Yesterday afternoon my friends and I witnessed a serious rockfall incident at Tahquitz. Two microwave sized blocks and some smaller debris came down from somewhere high above, at or near the top of the face, falling through the area where the route “Fingertrip” ascends. We were on the ground at the toe of the rock just to the right from there and watched as these huge blocks took a lucky bounce sending them just over the heads of a couple climbing the face right there. There were also climbers on El Camino, not so much in the line of fire but too close for comfort in any case.
I think that due to the size of the rocks, and the fact that this was one of the first really warm days of the season with a very hot sun, there is a high probability that the rockfall was caused naturally, by thermal expansion. It could also have been caused by climbers. A number of parties climbed the rock that day.
Since the season up there is just about to come into full swing this is a good time to remind ourselves that Tahquitz Rock, despite its easy access and “local” feeling, is a serious and dangerous alpine crag. Loose rock abounds, and route-finding is a constant issue to pay attention to since once a climber wanders off the correct line they often head into less travelled and looser terrain, where the dangers increase fast.
The couple who were up on the face and very nearly wiped out by these falling boulders beat a hasty retreat and we had a chance to chat briefly at the base. They were visibly shaken by the event, and I did not trouble them for their names. We should all be grateful for their safety. This thing could have gone terribly – it was just a lucky day is all…
