Snake Dike, 5.7R

Fairview Dome, 5.9

Astroman, 5.11c

Muir Wall, El Cap

Canyonlands, 5.11

Lover's Leap, 5.7

Muir Wall, El Cap

High Sierra, 5.10

Red Rocks, 5.10a

Tahoe Bouldering

Denali, Alaska

Bay Area Bouldering

Yosemite Bouldering

Northern California Bouldering

Tuolumne Bouldering

West Temple, Zion, IV 5.7

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	Mac nears the crux of Surrealistic Pillar Direct.
	Photo: Sarah Felchlin

South Lake Tahoe Climbing Info
South Lake Tahoe offers exquisite year round climbing for every ability and taste. Trad climbers can jam smooth Yosemite like cracks at Sugarloaf or Eagle Lake, pull on steep knobs at Phantom Spires, lead their first multi-pitch route at Lover’s Leap. Sport climbers can clip bolts at Luther Rock, Luther Spires and Mayhem Cove. This book focuses on some of the highest quality granite in the Sierra, but unlike Yosemite’s glacier-polished rock, Tahoe granite is more textured with knobs, dikes, and edges. This makes it a little more “user friendly” and means you climb steeper routes at easier grades.

In Tahoe it’s easy to change elevations and find a crag with perfect temperatures. Go to Sugarloaf if a cold snap rolls in, switch to Lover’s Leap and Phantom Spires in mild conditions, or climb at Eagle Lake Cliff and Wrights Lake Cliff to escape the heat. Good climbing weather is always at hand. You also get to choose your level of serenity. Eagle Creek Cliff and Wrights Lake Cliff have alpine lakes, craggy peaks, and silence. Lover’s Leap or 90-Foot Wall are more social destinations and right by the road. Sit around a fire at the Phantom Spires camping area or go big at the Stateline casinos. Cook ramen on your Whisperlite stove or eat Sushi in South Lake Tahoe. You get to choose.

We all love Yosemite and Tuolumne, but the fact is they’re often a logistical hassle. Not so in Tahoe. No advanced planning, no reservations, no fees, and no ranger presence. You camp for free on most Forest Service land and there is always a supermarket, restaurant, or latté nearby. Unlike the National Parks, dogs are allowed at all the climbing areas (and can guard your pack from squirrels).

Tahoe is the ideal training ground for Yosemite’s long routes. Rather than get bogged down in the crowds on Yosemite’s limited selection of 5.6-5.9s, build your skills on Tahoe’s more numerous moderates and then head to the Valley. If you live in the Bay Area, most Tahoe crags are closer than Yosemite. For some, Sugarloaf is even closer than Pinnacles.

South Lake Tahoe Climbing Skills
The myriad rock features offer many different climbing options for each crux which can help or confuse. Sometimes it is easier to do an improbable face move to the side of a major feature. Some 5.8 moves, the crux on Haystack for example feel like 5.7 if you have the perfect beta or 5.10 if you miss a key hold. Stemming, long reaches, and discriminating handhold selection are invaluable Leap skills. Most crack climbs involve a combination of stemming, face climbing and the occasional straight-in jam. Most face climbs involve reaches and mantels between dikes. It is not the size of the holds but rather the distance between dikes that determines route difficulty. Face climbs at Lover’s Leap favor tall climbers as a 5.10 move may be 5.9 for someone taller than 6’0” and 5.11 for someone shorter than 5’5”.

Please help support this site by checking out our South Lake Tahoe Climbing guide There is a free sample download here

Gear and Equipment
The standard Tahoe traditional climbing rack is two sets of cams, 1-2 sets of nuts, 10 quickdraws, and 6-10 slings. Many anchors are natural so having a little extra gear is nice. Each SuperTopo notes where additional gear is needed. A single 60m rope suffices to descend and toprope most climbs. However, for maximum toprope options, use a 70m rope. In rare cases, two ropes are mandatory to descend. When toproping, it’s often useful to extend the anchor by 10 feet so the rope doesn’t run over an edge. For this purpose, bring 20 feet of webbing or a cordalette.

If you click on any of the following links and make a purchase, a portion of sale comes back to us to help keep the site running: Altrec EMS Moosejaw Mountain Gear Mammoth Gear Backcountry Patagonia REI

SuperTopo Rack For Tahoe
Here's the rack we at SuperTopo bring when we climb at Tahoe. This is just to give you a general idea of what to bring. Check to the SuperTopo guidebook before climbing each route to see specifically what you need.
1 set of BD stoppers
1 set of DMM Peenuts
2 sets of Metolius Master Cams to #5
1 set of offset-Aliens (1.75”)
2 sets of Black Diamond Camalots #0.5-#3
1 each of Black Diamond Camalots #4 and #5
for normal trad routes: 1 60m x 10.2mm lead rope
for moving fast and light: 1 50m or 60m x 9.1mm lead rope
1 60m x 7.7mm rappel rope
BD Oz quickdraws and 20 extra lightweight biners
10 shoulder length slings
climbing harness
Petzl Gri Gri or Trango Cinch belay device
Petzl Reverso 3 belay device
trail running approach shoes
free climbing shoes
Meteor or Half Dome helmet
single gear sling
Metolius belay gloves

	Tonya Fischer boulders near the amazing Balancing Rock.
	Photo by Chris Summit

Non-Climbing Gear
If the route does not have a lot of chimneys, I use a hydration pack. Be sure to bring potable water tablets if drinking from a stream. Good sticky rubber running/approach shoes are strongly recommended for the longer approaches. Sunscreen and sun hats for warmer periods, and warm gear and rain gear for the occasional thunderstorms. Don't forget the headlamp! On multi-pitch routes, many people get hung up behind slow parties or take longer on the descent than they expect. A headlamp is essential to get down if it gets dark. A small knife is handy to remove old webbing at rappels. A cell phone could potentially save your partners life in an emergency. A small GPS device will help you find the crags and parking. Don't forget the camera!

Good First Multi-Pitch Tahoe Climbs
The following list will introduce you to the climbing at Lovers Leap. Other great introduction areas include Phantom Spires, 90-Foot Wall, Luther Spires and Echo Lake. All these climbs are in our South Lake Tahoe guidebook. We encourage you to check out the FREE SuperTopo of Corrugation Corner to get psyched for a Lake Tahoe adventure.

Good Climbs for Returning South Lake Tahoe Climbers
Once warmed up to Leap climbing, you may want to expand your tick list to the climbs listed below. All of these climbs are part of South Lake Tahoe Climbing guidebook.

Lake Tahoe Bouldering
Lake Tahoe has over 1000 documented boulder problems and more are discovered ever week. The SuperTopo Route Beta section has some of the best Lake Tahoe bouldering Areas. Be sure check out our free Bouldering Download from the SuperTopo Lake Tahoe Bouldering book you can also get a free download of the Purgatory Bouldering Area north of Reno.

Leave No Trace
All the climbing areas in South Lake Tahoe are on National Forest land and are so far subject to few restrictions. Lets keep it that way. Use existing trails, clean up your campsite, and park only in the Lover's Leap campground or along Highway 50.

	Mitch Underhill at Phantom Spires.
	Photo: Chris McNamara

South Lake Tahoe Essentials

Getting There
A car is essential in Tahoe as public transportation is scarce. From San Francisco, drive Interstate 80 to Sacramento and join Highway 50. Access all climbing areas in this guide off Highway 50 or Highway 89. Be aware that many people get speeding tickets 10 miles east of Placerville.

Book a flight to Reno/Tahoe Airport (1.5 hour drive to South Lake Tahoe) or Sacramento International Airport (2 hours drive to South Lake Tahoe). Rent a car at the airport. You can also fly into Oakland or San Francisco, rent a car, stay the night in a hotel, then drive about three hours. Travelocity is one or our favorite travel web sites and if you book through this link, a portion of the sale supports this web site.

When to Climb
South Lake Tahoe has a similar climate to Yosemite Valley with ideal climbing conditions in the spring and fall. Below is a summary of the climbing seasons. Note that the beginning and end of the climbing season is decided by fierceness of the winter. In lean years, you can climb from April to December. In heavy years, you can climb June to October. Be sure to check the SuperTopo web site to see if it has been a heavy or light snow year before planning your trip.

May–June: This is a prime time to visit South Lake Tahoe because of the long days and great climbing temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Depending on the snow year, the walls are generally clear of snow and dry by the end of April. Be prepared for some wet cracks and the occasional late-season storms. Expect crowds.

July–August: While the skies are usually clear, the day temperatures are consistently in the 80s and 90s making it often uncomfortable to climb in the sun. Seek out the shade and climb in the higher elevation areas like Eagle Lake Cliff, Wrights Lake. Most Lover's Leap crags are perfect in the morning.

September–October: Fall is a great time to visit South Lake Tahoe. Temperatures are perfect for climbing and generally stay in the 60s and 70s. There are rarely any storms and the rock is dry. In early September, the occasional heat wave can roll through and in late October the temperatures can be freezing at night. Expect crowds.

November: The weather is uncertain during this time. The first winter storm usually hits in the first two weeks of November which makes most of the routes too wet to climb for the rest of the winter. However, during a dry year the climbing conditions can be great with temperatures in the 50s and 60s with few crowds. Even during a dry November, you will need to bring warm clothing as night temperatures are often below freezing.

December–March: Due to the bleak climbing conditions, the only places to climb are below 5000' in elevation like Woodfords Canyon or Sugarloaf. Snow covers the base and summits of most cliffs, temperatures are often freezing and the rock is wet. During cold years ice forms on the right side of the East Wall at Lover's Leap making for the rare California multi-pitch ice climb. There are usually a few weeks where you can ice climb up Eagle Creek Canyon. In the winter you can also boulder at the Pie Shop.

April: Wet rock and unstable weather usually make April a terrible time to climb at South Lake Tahoe. However, in an extremely dry year April can have great weather and be free of crowds.

Weather Station at Lover's Leap
South Lake Tahoe weather—five day forecast for the closest town to South Lake Tahoe.
Twin Bridges weather—five day forecast for the closest town to South Lake Tahoe.

	Sarah leads up Psychedelic Tree.
	Photo: Todd Offenbacher

Restaurants
The Strawberry Lodge, located on Highway 50 just a five-minute walk from Lover's Leap campground, offers American food and has a bar.The bar serves great local and semi-local brews and is the spot of choice to talk about all the climbs you onsighted that day, how you found all the ratings too easy, and how that 5.12 you climbed next to looked pretty doable.

In Pollock Pines, a town located 30 minutes west of the Leap on US 50, there is a great coffee shop called Pony Espresso. A favorite Mexican restaurant for locals and travelers alike is Los Hermanos (beware that it's crowded on weekends). Both Pony Espresso and Los Hermanos are off the Sly Park Rd. exit in Pollock Pines.

For other food options you will need to travel to South Lake Tahoe. Here are some of South Tahoe’s better restaurants:

Breakfast: Ernie’s, 1146 Emerald Bay Road, (530) 541-2161
Breakfast: Red Hut Waffle Shop 2723 Lake Tahoe Blvd (530) 541-9024
Healthy Breakfast/Lunch: Sprouts, 3123 Harrison Avenue, (530) 541-6969.
Coffee: Alpen Sierra (free wireless), 3940 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 1 (530) 544-7740
Burgers: Burger Lounge 717 Emerald Bay Rd, (530) 542-4060
Burgers: Izzies Burger Spa, 2591 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, (530) 544-5030
Chinese: Hunan Garden, 900 Emerald Bay Rd. (530) 544-5868
Mexican: Papagayo, 3132 Us Highway 50, (530) 577-3344
Mexican:Taqueria Jalisco 3079 Harrison Ave, (530) 541-6516
Pizza: Bob Dog’s Pizza, 3141 Us Highway 50, (530) 577-2364
Pizza: Bob Dog’s Pizza, 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd A1 (530) 541-0809
Pizza: Lake Tahoe Pizza Co., 1168 Emerald Bay Rd (530) 544-1919
Fancy Seafood: The Chart House, 392 Kingsbury Grade (775) 588-6276
Seafood: Freshies, (great summer roof deck), 3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd (530) 542-3630
Sushi: Off the Hook!, 2660 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Unit E, (530) 544-5599
Thai: Orchid Thai, 2180 Lake Tahoe Blvd., (530) 544-5541

Bar/Music: Divided Sky (free wireless), 3200 US Highway 50, (530) 577-0775

You can read other South Lake Tahoe Food Recommendations on the forum.

Here is a South Lake Tahoe Travel Guide

Brief Commercial Interruption: If you are thinking about buying some of the gear mentioned in this article, we would appreciate it if you would try our GearFinder before you buy. It won’t cost you anything extra, will probably save you 10-50% and it does help support this website and keep this content free.

Camping and Lodging
You will find more detailed camping info in the introduction to each specific climbing area in South Lake Tahoe Climbing. Most climbers, no matter where they climb, camp at Lover’s Leap for $10 per site per night ($5 per additional car) or free at Phantom Spires. Other options include the Forest Service land off Strawberry Tract Rd, just southwest of Lover's Leap. If you and some friends want to pitch in for more upscale accommodations, consider renting a Lake Tahoe Vacation Home Rental from Chris McNamara. There are a number of hotels in South Lake Tahoe.

Farmers Markets
From June 5-October 16 there is a Farmer's Market in South Lake Tahoe at 2732 South Lake Tahoe Blvd (Hwy 50) from 8AM-1PM. On the drive up Highway 50 to Tahoe there are many options that you can read about at the Apple Hill Growers Web Site and El Dorado Farmer's Market Web Site. For a detailed description of farmers markets and food options in the area, click here

Groceries
Raley’s, located at the junction of 89 and 50 in South Lake Tahoe, offers the best prices and selection. Liras (2977 Highway 50; 530-577-5399) located in Meyers, has a smaller selection. If you’re staying at Lover’s Leap, Strawberry Market, located across from Strawberry Lodge, has a got you covered for all the essentials. If driving from the Bay Area, there are major grocery stores next to the freeway in Placerville and Pollack Pines.

Climbing Gear and Climbing Guides
Lover's Leap Guides (530-318-2939) is a guide service run by some of the most experienced Lover's Leap climbers. They offer classes in beginning to advanced climbing, learning to lead, summiting all the Phantom Spires and adaptive climbing. Alpine Skills International and Sierra Mountain Guides also offer group trips and private guiding to climbs at Lover's Leap and the rest of the Tahoe area. Mountain Adventure Seminars (209) 753-6556) guides at Lover's Leap, Calaveras Dome and through northern California.

The closest selection of gear and climbing beta is at Sports Ltd. (4008 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, CA. 96150 • 530.542.4000).

	Matt enjoying The Groove.
	Photo: Chris McNamara

Rest Days
When you need a rest day or just want to mix things up, head to South Lake Tahoe for two world-class mountain bike trails: The Flume Trail and Mister Toads Wild Ride. During the summer you can also buy lift tickets and ride at many of the ski resorts. There are also a number of hiking trails not to mention all the Lake Tahoe activities: kayaking, water skiing, sitting on the beach, etc. For guidebooks and recommendations from knowledgeable locals, visit South Lake Tahoe’s best outdoor sports shop Sports Ltd. (Crescent V Shopping Center, 4008 Lake Tahoe Boulevard; 530-542-4000) All the nightlife is at either one of South Lake Tahoe’s two major casinos: Harrah’s or Harvey’s or Montbleu.