Whodunit (5.9; eight pitches) Tahquitz Rock, California

Five Nearby Classics 

By Bruce Willey / BruceWilley.com

Open Book (5.9)
Billed as America’s first 5.9, Open Book is also the 5.9 to compare all the rest of the 5.9’s you’ll encounter in your life—most of which will fall far short of this gem. The climb starts off on a stiff overhang before reaching the dihedral. After that, it’s the delicate balance between liebacking (hard-to-place pro) and jamming (easier-to-place pro). The best pitch (and crux) is the second pitch, which leads to a belay under a large roof. Third pitch takes you out over some well-traveled granite (read, polished) and easier ground.

 Mechanics Route (5.8 R)
Time travel back to 1937 with this classic by Sierra legends Dick Jones and Glen Dawson. And if you really want to the old-school experience, tie a manila rope off with a bowline on a coil connected to your partner who’ll gladly employ a hip belay with a grin. Now put on some tennis or basketball shoes (approach shoes don’t count) and try this masterpiece that still gets people thinking even with all the mechanical advantage of sticky rubber and newfangled cams. 

Left Ski Track (5.6)
Perfect route to top off the day after Whodunit. Sure, it’s only 5.6, but this is quality climbing with healthy jugs and step-around moves that will leave your heart bleating. Speaking of which, there’s an ultra-classic picture of Ellen Wilts, wife of Tahquitz legend Chuck Wilts, climbing the route at the step-around in black cowboy hat and, you guessed it, tennis shoes. Such style, such grace, such a get-up. 

Traitor Horn (5.8)
Another piece of climbing history memorialized by the famous picture of Chuck Wilts looking like he was about to copulate with the horn—or might it been the other way around? Whatever the case, Wilts played a large role in Tahquitz history including many first accents and virtually creating the “Wilts-Sierra” decimal system which later changed into the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) that we all love and abuse. Traitor Horn starts with either Coffin Nail (5.8) or Jensen’s Jaunt (5.6). Both are good. Then head for the horny-looking thing. Climb, crawl, or fornicate to the true horn above and follow a long pitch of slab to the top. 

The Long Climb (5.8)
Another masterpiece by Royal Robbins who is, without putting too fine a point on it, sort of like van Gogh around here. Two cracks converge about two-hundred feet up to a ledge. Both are equally good, but if you take the left one you’ll be on the Wong Climb (5.8). Get to a good belay and start up the Mummy Crack. Four more pitches of glorious granite that includes a few roof moves, slab, and plenty of jam cracks leading to the top of the Northwest Recess.

The Beta 

Guidebooks: Rock Climbing Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks 4^th edition (2008) by Randy Vogel and Bob Gaines 

Guide Services: Vertical Adventures, (949) 854.6250 www.vertical-adventures.com 

Equipment Shop: Nomad Ventures, (951) 659-4853, 54415, North Circle Drive, Idyllwild, www.nomadventures.com 

Seasons: Spring, summer, and fall