Killer K
Boulder climber
Sacramento, CA
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I ended up traversing the dike to the bolted anchors of the groove too. Route finding was difficult, gear kinda sucked, and a fall was unacceptable due to the ledges. Climbing wasnt difficult. There is a wide flared crack in the middle of the dike traverse that looked more difficult that 5.5 and had poor gear. Wouldnt reccommend for a first trad lead. Ive led the groove, surrealistic, pop bottle, east wall, bears reach, haystack, and others. I would get on any of those climbs for a first lead before this route
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Ralphy
Trad climber
Green Honda Element
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Tried to climb this route yesterday, did the direct start, seemed harder than 5.6. Still have no idea where this route even goes, but where ever I was seemed way harder than 5.5. Ended up just walking right, across a huge dike and rappeling off the bolt anchors for The Grove. Super topo books are totally awesome, but this route was super vague.
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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At the start I traversed in from the right and followed the main hand crack straight up, which felt no harder than 5.5 until I reached the second "5.5" crack just before it veered left, where it felt like 5.7 (other climbers I spoke with said the same thing). It felt just as hard as Bear's Reach, Surrealistic Pillar and Corrugation Corner. Where is the 5.5 variation? I wondered if it might be easier had I gone right toward the big corner, but it looked harder (as verified below by other climbers), or left toward The Groove which looked unprotected. High up I belayed out on the right edge where there were a few narrow cracks. Weird climb, not much fun, definitely not recommended for new leaders.
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Evdawg
Trad climber
Sacramento/S. Tahoe
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did this route again and stretched it into one pitch with a 60m rope. Looking back on it, i don't know why i ever did it in two pitches...
However, if you do the "5.6" start variation you will not reach the top in one pitch.
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Rudder
Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
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"""This climb is not very straight forward. We started by traversing in from the right on some dikes. Then up a large crack/chimney. We missed the second 5.5 crack on the topo, it looked flared and alot harder than 5.5 . We instead ended up over to the right under the roof with the wild dikes and crack that goes up and left. We belayed under the roof then did a wild traverse up and left and out the dikes/crack. Not to bad, maybe a couple of 5.7 moves. The dikes here are HUGE! Some of them look like mini bath tubs on top. Enjoy!"""
We did the same thing, yesterday, October 28th, 2008, except for the start. It was our first time to the Lover's Leap area, the weather was perfect (warm and no wind) and we were alone all day... fantastic! Anyway, we almost tried that same start but then realized from the guide book topo that the route must start moving left off the large chock stone between the large boulder and the wall... right above the 5.6 (5.9?) direct start.
I thought the large crack/chimney was clearly off route, but my climbing partner and best friend of 38 years insisted it was the way to go. I agree with this statement above:
"""We missed the second 5.5 crack on the topo, it looked flared and alot harder than 5.5 ."""
The second crack is shown on the topo and it does look harder than the lower part of the route... but it looks straight forward climbing. I wanted to continue the first pitch lead up that crack... no matter what it was rated. But, I got talked in to the wide crack on the right... which lead to what was perfectly described above as "wild" moves up and then left under the roof. We rated the crux of that section at hard 5.9. We rated the whole route at PG or even R on the pro. But, if the pro was good or not, a leader fall would be bad... you'd be breaking some bones. lol I lead the whole route (we did it in two pitches) and I just felt like I'd be better off solo'n it as I wouldn't have to waste time playing with gear that wasn't going to help me anyway. lol
I think the guide book should go something like this:
Start off on the chockstone between the large boulder and the wall (just above the direct start). A move up and left off the chockstone will get you in the crack. Climb the face around the crack (placing "okay" pro in the crack (to me the best pro was just nuts, nothing else, and I put a sling on each piece)) until it runs out and you find yourself on a ramp that moves up and left. Do not go up the wide crack on the right end of the ramp. Move up and left on the ramp and follow the crux crack up (it stays left of the obvious roof). Just past the roof you will find low angle climbing to the top. As the guide book already says, do in one pitch or two.
The topo in the guide book does show you what you need to know. But the description is lacking. I don't recommend the large crack on the right as some have here, because to me, it's just not good climbing.
Again, after years of climbing Josh, Tahquitz, and Yosemite... we made it to Tahoe! We read about all the crowds and were worried about that, but again we were the only climbers, or even hikers, there that day. Lover's Leap was fantastic and I deeply regret not climbing there when I was younger. I hope I can talk my old best friend into a few more trips out there before we give up climbing for chess and checkers in our old age. lol
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Evdawg
Trad climber
Sacramento/S. Tahoe
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the direct start felt harder than a 5.6 (if you compare it to Deception, Harvey Wallbanger, and other 5.6's at the leap)
my first time on the route i went up the thinner crack on the left (past the ledge) and the second time i climbed it, i did the wider crack to the righ. this was a much better choice.. then did an undercling traverce to the left under the roof...
I found that the anchor was pretty much all medium size gear, the #4 cam as the average size..
[Click to View Linked Image]
halfway up the crack on the right. the guy before me was complaining that there was no pro so i decided to bring up the #6
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cmyth
climber
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The direct 5.6 start is very tough if you don't know how to crack climb (hand jam). I don't and it took a lot of work and falls to get past the crux at 12 feet, second couldn't get it at all. If you did have crack skills I imagine this crux would still be a 5.7+. Run out the last 50 feet on low angle to complete in 1 pitch. The huge dikes add some risk to the lead as a fall often lands you on a ledge.
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caughtinside
Social climber
Oakland, CA
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Sounds like the last two posters found out that the direct start in the crack below the boulder is 5.9 instead of 5.6! It's a one move wonder though, you hit some handjams right above a orange alien/.75 camalot and then it goes back to 5.4.
I'd recommend doing the roof finish to this route, 'Novitiate's Nightmare,' a very fun .9 roof boulder problem that takes great pro. Small aliens or a #3 camalot. Fun roof pull, a big move between giant holds.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Hated this route. I backed down the direct start, not 5.6 for sure. Up high the old guidebook gave insufficient info to know where to go. I ended up traversing left 15' and pulling a mantel to nowhere. Unable to down mantel, I went up on sh#t pro into 5.7 land facing a nasty penji back into the corner. Up higher, where the belay should have been, I was out of the right gear. I ran the rope to the very end and finally was able to build an anchor.
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Lextalion
Trad climber
Sonoma ,CA
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the opening move is to set some pro about 12' up, which wasn't that hard. However after setting the pro the crux was apparently right above this, as there seemed only to be a wide hand crack that is a bit sketchy.
I fell off this move three times before having to give up the route for the day, due to the fact that my arms and hands were shot. I know not eating all day and be climbing at about 1:30-45 pm didn't help matters. This crux move felt like it was about a 5.8+r or 5.9
Definitely will be back to complete that route.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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The "5.6" direct start on the supertopo is more like 5.8 or 5.9. You can plug in a camalot jr., but just be aware the 5.6 rating is a bit of a sandbag.
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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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
DONATE NOW
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Nathan
Intermediate climber
Mill Valley, CA
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This climb is not very straight forward. We started by traversing in from the right on some dikes. Then up a large crack/chimney. We missed the second 5.5 crack on the topo, it looked flared and alot harder than 5.5 . We instead ended up over to the right under the roof with the wild dikes and crack that goes up and left. We belayed under the roof then did a wild traverse up and left and out the dikes/crack. Not to bad, maybe a couple of 5.7 moves. The dikes here are HUGE! Some of them look like mini bath tubs on top. Enjoy!
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A view from the Hogsback.Photo: Chris McNamara
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