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Hidden from direct view behind a large gendarme, the excellent first pitch of LOOKING BACKWARD starts as a straight in hand crack, gradually diminishing into a finger crack, and finally a very thin crack in a low angle (right facing?) dihedral. The upper part of the pitch appears quite intimidating. From below it looks as if pro could be marginal and difficult to place.
The second pitch is a low angle chimney. The day we did the climb, the party behind us had mentioned having problems with this pitch on a previous attempt. Chimneys such as this can be climbed using a variety of techniques. My climbing partner stemmed, liebacked and chimneyed, and I climbed it in an entirely different manner. Considering the relative difficulty of the first pitch, if you succeed on the first you should be able to make it up the second pitch without too much difficulty.
Even though I've done this climb at least twice, I'm not sure I've climbed it since "it changed," and it always seems to be changing.
From the topo it looks to be similar to what I've climbed. Both times I did the climb the crux was an odd lieback-mantle move onto a ledge in an awkward corner. Definitely on the weird side.
This route was originally rated 5.8, but due to "changes" was up-rated to 5.9 in the 1979 guidebook, and now is rated 5.10a!
This excellent and challenging route was originally rated 5.9. The crux is one of the finest technical problems with this rating at Tahquitz. If you try to overcome it with brute force you will certainly question the 5.10a rating or your climbing skills.
The first pitch of this route involves several different techniques, including face climbing and finger, hand, and fist jams. The second pitch can be climbed either by the crack on the face or the crack in the back of the dihedral. The crack in the back of the dihedral is a bit more strenuous, but if you like to hand jam it's an interesting way to do the pitch.
In a 1988 climb of SUPER POOPER we found gear left by a party that had climbed the technically difficult parts of the route only to abort the climb within 60 feet of the top of the rock. Here the crack ends abruptly at a short headwall and route finding becomes more difficult.
Careful consideration of all alternatives will uncover a large handhold that helps the climber to clamber over the first steep step. The climbing above is fun with a nice section on knobby rock.