Left Ski Track 5.6 - Tahquitz


  I keep on taking new people to this route just to realize this is a bad idea and forget. When I first climb it with Fred on 1999, it was a nice challenge to cross the step around move, on the second pitch. The route wonders around quite a bit, and maybe is the alpine ambiance that this produces what I like. But newbies don't seem to like precisely that.

I climbed again with Mariu and Guifre on 2002, and they enjoyed the first pitch, which has been described everywhere as vertical class four. Because of the big jugs.


The second pitch is an arching crack that leads to the step around move.


The step around move bypasses a column by moving to the other side of the column one arm and a leg. After grabbing some unobvious crimpers, you have to move the body around as well. The move is well protected by a pin on the very top of the column. However, there is some exposure. Very fun, over all.  The third pitch goes up one corner, crosses some slippery 5.6 labs protected by a bolt and then traverses left to the last belay.

Final part of the traverse to the last belay



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