Traitor Horn (5.8; four pitches) Tahquitz Rock, Idyllwild, California

Pitch three traverses to the “true horn.” Two museum-quality pins — the route’s only fixed gear — protect the moves to the horn/arête. Straddle this and gaze 300 vertigo-inducing feet down between your legs, to the steep hillside; now grope the arête, aiming for a ledge 80 feet distant. Pitch four is a sporty 5.2 slab up and over the top. The easiest way off is to follow the Friction Route (class 4) to the trail along the south face, and then drop down along Tahquitz to your packs.

The Beta

Guidebook: Rock Climbing: Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks, Third Edition, by Randy Vogel and Bob Gaines (falcon.com)

Guide Service: Vertical Adventures — (800) 514-8785, verticaladventures.com

Equipment Shop (Idyllwild): Nomad Ventures — (951) 659-4853

Season: Late spring and autumn. Summer can be good, though hot in the sun.

Rack: Doubles up to 3.5”; six shoulder-length slings Camping: Idyllwild County Park, spring through autumn — (800) 234-7275

Bonus Beta by Bennett Barthelemy

Must Do Routes at Tahquitz:
Vampire (5.11a) stout!
Super Pooper (5.10a)
Open Book (5.9)
Whodunnit (5.9)
Fingertrip (5.7)
Angels Fright (5.5)

Good Breakfasts:
Bread Basket (across the street and up from Nomad Ventures gear shop)

Good bouldering in Idyllwild:
Idyllwild County Park, in and around campsites and up above on the nature trail. (Mushroom Boulder at the far end has some problems!)
South Ridge, where the trailhead to Tahqhuitz peak begins, on the hillsideopposite the trailhead.

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