

whoa, that pic makes me dizzy

Oli

Trad climber

Fruita, Colorado

Jul 20, 2007 - 06:52pm PT

Kev said,
"The Open Book is the first 5.9 ever put up."

Interestingly, 5.10 was put up before 5.9, when Harold Goodro climbed Goodro's Wall in Salt Lake City's Big Cottonwood Canyon, in 1949.

In 1951, Robbins did the first 5.9 in Yosemite, leading the Robbins Variation on Higher Cathedral Spire (although initially they didn't know how to rate it, and the rating came later).

In 1952, Robbins led the Open Book free, at 5.9 (in tennis shoes). At the time, the decimal system hadn't even been developed, and all these gradings came in after the fact.

I also think it's likely some wild European spirits such as Oliver Perry-Smith (American, living overseas) were doing 5.9 in the early 1900s in Dresden, for example, well before we started creating it here.

Todd Gordon

Trad climber

Joshua Tree, Cal

Jul 20, 2007 - 06:55pm PT

Open Book (5.9)

scuffy b

climber

The deck above the 5

Jul 20, 2007 - 09:06pm PT

Pat, I also read (but not on the internet) that a Whillans off-
width problem from the '50s is now rated 5.11d,
and that Berndt Arnold was climbing 5.12 in the 50s.
Think so?

to the OP, if you climb Open Book and Mechanic's Route, you
won't feel cheated. You could also throw in Traitor Horn.

looking sketchy there...

Social climber

Latitute 33

Jul 20, 2007 - 10:19pm PT

As Pat correctly points out, various individuals were climbing technically difficult ground long before the introduction of formal ratings systems. The Decimal System (now called the YDS) was not devised until 1955 or so.

However, it remains true that Open Book was one of a few climbs in the US of that difficulty in 1952 and was considered a significant climb at the time. Perhaps more impressive, was the 1937 ascent of Mechanics route (stout 5.8 R).

Like many areas, Tahquitz and Suicide have a rich history and free climbing tradition which had a profound influence on many succeeding generations of climbers.

Mimi

climber

Jul 20, 2007 - 11:38pm PT

Here's some history from Summit Oct. 1960 with William 'Dolt' Feuerer on Traitor Horn on the cover. Back when 5.8 was considered quite stout and 6.5 was a rating. Only one 5.9 (Consolation) is listed in the route descriptions along with several 6.5s.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Jul 21, 2007 - 12:13am PT

Wow!
A great historical artifact that!

The other change has been the ratings from Wilts original standards that were based on the relative difficulty of specific routes.

5.0 The Trough now 5.4
5.1 White Maiden now 5.4
5.2 Frightful Variation of the Trough Still 5.2 (this is probably the easiest climb on the rock)
5.3 East Lark now 5.5
5.4 Angel's Fright now 5.6
5.5 Left Ski Track Unchanged
5.6 Sahara Terror now 5.7
5.7 Finger Trip Unchanged (from now on up the scale no changes)
5.8 Mechanics Route. (I've done one hell of a lot of easier 9's)
5.9 Open Book (I've done a lot of easier 10a's)
5.10 Blank This one still doesn't get a lot of traffic and although each pitch's crux is more in the 9+ range every one demands widely different technique.

The only route that has changed has been Angel's Fright. A block came out in the early 70's at the upper crux that made it easier. Before that it had a tooth to surmount that made the upper pitch the crux. Then about a year later more stuff came off and the difficulty returned to about the original level. Other than that there's been no objective justification to changing the ratings.

The Swallow did use to be easier as there was a pebble in the crack you could use for your foot at the crux. It was 5.8 the way Mechanics is 5.8. but it wasn't 10a as now rated.

Todd Gordon

Trad climber

Joshua Tree, Cal

Jul 21, 2007 - 01:01am PT

K.Powell at Tahquitz....."Back in the day.".....

" Chuckles" Dave Bruckman on the Sunshine Face.

Piece pulled...ooops....Forest Lawn.......Suicide Rock