Hospital Corner, Lover's Leap, East Wall 5.10a

 
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Lake Tahoe, California, USA

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10 Total Ratings
5 star: 80%  (8)
4 star: 20%  (2)
3 star: 0%  (0)
2 star: 0%  (0)
1 star: 0%  (0)
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
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   Oct 18, 2013 - 05:24pm
Ed, there is a route called Gamoke, just right of Hospital Corner. I think it is a 5.10b, and I thought it was really good. Make sure to try it if you are in the area again. HP was also one of my first 5.10a leads. One of my friends said if I could do that I am likely ready to lead the Red Dihedral pitch on the Hulk. She was right. So...do RD next year too! Awesome place.
Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
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   Oct 7, 2013 - 12:05am
Great route. My first 10a trad lead! (I rested on all the crux gear and there was no one in line) The first pitch has a few 5.8 jams then mellows to 5.6 ish. The second pitch - wow! Protects well and has lots of rests. Stem, lie back, jam, grunt! We took a 60m rope and followed Nathan's rap advice below. The first rap is a bit sketch cause if you lose your footing you are sailing into a corner. Might be better to rap to 2nd station (15 ft lower than first) it looks to have a better ledge, and would have less pendulum (You can't see the 2nd station from the top of HC) I'll probably bring a 70m or 2 ropes next time. I've climbed the East Wall for years - going to explore this West Wall more next season. Lots of routes in the Carville book.
Khel

Trad climber
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   Oct 3, 2009 - 02:48pm
After topping out on the second pitch, try top roping the splitter crack on the left wall (the same one that you used for much of the lead pro). There's a bush near the bottom, so it's best to start just above this. Very high quality! Jam as far as you can until you end up in some flakes and a jug on the left wall. Fun for the whole family.
phile

Trad climber
SF, CA
Aug 4, 2009 - 05:29pm
 
Followed Nathan's single-60m-rope rap advice below--worked great, cheers. Couldn't remember the exact details and initially didn't notice the 2nd anchor 15 feet below the first, so ended up doing an extra 15-ft rap.

2nd pitch had better stemming stances than I expected--didn't find it too strenuous.

Sascha

climber
Oakland, CA
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   May 28, 2008 - 11:11am
Thanks! It was great fun. From the bolt anchor above the slash - which was mossy and wet with plenty of loose stuff indeed - we went pretty much straight up a beautiful set of flakes and dikes. In a few places the cracks get shallow and dikes thinner, so one wants to place gear thoughtfully, but I'd say the pitch protects more easily than p2 of East Wall. I even had occasion to use the #4 Camalot. It looks like there are many diverse options for the adventurous... I opted to belay on a comfortable ledge maybe 100' up. After considering the roof directly overhead, my partner then stepped around to the right for more face climbing over dikes. The pro here gets thinner but the climbing is straightforward; watch for mossy patches, though. Topping out at the very summit of the Leap is great - I'd highly recommend this finish to anyone doing the route.

Edit: this time my partner led all the way to the rim on a 60m rope from the bolted anchor. A rope stretcher, but it went. Super fun.
mongrel

Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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   May 26, 2008 - 01:54pm
Most fun way to top out is Dead Tree Direct. To get to this pitch from the top of p. 2 of Hospital, get to the Slash and wander diagonally up right for a pitch (this part is crummy, dirty, etc.), keeping an eye out for an unlikely looking shallow corner on the left side and above the Slash. This corner does not extend all the way down to the Slash ramp. Face climb or follow a vague ledge to get to this corner, go up it or face nearby, when it ends go straight up the face. Last part to the top is a little runout but not too bad by Leap standards. There is some bitty piece of pro (a small TCU, wire, or pink Tricam, can't remember which) that fits in a little hole somewhere in the final face. You will want to find this piece. Super fun Leap 5.7. 60m rope will get you all the way from the Slash to the top. 50m will not; you must belay a few feet out on the vague ledge.
Sascha

climber
Oakland, CA
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   May 26, 2008 - 01:15pm
Does anyone have any beta on topping out instead of rapping off? I heard that several 5.8-5.9 pitches lead to the top, supposedly a bit dirty but lots of fun.
casey

climber
oakland
Jul 8, 2005 - 01:57pm
 
hey-
climbed this yesterday in perfect weather. i actually thought it was relatively mellow since there are lots of rests and feet where you can stem. i would disagree with the supertacos rack suggestion- found lots of places for smaller gear. i would bring doubles .4 to 2 instead of the suggested .5-3. (you can place a 3 on the first pitch but you don't need it)

what's the crack to the right that goes up the face? finger crack? looks cool!

also- i placed a 1.75 green tech friend (same size as green .75 bd camalot), it was slightly overcammed; i decided to re-place it and nudged it as i was stepping up. it walked back about an inch and inverted. the more i tried to get it out, the worse it was.

if you find it and are super nice, i would love it if someone could mail it back. i'll buy you a 6-pack. might be gone by now though.
Colt45

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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   Oct 31, 2003 - 02:14am
The corner is incredibly sustained, and super fun! I was glad that it protects so well, as it never really lets up before you get to the anchors.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Aug 25, 2003 - 11:04am
 
The American Safe Climbing Assn. may have replaced anchor bolts on this climb. To find out visit the ASCA Replacement Page

The ASCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to replacing unsafe anchors. To learn about helping the ASCA click here


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Nathan Lunstrum

Trad climber
South Bend, IN
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   Jul 29, 2003 - 12:12pm
You can rap HC with one 60m by rapping to the right, over to Anethesia. There are three rap stations. the first can be seen down and right(40ft?) from the bolts at the top of the 2nd pitch of HC. The 2nd rap station can be seen once you start to rap to the first, it's 15ft below. You can reach either with a 60m. Once at these you can reach the last staion with is out to the right and a little below the belay for the first pitch of HC.(the belay for April Fools). A last rap to the ground gets you off.

This is a good way to avoid rapping the route on a busy day when there's a line for HC, the other climbs to the right don't see much traffic. It's also good if you planning on climbing some other route, like Corrugation, after HC and don't want to take a extra rope to the top.
uni

Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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   Jul 23, 2003 - 07:13pm
If you have some technique, this climb is not bad at all. I found a lot of rests and excellent pro on it myself. Arctic Breeze is a classic route. I lead that one too :) That bolted arete to the right is solid 5.11 I've been told.
Nathan Lunstrum

Trad climber
South Bend, IN
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   Jun 1, 2003 - 07:32pm
If your waiting in line for this climb check out Artic Breeze(10a) just around the corner to the left.(towards Traveler's). It starts on some large flakes that are leaning against the wall. First bolt is a little high but the climbing is easy, there's a large chicken head to grab while you clip the fist bolt. Crux is at the 2nd bolt, well protected, 3rd bolt is hidden till you've done the crux. A couple of small runouts on huge easy dikes, like climbing a vertical ladder. 7 or 8 bolts to a 2 bolt anchor. A 60mm rope just makes it back to the ground.
There's also a bolted climb that goes up the arete to the right, between Artic Breeze and Hospital Corner...might be a .10c?
brian

Intermediate climber
South Bend, IN
Aug 12, 2002 - 12:26pm
 
This is the best climb I've done at the Leap! Since it was my first 10a on gear I sowed it up and took my time. If you have good technique and stem whenever you can, the climb is more finesse than physical. Have fun!
Lover's Leap, East Wall - Hospital Corner 5.10a - Lake Tahoe, California, USA. Click to Enlarge
A view from Hogsback.
Photo: Chris McNamara
 
*What is "Route Beta"?
It's climber slang for information or tips on a route as in, "what's the beta on that route?" As a service to fellow climbers we ask SuperTopo guidebook users to post tips and updates to this website if they have relevant information to share after a climb.