Trip Report
Tahquitz Ice Climbing
Saturday February 13, 2010 5:21pm
Edit: Thanks Kia for the motivation via the internet!

We got out this weekend (sunday) after seeing Kia's video and the ice was pretty killer. Thin in spots and nothing super thick, but it was a blast. We saw another team from the CalTech Alpine Club climbing the left side of the North Face and we climbed the right side. Everyone rapped off below the headwall, where the ice got real then and sketchy. We started pretty late in the day and finished the rap in the dark, but things couldn't have gone better! Oh, and it was my first time to ever ice climb, which made this all the more killer.

Tahquitz from the road
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Tahquitz (2010_02_07) from the road
Tahquitz (2010_02_07) from the road
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Slogging up the last bit of the approach. We approached via Lunch Rock since neither of us had done the north face approach before. It wasn't too bad since we followed other peoples' post holes
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Suicide Rock from Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Suicide Rock from Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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The Trough area. Looked cool and the guy at Nomad's said someone did it this last week
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The Trough area of Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
The Trough area of Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Ice!
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Ice on Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Ice on Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Tim leading off on the first pitch. We simuled about 200' then Tim belayed me up the next 200' where the ice was more suspect.
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Tim leading something on the North Face of Tahquitz
Tim leading something on the North Face of Tahquitz
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Tim above the first belay station
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Tim leading - Photo by Hamik from the route next to us
Tim leading - Photo by Hamik from the route next to us
Credit: Hamik
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Simuling under Tim while he pushes on up higher.
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simuling under tim - Photo by Hamik from the route next to us
simuling under tim - Photo by Hamik from the route next to us
Credit: Hamik
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Tim and I at a belay
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Getting ready to rap off the North Face, Tahquitz 2010_02_07
Getting ready to rap off the North Face, Tahquitz 2010_02_07
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Rapping off
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rapping off the North Face of Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
rapping off the North Face of Tahquitz (2010_02_07)
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Round 2! 2010_02_12 Bill Sherman, Hamik Mukelyan, Jordan Ramey

Great pics! Here are some more that I thought were pretty awesome too. Yesterday was a truly epic day of climbing in an amazing location!

This video of Hamik belaying Bill on the last pitch is hilarious. It was a constant snowstorm that Bill was unleashing as he ended the pitch wading through the deep loose snow covered in a thin layer of ice. I was 100% sheltered a few feet further left under a bulge, so I got to document the misery ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=364xygXzIHk


We soloed the right facing dihedral. This pic shows the steepness pretty well. It was incredibly solid, even the little bulge about halfway up.
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Showing how steep the first pitch was.  We climbed the right facing di...
Showing how steep the first pitch was. We climbed the right facing dihedral in the right of the pic.
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Hamik leading the 3rd pitch to put us at the base of the waterfall ice!
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Hamik leading the 3rd pitch.
Hamik leading the 3rd pitch.
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Waterfall ICE!
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So much ICE!
So much ICE!
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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What are the screaming barfies? Well, I can begin to describe them now. Apparently my "womens" gloves I had bought the night before coupled with my gumby bashing knuckle skills gave me a quick education in pain!
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What are the screaming barfies?  Well, I got a taste.  Apparently my "...
What are the screaming barfies? Well, I got a taste. Apparently my "womens" gloves I had bought the night before coupled with my gumby bashing knuckle skills gave me a quick education
Credit: Bill Sherman
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Bill leading the crux pitch. This was definitely a blast to follow!
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Bill looking gnarly leading the 4th (crux) pitch.  The ice for...
Bill looking gnarly leading the 4th (crux) pitch. The ice for the feet was THIN here on this first move, but the rest of the pitch was stellar!
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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We topped out near this tree then followed the ridge up to the summit to sign the register. Last signature was from November 2009!
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Bill's the serious one   ;&#41; <br/>
Topping out the North Face &#40;2010_02_12&#41;
Bill's the serious one ;)
Topping out the North Face (2010_02_12)
Credit: Jordan Ramey
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Jordan Ramey
About the Author
Jordan Ramey is a big wall climber from South Pasadena, CA.

Comments
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
  Feb 9, 2010 - 02:45am PT
Very rad! Thanks for posting this. The best shots I've seen yet of full winter conditions on Tahquitz, you did a great job (and, yeah, the climbing too was badass!)
rhyang

climber
SJC
  Feb 9, 2010 - 10:38am PT
Nice shots !
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Feb 9, 2010 - 11:05am PT
excellent adventure! Way to get after it. Thanks.
Paulina

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Feb 15, 2010 - 11:23am PT
Looking rad! Thanks for sharing.
Ken

Trad climber
Arroyo Grande
  Feb 24, 2010 - 03:46pm PT
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/ken_klis/105802097
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Nov 15, 2011 - 12:19am PT
How is the ice in Tahquitz?
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Mar 7, 2015 - 02:54pm PT
Because it looks bitchen bump

Relay, Guy, check it out!!!
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Mar 7, 2015 - 07:53pm PT
J Smith would be proud...thanks for the bump.
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