Pop Bottle, Lover's Leap, East Wall 5.7

 
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Lake Tahoe, California, USA

  • Currently 2.0/5
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Summary of All Ratings

SuperTopo Rating:   
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  • 5
 (2.0)
Average Customer Rating:   
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  • 5
 (2.9)
Your Rating:     (none)
Rating Distribution
9 Total Ratings
5 star: 0%  (0)
4 star: 0%  (0)
3 star: 89%  (8)
2 star: 11%  (1)
1 star: 0%  (0)
Peter Green

Mountain climber
Davis, CA
May 12, 2013 - 05:39pm
 
I suppose this could be a trip report instead, but since there aren't any for this climb, I'm adding to the beta. Had to lower my second last Friday and instead of rapping, just scrambled off, leaving an ancient red (size 1) tri-cam, plus a couple of nuts (probably also ancient, but without a fabric leash built-in, perhaps not so subject to age), and a sling on each -- with variously ancient or recent slings and biners. It would be a great surprise to have them returned. More importantly, the sling on the tri-cam (and perhaps others) are so old they should be placed in a museum. Seriously, the tri-cam is about 25 years old or so.

Besides that, good climbing!
Park

Trad climber
Reno
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   May 11, 2013 - 01:30pm
The 1st Pitch of Pop Bottle is by far the best pitch of the route. It's fun and enjoyable climbing with a few crux bulges (5.7). You climb up double cracks, finger lieback cracks, and some nice hand jams. The route also has some nice jugs here and there and good footholds on dikes. The route has great pro and many climb the 1st pitch and walk off to the left. We climbed the route for our first time at night with our headlamps and that made the route that much more interesting!

Adam Dioguardi

Trad climber
Davis, CA
Jul 20, 2012 - 04:04am
 
The second belay station has two solid bolts (and a nice piece of history too for hanging your rope while flaking).

However, the left hanger spins on the bolt and is starting so see some oxidation. Keep your eye on this one and always back up on the second bolt!

Fun introduction to the east wall. Thanks for the beta supertopo.
crasic

climber
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   Jun 5, 2012 - 07:05pm
Did this climb first weekend of June 2012

Overall Impression: Definitely easier than the rating, the crux on the first pitch is a little scary but otherwise not complicated, the "boulder problem" at the start of the second pitch can be done without much issue. You will feel short roped with a 50m. Leader/follower communication is non-existent, plan rope signals or bring your phone (4 bars with at&t :D ). A C4 #4 came in handy twice on this climb, so bring one if you have it.

1st pitch: You will be short roped with a 50m : I couldn't make it to the back of the (fat and flat) belay ledge to build an anchor and there isn't much on the ledge itself to build on, had to down climb 6 ft below the ledge to belay. If climbing with a 50m, start the climb 10ft up by the first ledge with the bushes rather than the ground to avoid this problem.

2nd pitch: Fun bouldery first move, place a nut as high as you can from the ground to avoid dragging your belayer off the ledge in the case you fall, have them take it out when you clip the first bolt to avoid rope drag, climb is straight forward after that. Rock can be a little loose/hollow, my second belay station is basically the first place you hit where there are solid placements to build an anchor, I did not see (or maybe reach) the bolts. Once again, ran out of rope *right* at the second belay ledge, 50m is too short to follow modern topos.

3d pitch is basically exposed scrambling/dike hike. 50m won't make it to the big tree in the back when you top out so don't try (a 60 will). Build an anchor where the 4th class becomes 3d.
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
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   Sep 5, 2011 - 07:28pm
interesting climb. me and my partner both found the first pitch to be very good, enjoyable climbing. paralell hand jam cracks, bouldery spots, etc. deserving of more than 2 stars, we were thinking. but then after climbing all the way to the top using 3 pitches, and utilizing the optional top of 2nd pitch bolted belay ( which, btw, was in a rather contrived location, a little bit off the path we felt ) we then could see why perhaps this route is only two stars. I will definitely be only climbing the 1st pitch and walking off next time.
harmonydoc

Trad climber
Rohnert Park, CA
May 26, 2009 - 03:00pm
 
The first pitch is a nice option if you want something mellow and short at the end of the day. It's quite straigtforward to walk off the big ledge to the left.
Lu.CA

Sport climber
Italy
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   Sep 13, 2008 - 03:59pm
Did it on 8.24.2008 - the first pitch is beautiful, and the bulge crux is not that big problem - just jam your left hand and foot in!

The boulder problem at the very beginning of the second pitch should be taken for what it is: a problem. Spend a few moments trying yo understand how to solve it, and than just do it: it's not physical neither difficult (albeit you've got no pros). Then you've got some face moves which are pretty doable, and then it gets very easy, apart from an unconfortable belay at the top of the pitch (as you've got no ledges on which to take a cup of tea while belaying...)

Third pitch is very very easy, do it to get to the top of the wall.

Yeah!
Simmeron

Trad climber
Reno, NV
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   Sep 2, 2008 - 03:19pm
This is a pretty fun route and is a good step up from the Hogsback but easier than most other East Wall climbs. The first pitch protects beautifully with ample pro just about everywhere.

The second pitch felt harder than 5.6 getting to the bolt. Very physical. Then we moved left from the bolt and did a no hands move with only one foot on a knob before we could grab a bomber dike. Felt like hard 5.6, but makes you think twice if you're leading. The last pitch is 4th class and nothing too spectacular after the last two pitches, but it is fun scrambling and you're at the Leap, so you may as well go for it and have fun.
Standing Strong

Trad climber
snowshoe thompson history trail
Aug 2, 2008 - 04:05am
 
"The move off the belay ledge did seem harder"

i agree w/this one hundred percent, esp because of the rockfall that made it harder. the ENTIRE CLIMB is super easy and fun except for that ONE move. it's good to hear someone else say this. altho that move is fun, if you approach it with the right attitude.
wawa

climber
sunnyvale, ca
Aug 1, 2008 - 02:33pm
 
Found a metolius power cam#8; biner and gear handle both got blue-yellow tape on it. Near the bottom of pop bottle. Anyone's? Drop me a message.
murcy

Gym climber
sanfrancisco
Aug 17, 2007 - 01:48am
 
That bulge/roof protects fine with a #3, or so it seemed to me today.
timbo

Trad climber
Phonix
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   Jun 3, 2005 - 02:47am
Pop bottle is a very good first 5.7 lead climb. Protection is very solid with passive gear. I only used one cam in the whole climb a #4 black diamond Camelot in the crux move over the first roof every other peace was ether a nut or a wild country hex. I carried two sets of nuts, a set of hexes, 10 quick draws, 4 normal slings, and #4 Camelot. Use a 10 foot sling around a big boulder at the top of the first 200ft pitch to belay from. The second pitch isn’t worth the climb it is mostly 4th class scrambling, you can simply walk across the large shelf to the climbers trail from the top of the first pitch.
ttoshi

Trad climber
Oakland, CA
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   Oct 27, 2003 - 12:43am
I did the first pitch on Thursday. It was a fun climb, and well worth doing (at least) the first pitch. Since I'm short, I had to get my feet quite high to get a good hold in the roof before the gold scar. I think 5.7 felt fair for this roof. The area around the gold scar was lots of fun too. I recommend the crack rather than the face climbing at the gold scar, since it's better protected and lots of fun. The rest of the pitch is quite easy and not too memorable.
johnhl94563

Trad climber
Orinda
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   Oct 25, 2003 - 09:23pm
I can't agree with the 5.7 rating on this. It might depend on who's description you follow. The Falcon guide (sorry for competition on guides, but that is what I already had) rates it 5.6 and their route starts the first pitch a little to the right, then traverse up to the crack below the tan scar. This is the route we followed, perhaps direct from the bottom might be 5.7 to that scar.

I found the climb enjoyable, but the first pitch was quite easy (5.5?? or 5.6?) especially compared to Bear's Reach. The move off the belay ledge did seem harder, but it was one move with a large ledge below you, then step up and clip into a bolt. I never saw/found the second bolt on the 2nd pitch.

An enjoyable climb, but seemed more like easy 5.6 to me (and I'm currenly leading 5.8 - 5.9 trad)...

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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Charlie

Novice climber
Mill Valley, CA
Jun 7, 2002 - 05:25pm
 
My first climb on the East Wall. There is a great incut hold in the crack for going over the small roof on the first pitch, easily protected with cams. I took the move out right on the face after the gold scar and belayed above the gold scar just below the great ledge. Second pitch has an interesting start, bouldery as it says in the topo, to a single bolt 15' up then heads right and up to two bolts. Third pitch is not very intersting - 4th class. Saw a rattler on the walk off. Nice climb for first time on East Wall.
Lover's Leap, East Wall - Pop Bottle 5.7 - Lake Tahoe, California, USA. Click to Enlarge
A view from the approach.
Photo: Chris McNamara
 
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