I was hoping some of the folks in the area could keep us folks not in the area updated with the conditions of the ice up there. I know it is very variable and difficult to hit when it's good so it would be nice to have a heads up from the locals when its in.

Thanks in advance....

It is a bit early for ice on Tahquitz. In general, do not expect anything before about the last week of December. Some years the ice never forms. Last year was very unusual. We had good ice for about 6 weeks starting the first week of February. But it took 12 years for the conditions to get just right. The Trough forms better and stays iced up longer than anything on the North Face, so if you have to climb a bit of mixed terrain on winterized Tahquitz, that's the route. If conditions get good, I will report it here.

I for one would also like to hear about conditions. I've been up there several times over I don't know how many years and have never found good conditions on the North Face, or even the Trough. Either a ton of new snow or bare rock. It's about time I scratched that itch, weather permitting.

I hear you guys. It is a bit frustrating even for me, living here. I have stoped counting the times I would hike to the base only to be totally disapointed. It really takes an unusual winter for the ice to form. You need at least couple of big storms, about an inch of rain each (down in the cities) and the temps in LA and SAN staying at less than 60 degrees for about a week. If/when that happens, there is a chance.

Alois, do you know how often the Weeping Wall ices up? I heard rumors that people used to flag the bolts there and chop down to them on lead many winters ago...

Overall I'm pessimistic for this winter given the La Nina conditions, but my fingers are crossed!

hamik, I have heard those stories as far back as early 80s. I never saw the Weeping Wall iced up (not just snowed in) enough to use crampons. I would assume that one would need at least an inch of ice to even try it. To the right, on the Escalator and the wall above and to the right of it, there was a huge chunk of hanging ice last year. But I don't know of anyone climbing it.

Bump

I know theres no ice, but was thinking about coming up possibly saturday to get some winter climbing in. Whats it like up there on the big guy?

Also, if there wasnt that much snowfall...maybe climbing at suicide on the south face or something like that would be in?

Thanks in advance

Blair, Tahquitz has some snow on it. The temps are 28 degrees at 9:00 pm Wednesday as I write this. So, Tahquitz would be a bit cold, not impossible if you like that kind of climbing. Suicide, I have not a clue, maybe somebody else might chime in. I'm going to the top of Suicide via Dear Springs tomorrow am, so might post something later tomorrow.

Alois,

A brief report would be appreciated. I'm planning on coming up sunday. I'm thinking south side of Tahquitz or suicide should be clean, but a first hand account would be great.

Thanks in advance,

Kellen

Thanks for the reply Alois and the extra interest Kellen

Looking forward to doing some winter climbing!

There are about two inches of snow above 6,000 feet. Low this morning was 24 and high was 44. Suicide is fairly clean, Tahquitz looks snowed in (from a distance). The temps are on a cool side even for South side of Tahquitz. Of additional concern is the weather forecast for rain/snow Saturday night into Sunday

Climbed at suicide today saturday!

Beautiful day with partly sunny skies greeted us. Cold belaying in the shade...we climbed @ buttress of cracks; the hernia is clean, no wet or ice till the bolts (which we chipped ice and snow out to unearth them!) The face climbs to the R were good still, small water slivers running down here and there. There were a handfull of partys up enjoying the day, the rock wasnt even that cold!

N face of Tah-not-so-easy is in winter mode. snow all over on ledges, no ice I could see. The trough is looking good for a winter mixed climb rite now. Ski tracks and south area looked inviting.

Snow all the way up the trail to base of suicide and tahquitz.

BTW- a helicopter was hovering over the PCT junction saddle for a while and looked like a rescue was under way. When we came down to the parking lot we saw a sheriff, a fire truck, and the riverside mountain rescue unit vehicle coming down. Somethin went down...

A RMRU rescue member was injured on Tahquitz Rock
http://rmru.org/missions/2010/2010-036.html
I wish Les a speedy recovery

For all those waiting for ice to form, the November 21 storm was the earliest snow covering the rock in about 15 years. In the last 6 days we had two days with morning (7am) temperatures here in the Banana Belt (5,200 ft) howering at 19 and 20 degrees. These are extremely unusual, early cold conditions. Let's hope for more snow.

For anyone wondering about conditions, rain is everywhere the eye can see. Tahquitz Rock is wet with rain. The North Gully had some hard snow before the storm (last Friday) but it could still be by-passed on scree and talus. No winter conditions here as of now, I'm sorry to report. The snow level is very high, propably about 9K.