Tahoe-Best hand/finger cracks

Search
Go

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List
This thread has been locked
Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 18, 2011 - 02:13am PT
What are your favorite finger or hand-cracks in Tahoe Area. I like Nova Express at Donner and Dominion in Sugarloaf a lot. Like Dinkum crack in Cosumnes too, although it is very short.

What do you guys like?
enjoimx

Trad climber
Yosemite, ca
Oct 18, 2011 - 02:19am PT
The Fracture is cool.

BLUEBLOCR

Social climber
joshua tree
Oct 18, 2011 - 02:27am PT
Best finger crack at Donner would be Babylon. Best hand crack at the Leap Roofer madness to Eagles Nest. Best fingers Dog Party?
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
Oct 18, 2011 - 02:50am PT
Turning Point, Roberts Crack and Leaner and Meaner at Phantom Spires.

One of These Days at Woodfords

Freak Show, Batmans Nightmare, April Fools, Vanishing Point, The Gamoke (jamoke if you want to spell it right), Drug Crazed, Manic Depressive, Hospital Corner, Tombstone Terror, North Face, Cross Town Traffic, God of Thunder and Silly Willy Crack at Lovers Leap.

Finger Locks, East Corner, Taurus and The Fracture at Sugarloaf.

Space Walk, Buster Brown at Eagle Creek.

Essence and Velvet Gloves at Wrights Lake.

Unknown 5.9, Sulphur and Sun Tzu at Eagle Rock.

Tons of sh#t at Donner.



Edited to add; Dog Party is nowhere near the best finger crack at the leap. Silly Willy and Freakshow blow it away. Dog Party is more of a lieback anyway... IMO.
Stewart Johnson

climber
lake forest
Oct 18, 2011 - 09:44am PT
shagmaster at silverado.
Aerili

climber
Reno, NV
Oct 18, 2011 - 01:55pm PT
In Donner, I like Nova Express (hands) and Black September (hands and fingers). Pitch 1 of One Hand Clapping is good too.

In South Lake, I think Sinbad Herbert at the Leap has pretty slammer hands, as does parts of p2 of April Fools and Traveler Buttress. Pony Express has great hands (Sugarloaf).

Fingerlock and The Fracture (Sugarloaf) are definitely some of the best fingers around.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 18, 2011 - 03:11pm PT
Sinbad Herbert at the Leap does have some amazing hands on P1, and Surrealistic Pillar direct too.
But did anyone try a 5.10c or a 5.9 (var) of a crack on Dear John Buttress at the Leap? That climb is amazing. Such great quality. Really want to get out to the leap for these 3 next year.

WML Fear of Flying as a finger crack? It does have some finger locks but it is more stemming and smearing with using the finger lock for balance.

Nova express!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO That was one of my first times ever climbing outside (last year), back when I did not know how to hand jam or anything. Back than I could not understand how is it possible that I can't TR a 5.9+ LOL Need to go back and hop on it see how I do now.
tolman_paul

Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
Oct 18, 2011 - 05:34pm PT
Another vote for one hand clapping, I did quite a few climbs at Donner but that was the most memorible. I guess I liked it as I did it 2-3 times with partners and roped soloed it a few times.

Even though it's only the first pitch of the climb that has the hand crank, the second pitch is pretty memorible when you work you way up the ramp, then step out exposed on that peanut foot hold, then work your way up to the belay.
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
Oct 18, 2011 - 08:46pm PT
Imaginary Voyage hardly has a hand or finger crack on it.

Most of it is stemming and smearing on Imaginary footholds with imaginary gear under foot. Probably better protected if I had brought RP's. The short little last pitch being the exception.

Black Wall has a bunch of good hand and finger cracks, they're all short though. Much like most of the stuff at Woodfords, it's hard to include them as being "one of the best" in the Tahoe area because of that. One Hand Clapping being the exception there. Full Moon is kinda long too I guess. OOTD at Woodfords being an exception there too as it's about 120ft which is just barely what I consider a true "full pitch".
kwit

climber
california
Oct 18, 2011 - 08:51pm PT
Vitaliy: I've done both the 5.9 and the 10c variations on that Dear John Buttress crack. I think it they're variations on the first bit of God of Thunder. The 10c was my first (okay, my only) at the grade--perfect hands to perfect ringlocks. Short, but so sweet.
adventurous one

Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
Oct 18, 2011 - 08:53pm PT
Here are a couple I would recommend based on the grades of the examples you liked.

ALL AMERICAN HAND CRACK .10A DONNER/BABYLON CRAG (A GREAT two pitch 5.8/5.9-, (first pitch is mostly a hand crack) is right around the corner as well. Almost as good as One Hand Clapping imo)
PLACID HALLUCINATION 5.9+ DONNER/CUCKO'S NEST (hand crack)
POWERAGE .10a/.10b var DONNER/THE PERCH (hand/finger crack)

(These, and many other (1,300) obscure Tahoe routes, can be found in the new North Tahoe guidebook available from the CAMP 4 PRESS website at camp4press.com)

Edit: And lots of stuff at Woodfords............Gotta find someone to show you around though....
bergbryce

Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Oct 18, 2011 - 08:55pm PT
yeah, all the good cracks are in north lake.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2011 - 03:56pm PT
WML
P1 of One Hand Clapping
is part of the plan for this weekend...hopefully : )
KP Ariza

climber
SCC
Oct 19, 2011 - 05:13pm PT
Calaveras Dome

Wall of the Worlds p1
Dynamite Crack
Gemini Cracks
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
Oct 20, 2011 - 01:27am PT
Dynamite Crack???

Silk Road, Rainbow Arch and Laughing Hyena are some great multi pitch routes consisting of many splitter cracks at Cal Domes. There are many more.
drunkenmaster

Social climber
santa rosa
Oct 20, 2011 - 01:45am PT
monkey paws + panic in detroit (although more of a layback/gaston) - donner

the fracture + fingerlock - sugarloaf

golds gym (boulder prob) - echo view
bergbryce

Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Oct 20, 2011 - 02:07am PT
Are the Cal Domes accessible in the winter?
I thought I recalled reading somewhere here they were and it's a great spot for winter climbing.
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
Oct 20, 2011 - 03:30pm PT
^^^
Yes!

Tiger Creek Rd. It's on the map.

Drove in that way last year... not bad. 4WD not needed..... at all.
sac

Trad climber
Sun Coast B.C.
Oct 20, 2011 - 03:40pm PT
C'Mon mon... give a brutha some PICS!!
Brandon-

climber
The Granite State.
Oct 20, 2011 - 05:24pm PT
Stewart, are we talking Oly Valley Silverado? That would be different.
Messages 1 - 20 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Return to Forum List
 
Our Guidebooks
spacerCheck 'em out!
SuperTopo Guidebooks

guidebook icon
Try a free sample topo!

 
SuperTopo on the Web

Recent Route Beta