Please spread the word that Tahquitz isnt for inexperienced climbers.
Recently I have noticed a lot of people bringing inexperienced climbers here. They are easy to spot because of the dropped gear/falling rocks and the fact that it takes an hour to do a 5.6 pitch. In addition just because you have taken a Single Pitch Instructor course it doesnt mean you are a "guide" and should pack
the crag with gumby climbers. There are climbing areas for you to
take these people until they gain the necessary experience. Michael Reardon told me when I began climbing at Tahquitz not to bring people
there who dont CRUSH 5.7 on lead at the minimum. I think he is right.

I agree somewhat with mountainlion..........it's a big mountain for sure. I started climbing on Tahquitz in 1976 when I was an inexperienced climber....but I climbed there almost every weekend, and soon became experienced.......surviving those early climbing experiences is dicey, but the reward in safety and enjoyment of climbing from experience is priceless.
Climb safe, wear a helmet , check you tie-in, climb within your limits, and take some lessons or have an experienced/patient mentor......Tahquitz is a big mountain.....

I thought it was surfers who were protective of their territory.

I have no idea where Tahquitz is, but I can tell you that most people I know can climb 5.7 comfortably and would hardly call them experienced climbers. Most fit people can follow 5.7 easily on their first outing. I would, in fact, never use the words crush and 5.7 together in a sentence as you have.

You sir, sounds like you are not following rule numero uno.

My favorite all time experience at Tahquitz was watching two elderly fellows on the first pitch of Jensen's Jaunt using walkie-talkies. The incident went something like this:

Leader:"I don't have this man. I am going to build and anchor and lower off."
The belayer kept radio'ing back: "What? Can you please repeat?"

Meanwhile I am standing on the trail and can hear both of them clear as day. Apparently, I could hear both of them better than they could hear each other. Attempting a straight face, I walk up to the belayer and tell him that his leader is building an anchor and lowering off.

I solo up to the "anchor" which comprised of a slung bush and a cam. I downclimbed their gear to them and proceeded about my day.

It was hard to imagine that this was the highlight of my day as I had an amazing day climbing but I can't help but laugh and smile every time I think back to it. I'm laughing right now...

Climb safe peeps!

Muff

Amen.

Get real. Tahquitz is a great area for ridiculously easy multipitch and as such will draw many relative beginners.

Simple solution? If you're "experienced", then get off the 5.n00b routes and climb something harder. I doubt you'll be dealing with many n00bclusters on the Vampire.

What's next, telling the 8 year olds to stay off the little league fields?

I thought this was going to be a thread about new leaders getting lost on the wandering 5.easies at Tahquitz and was prepared to make a counterpoint.

I don't even know what to say about the OP's actual argument.

Edit: I have to admit, for the first and only contribution of a brand new member, this is a pretty awesome post. Managed to namedrop Reardon and start and "mine's bigger than yours" flame war. Nice.

I would have to disagree with you. I think Tahquitz is definitely a place that has some dangerous multipitch climbs that require experience to get up safely. That being said, what about the White Maiden's walkway, or the Trough? I have take some of my friends up to do these climbs who have almost no climbing experience at all and it was totally chill. Sure, you probably shouldn't be leading a lot of the routes if you are an unexperienced trad leader, however, if you are following, Tahquitz is one of the better places I've been to get your multi-pitch-trad on.

Michael Reardon told me when I began climbing at Tahquitz not to bring people
there who dont CRUSH 5.7 on lead at the minimum. I think he is right

hahaha... Got to be true then....

God people who climb the gunks LOVE to spray how sandbagged their routes are. You are all such bad asses and the climbing world bows down to you!

I hope I am some day hardcore enough to climb a gunks 5.6 which is really like a modern day 5.13 sport climb, right? Sigh.... Anyone else sick of hearing gunks climbers constantly spray about how tough their climbs are? Guess its one way to make yourself feel good about climbing 5.7.....

Before this turns into a West Coast vs. East Coast forum, could I get a clarification on the meaning of "inexperienced". I'm curious because, I started trad climbing about a year ago, and since then I have done several Joshua Tree 5.4 - 5.6 routes, a 5.6 in Smith Rock, a 5.7 in southern Oregon, and then the two pitch climb at Suicide mentioned above. This summer I plan on heading back down to Tahquitz and getting on Left Ski Track (3 pitch 5.6). Am I too "inexperienced" for this climb/area?

P.S.
My anchoring skills are good...so I'm told

www.mountainproject.com/v/please-critique/107523621

Great thanks guys. Good motivation. I guess I'll wait till I can "crush" Valhalla or the Vampire until I take a trip to the gunks

This thread is pure gold, and for so many reasons.

I always assumed I was too much of a newbie to contribute anything of value to these cool forums, but this thread motivated me to post... I thought, 'hey, there talking about newbies... maybe a newbie should weigh-in?' After my girlfriend spent two months leading in Yosemite, she convinced me we were competent enough to tackle some of Tahquitz's classics, swing-leading Open Book, Whoodonit, and the Wong Long. Were we slow? Probably. Did we let other fast parties pass or climb before us? Of course! If some amazing team of buff testosterone charged hulks begged to avoid a spectacular perspective of our butts for the next 4-8 hours, we obliged. Did we ever drop gear? Uuhhh.... not yet! But I don't want to jinx us.

Was the initial forum poster in Tahquitz over this last weekend? If so, I believe I may have a little insight to his frustration. There were more relative 'newbies' waiting in line at 5.8 and under routes then possibly ever before in Tahquitz history! At least 3x parties I knew from Mesa Rim. Most I thought of as 'sport leaders,' boasting of 12a+ or harder from what I'd seen at the gym. Maybe they are closeted trad climbers? Who am I to judge? But, as one poster keenly pointed out, there wasn't a single party in line for Open Book, 5.9. So for those ready for a 5.6 R rated traverse (which friends who climbed the route on Sat. mentioned was wet and slippery, yikes!), more power to you! For the rest of us, on a perfect, balmy Saturday, if all your hearts desire is to lead your fav., semi-easy but still Tahquitz-serious 5.7-5.8, you either have to be creative or wait in line. In the end, we decided to go find another route, and avoid dealing with disneyline joy.