South Lake Tahoe Boulderizations

>I've been lucky enough to find and do some really fun new rock climbs at Tahoe, CA, in the style of bouldering recently. I'm sharing these in the hopes that you appreciate new climbing experiences as much as I do. Here is my First Ascent info for South Lake Tahoe / Meyers CA from the last few years that I've been working/staying up there - about 50+ boulder-problem-first-ascents if you count all variations;
{0 to 5***** star quality rating}

*And a huge THANKS to Joshua Welch and Andrew Zaslove for the very helpful / informative mini guide to the Meyers Bouldering Festival  :)

Mountain Cat Boulders
{An area I found, developed from scratch and named - a few problems may have been done here before me since the boulders are so obvious but I saw no signs of other climbers and I cleaned a lot.}
>CA88 far west of Kirkwood and a few miles west of The Fiber Optic Boulders on the same (north) side of CA88 on top of ridge alongside a dirt side road with a few other boulders (potential!?) nearby;
Cat Tracks Boulder
"Cat Tracks" V3/4**** sit (V1/2*** stand) or V5* traverse into from right along low rail
"Cat Scratch Fever" V4/5*** sit (V3/4**) or V6* traverse into ..
? V3**
? V2**
? V1**
? V0*
South Lake Tahoe Bouldering 2

Caples Lake Boulders
>CA88 next to Caples Lake Sign;
Caples Lake Sign Boulders 5-10 problems V0-V4/5ish (Some of the problems were probably done before me but the others I cleaned and probably did first.)
Tahoe Bouldering - Juneuary 2011
>CA88 next to Caples Lake Dam;
Caples Lake Dam Boulders 5-10 problems V0-V4/5ish - the main line is a V2/3*** arete that Jay Sell was rumored to have done first from a stand start!? and I got the fa on the V3/4*** sit!?
(some were done before us but the others Aron Quiter and I cleaned and did)
Tahoe Bouldering - December 2011!!

?? Trailhead Boulders
>CA88 west of ? Pass - left side of big boulder behind bathroom in parking lot.
? V2/3** crack/corner/face to mantle lip
? V3/4** left stand to corner
? V4/5** right sit to corner
[some pics at the end of the video below]
Tahoe Bouldering - Juneuary 2011

Hope Valley Boulders
>Unsure of area name - people have bouldered here a lot before me but I'm pretty sure I did a few of the sit starts first - pullout just south of pullout for Welcome to the Future / CA88/89 intersection;
"Hop Skip and a Bump" V4** right face/arete low sit.
"Hope Skip and A Jump" V4** left sit and up past hueco.
"The Snowman" V4** low sit on first boulder.
>Across from store;
"Lip Sandwich" V2/3** lip traverse from right to top out on V0/1* on left.
Bouldering and Other Stuff Around So Lake Tahoe Summer 2013

Swamp Meadow Boulders
{An area I found, developed and named}
>Very cool pocketed granite! 11.0 miles from CA88 heading toward Blue Lakes right off the side of Blue Lakes Rd next to a swampy meadow.
"Snake Eyes" V4/5****
"Swamp Face" V1****
"Swamp Pockets" V2/3***
"Swamped" V2/3***
"Mini Swamp Thing" V3/4**
Swamp Meadow Boulders 

Gas Grass or Ass
{I developed and named.}
>Across from Grass Lake on the trail up to a small sport crag.
"Gas Grass or Ass" V4/5*** low tricky slab traverse from right arete to top out up V0/1** left arete.
The right arete, the crack next to it and the main face thin slab face have all not been done yet!? :)
Bouldering and Other Stuff Around So Lake Tahoe Summer 2013


? Trailhead Boulder
>Just west of Grass Lake as you start to go downhill but before the turn for the campground. Boulder is visible about 100 yards left of a popular trailhead.
"6 Legged Monkey Crawl" V5/6*** sit start double compression aretes (V2/3** stand).
Bouldering and Other Stuff Around So Lake Tahoe Summer 2013

Fat Tire Boulder
>CA89 on uphill side between Meyers and CA88 just downhill from the top of S Upper Truckee Rd.
"Fat Man Traverse" V4/5*** sit start arete then traverse rail similar to Iron Man left to top out.
"Flat Tire" V4/5** stand start South Face and traverse right into right arete to top out.
South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Winter-Spring 2013

CA89 Boulders ?
"Vendetta" V6/7*** stand start right arete/face to sloper top out over rocks and bushes - between lower main area and V7 cave uphill.  Still unrepeated!?  [[2nd Ascent attempt @2:01 in vid below]]
? V1/2** sit/stand short face left of Vendetta on crack/flake/jug.
South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Winter-Spring 2013 (long version)

Christmas Tree Valley
>South Upper Truckee Road
"Chris' Traverse" (aka "Low Brow Traverse") V6/7** sit start Low Brow then traverse low and left along face into far left arete sit and top it out. Technical, pumpy, fun and safe, lowball traverse.
South Lake Tahoe Bouldering 1

The River Beavers
>South Upper Truckee Road
"Beaver Jam" V2/3**** sit start spillter hand/layback crack!
"Eager Beaver" V4/5*** low sit start right arete/face.
Some Beaver Bouldering

Bliss
>CA89 / Lake Tahoe West Shore
"Slim Shady" V4/5*** low sit to short double compression aretes and top out up left side. On top of hill under big shady tree.
Bouldering and Other Stuff Around So Lake Tahoe Summer 2013

 ~ more info coming soon..! I Loves me some Granite!!

>A few of my other newer videos of South Tahoe Bouldering;

Some South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Fall 2013 

The Toltec Boulder 

Lake Audrain ~ 0123 Boulder



UPDATE 2016:
Since 2013 I have not visited Tahoe a lot but here are the few new problems I have found and done:

"Green Spider" V6? right of "White Spider" - Alpine Club

"Pages Traverse" V6/7? traverse from right to left into "Pages From A Book" - Lost In Space
~not sure if this is new or not but it seemed uncleaned and unclimbed with no chalk or telltale signs.

V4/5 traverse - Burnside Lake Rd

V5/6 traverse - Burnside Lake Rd


White Spider and Green Spider - YouTube

Pages Traverse V6/7 - YouTube

Dutch Bill Boulder

Dutch Bill Boulder
NO DIRECTIONS - word of mouth only - and once you get there DO NOT park anywhere near the driveway with the gate across from the trailhead (what kind of fool would do that anyways:)

15 main lines - about 35+ problems total counting link ups, variations, stand starts and projects.
{0 to 5***** star quality rating}

_____________________________________________________________________________________
0 "Cave Spider Stand" V1/2*** stand start on big horizontal rail above roof and top out onto ledge with big jug and jump/drop off or top out high VB (5.6R) slab! - FA=TL

1 "Cave Spider" V3/4***** low sit start in center of cave up left past big rail into top out ~ path of least resistance ~ Mega Classic!! - FA=TL
-- or left sit #10 V4/5*** -- or right sit #5 V5/6***

2 "Cave Spider Direct" V5/6**** low sit start Cave Spider and go direct out roof then traverse left along lip a few moves into #1 to top out (original way) FA=TL or "Cave Spider Directer" V6**** go even more direct and straight up to top out. FA=CS
-- or low left sit #10 V6*** -- or low right sit #5 V6/7***

3 "Dutch Belly" V7/8*** stand start on left hand crimp and right hand slope and bust a move up left or right hand then traverse up left into #1 to top out (original way) or go direct straight up or up right into the top of #12 -- or V8**** low stand -- or V8/9**** sit -- or "Buddhas Underbelly" V9**** link up variation - FA=RT/TT/SB?

4 "The Dutchie" V3/4*** high stand start -- or "Dutch Rutter" V6/7*** low start on underclings then reach up left and top out on The Dutchie - FA=CS(V3/4) / FA=AC(V6/7)
-- or "Cave Dutchie" V6/7** sit #1 then traverse right along lip into #4 top out FA=CS(V6/7) -- or V4 /5* from rail stand start into #4 -- or "Grope Booth" V7** do #2 into the traverse into #4 FA=SB(V7)

5 "Long Bottom" V6*** sit start then up right or up left -- or V3/4** stand start up into right top out -- or V4/5** stand start up into left top out - FA=TL (original right top out) - FA=SB (left top out)
-- or PROJECT V7/8? start #10 then traverse right into the sit or low stand of #5 to top out.

6  "?" /+ "Dutch Diamond" V2/3/4?? left or right bulge face stand start - or sit !? - FA=TL/JM ?
-- or PROJECT V6/7/8? start #10 then traverse right into either variation of #6 to top out.

7 "Warm Up Cool Down" V0** sit start at horizontal rail and move right and up into VB* - FA=CS

8 "Riding The Rails" V6**** do the low sit to #1 up to the big rail then traverse left to the end of last main rail -- or V4*** stand start same as #0 -- or low sit start #10 V6/7** - FA=RT/TL
-- or stand start from the far left rail and traverse to the right into either #0 to top out V6/7** - or PROJECT V7/8? traverse farther right along the lip into #4? - or PROJECT V8/9+!? traverse down and all the way around into #7 to end maybe?
-- or "The Dirty Dutchman" V10*** sit start #12 into #8 - FA=GT

9 "Sit Down and Shut Up" V5/6** from low left #10 sit traverse low and right up into #7 - FA=CS

10 "Banana Thug" V4/5*** sit at far left side of cave and go up past crack over rock up right into #0

-- or V5/6*** low sit from #1 - FA=TL
-- or "Long Thug" V6/7** sit start #5 then traverse left into #10 and top it out - FA=CS
-- or PROJECT V7/8? do Long Thug but keep traversing the rails to the far left same as #8?

11 "Fox Trot" V6** sit #10 then traverse low and right into #9 - FA=CS

12 "Pass The Dutchie" V10***** sit #10 then traverse low and right into #3 sit then top out #4 - FA=GT

13 V3/4?** low stand start from flat edge up left - FA=TL?

14 V4/5?** low stand start from flat edge up right - FA=TL?

15 "Flying Dutchman" V11**** low sit start into #13 (or #14?) - FA=GT

Main First Ascentionists:

TL Travis Lombardo

RT Ryan Tolentino

GT Giovanni Traversi

CS Chris Summit -me :)

"Cave Spider" V3/4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvLRWkU5b8o

Dutch Bill Boulder Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jBfXcgv7AWg

"Flying Dutchman" V11 FA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g5l9yOXJhrg

"Buddhas Underbelly" V9 FA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-kvhhAu8mXU

Mammoth Bouldering show!!! RIM Club - Tue Sep 3 2013

 

Hartley Springs Bouldering Trip 2013  

This place is cool! Too bad we had to drive around the Rim Fire and it hailed half the time but we had some good fun anyway. It was also just good to go see Chuck B and one of his new Mammoth Bouldering areas!

 *Check out the new Mammoth Bouldering guidebook by Charlie Barrett
@chessler books
http://www.chesslerbooks.com/item/12586-mammoth-bouldering-guidebook-california-charlie-barrett-2012-1st-edition.asp

      

Sendocino

Mendocino County CA Bouldering Summer 2013 ~ soul bouldering some classic first ascents :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SGk95gruxo&feature=c4-overview&list=UUvX88R-kTddUoFjC2Ob902w

Loon Lake Bouldering ACCESS ALERT

Loon Lake Bouldering
>>ACCESS ALERT<<

The Getaway Boulders and the adjacent Getaway Slabs are on Private Property and have No Trespassing signs currently in place. A few of the most difficult problems at Loon are/were found there and will be sorely missed but overall it is not devastating to the area. Pages 96-98 of Northern California Bouldering have the areas that are now CLOSED. There could possibly even be more areas around Loon that are on the same Private Property being closed as well if we do not respect the current boundaries. DO NOT attempt to access The Getaway Boulders or any private boulders in that area anymore because it will only have a negative impact on future access  :(

Secrets Bouldering

Happy 4th of July!!!

                                                  

Something about Secrets and of course the entire coastline in summer is extra attractive simply for the cooler temps. After many trips in every season I realized that all year can be all good or all bad out there. The peak of summer and the coastlines attractiveness though is 4th of July every year. So it is no wonder that a couple of the best first ascents on one of the best boulders on the entire Pacific Coastline of North America were done on 4th of July about(?) a dozen years ago exactly to this day. Those problems would usher in a new realm of hard problems on the Secrets sandstone like my "Sabretooth" and Kevin Jorgeson's highball V8 cave "?" next to it. Giovanni Traversi's currently even got an insane new project to possibly complete the half ass problem I did in the Orange Cave around the corner on the same boulder.
{The original 4th of July problems I put up are "Bottle Rocket" V4 and "Cherry Bomb" V4}

                                          Photo: Valentine Cullen

{{Secrets will stay a secret ~ directions are word of mouth only}}

I will eventually have most of the beta for Secrets bouldering on this blog for free :)

**Update - 2014 Secrets info; http://summitorplummet.blogspot.com/2011/04/secrets.html 

I am now going to begin to add all the topo pics (topographic climbing/bouldering specific photos) and coinciding route/problem beta/info as well as a lot of action pics and vids for all the best bouldering and the few good climbing routes at the amazing sandstone bouldering/climbing paradise Secrets in Salt Point State Park.


I've also never before published any other detailed info in any of my guidebooks or websites about rock climbing/bouldering at Secrets for 3 reasons;
1 it is called Secrets
2 there is plenty of other public rocks in the area
3  T a f o n i  is fragile. Hopefully this blog post will not increase the popularity of the area too much. This blog doesn't get a lot of traffic other than mostly friends and local climbers who probably already know about it anyways.


Due to a recent increase in popularity and the need to preserve the bouldering history before it is blown away in the sands of time I have created this ongoing collection of problems with names, ratings and first ascent info for the mega classics at this incredible coastal sandstone playground - please contribute any knowledge you have of names/ratings/history by emailing me at;  summitorplummet@hotmail.com

    Dean Fleming "Triceratops"

     Photo: Valentine Cullen

     Chris Summit "Sands of Time"
     Photo: Valentine Cullen

**Update - 2014 Secrets info; http://summitorplummet.blogspot.com/2011/04/secrets.html  

Mickeys Beach - Fathers Day Weekend 2013

Sean Brady "Orange Buddha Arete" V8 Mickeys Beach

*Check out more info for Mickey's Beach CA bouldering in my local guidebook Bay Area Bouldering by SUPERTOPO

"The Throne" V6 fa Boho

"The Throne" V6 first ascent (link up, add on, variation) at
The Boho Boulders CA. 

OutdoorGearLab.com

I'm very proud of the work I do at outdoorgearlab.com - here's my latest review for the inexpensive and fairly high performing Mad Rock Flash 2.0;
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Climbing-Shoe-Reviews/Mad-Rock-Flash-2-0

South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Winter/Spring 2013

 

I've been having a very fun, rewarding and productive time bouldering, working and staying around South Lake Tahoe this year. Here's a few new lines I'd like to share with you;

>Fat Tire Boulder 

{park on the dirt below the block about a mile uphill on same hill-side as the 88/89 boulders that are across from the big turnouts lower down the hill}

What had chalk on it;

The center of the south face(?) of this boulder has a good fun, slightly overhung line on crimps up to the diagonal jug lip V6/7ish!? The right and left aretes are also both fun at about V3/4/5 depending on how low you start. There is a short steep face around left of the south face past the traverse with another fun, steep moderate bulge that goes about V2/3 and there looks like there is a tough low sit. The slabby backside is also fun and easy to go up or down on low angle terrain.

What's new;

I cleaned and did first ascent of a long pumpy fun moderate traverse - sit start on the left arete of the south face and go up a few moves then left along the upper lip and drop down a move and traverse along a cool natural rail feature on a steep low-ball face and top out on a V1ish bulge just right of/before the corner and the tree. There is a possible direct start into it and an extra finish to be added on past the tree and along the lip over the short steep face problems on the back side for the full long haul. There is also a low sit face in the center. Valentine also cleaned and did 3 or 4 fun VB-V0/1ish problems and a couple were likely first ascents on the slabby back side. The Forest Service recently cleared out a lot of brush around the boulder opening up the bushy landing below the traverse. I call it the "Fat Man Traverse" V3/4ish? Sorta like Iron Man but bigger, heavier and less cool. 

>CA88/89 Boulders 

{Park at a short dead ond dirt rd - problems are on the big cracked boulder(s) "?" (name unknown to me) and it's shorter neighbor that are found just south of the Welcome to the Future Boulder and closest to the 88/89 intersection.}

I did a few possibly new sit starts. At least one or two of them seemed dirty enough before I cleaned them to be probable first ascents. All are in the V3-V5ish range. Fun with varied moves on cracks, seams, edges, knobs and huecos! Names and more info coming soon.. 

*Footage of most of the new lines in the LONG VERSION YouTube video below;

*All the same footage just shorter length films;

Best of South Tahoe Bouldering - Winter/Spring 2013

YOUTUBE

South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Winter/Spring 2013

YOUTUBE

South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Winter/Spring 2013 (LONG VERSION)

YOUTUBE

sorta silly but cool new problem in Mill Valley "Cascade"

                                           Chris Van Leuven on Cascade.

"Cascade" V6 - YouTube 

Some of my best climbing/bouldering vids 2013

Endless Fall

Castle Rock - End of the Endless Season

Sandstoned - Castle Rock Bouldering

Limestoned - Columbia Bouldering

Labyrinth Bouldering

Redwoods and Rain

South Lake Tahoe Bouldering - Spring 2012

Sugarloaf Ridge Bouldering - End of Summer 2012

Mt Tam Bouldering - Fall 2012

Mt Tam Bouldering - Winter 2012

Super Slab Bouldering Hey Day

Las Wages Rocks

Las Vegas Bouldering 2004

X-Cave

Oregone Bouldering 2004

Sonora Pass Bouldering

Richie Esquibel V6 + Chris Sharma V11 - Bishop

Kevin Jorgeson "Renegades of Funk" V9 (second ascent) Super Slab

Kevin Jorgeson - Eel River

Charlie Barrett "Camel Toe" V8 (first ascent) Sonoma County

Charlie Barrett "Flying Monkey" - Fort Ross

My hardest boulder problems on video;

"Eco Terrorist" V10 Castle Rock, CA.

"Welcome to Hell" V9 (2nd ascent) Putah Creek, CA.

"Mistaken Identity" V8 Tahoe, CA.

"Living La Vida Loca" V8 (first ascent) Fort Ross, CA.

"Dragon Moon" V8 (first ascent) Secret Sonoma County, CA.

"Chris' Ramp" V8 (first ascent) Pump Rock, CA.

"Killer Green Traverse" V8 (first ascent) Secret Sonoma County, CA.

"The Creek Traverse" V8 Secret Sonoma County, CA.

"Ultimate Trogdor" V8 Columbia, CA.

"Orange Top Blue Sky" V8 Kraft Boulders, NV.

"Popes Prow" V8 sit and "High Plains Drifter" V7 Bishop, CA.

"Lovers Leap Offwidth" Tahoe, CA.

lots of old and new vids on my youtube channels

I recently converted a lot of my 10-20 year old vhs-c and hi8 raw climbing footage of my friends and I to digital and just started putting a lot of it on my youtube channels;

Mrchrissummit ~ Summitorplummet YouTube

drunkenmaster777 ~ secretnorcalrockclimbing+!? YouTube

Top 12 secret/private north bay boulder projects

Here are, from what I've seen, heard and can remember and also in my opinion, the top 12 un-done bouldering projects that are secret/private in and around the North Bay Area. I can't include directions, you will have to find that out through word of mouth. Access to some of these areas is possible with permission of local climbers/friends/landowners but a few of these areas have continually changing access dilemmas. The areas with the dilemmas require you to talk to the local climbers about the current access issues before risking trespassing without permission and getting in trouble, blowing it for everyone else and maybe even getting deliveranced :-/ I have more I'm saving for myself of course ;) but these are most of the best and most difficult. There are also a few that I didn't find, clean and/or envision so I also left those out for now until the discoverer has a chance to try for the first ascent.

I have a list of the legit Bay Area bouldering projects along with the top 10 best boulder problems at each grade in my;
Top 10 Best Boulder Problems in the Bay Area.



Top 12 secret/private north bay area boulder projects, in no particular order, 0-5 star:
( the grades are a guess on my part and since i have only bouldered about v10 anything above that is massive speculation and it's all totally my opinions and the names are just nicknames for now of course, do em and name em! :)

*****full direct Mammoth Cave V11/12/13!? do the short but powerful 10ft v7/8 low direct center sit into any 5 of the 60foot long v7/8/9 original classics right into the 15ft steep and powerful v7 crux and past the end of the big cave into an upside down back against the wall no hands rest then do the 35ft v7 finish into the smaller cave - total = ~100+ft!!
MAMMOTH CAVE

*****full Mammoth Cave V10/11/12!? do any 5 of the 60ft long v7/8/9 original classics into the short v6/7/8 crux to the end of the big cave (V10/11 to here) then into the upside down back against the wall no hands rest and then do the v7 finish into the smaller cave for the full V11/12!?
MAMMOTH CAVE

*****direct Mammoth Cave V9/10/11!? do the short, powerful 10ft v7/8 low direct center sit into any 5 of the v7/8/9 original classics!?
MAMMOTH CAVE

***full Green Cave traverse V10/11/12!? start white widow v5 for the extra pump then do any of the main green cave traverses v5/6 and do "sit direct" which is a few hard drop down and set up moves that are about v8/9ish into kevin's sit v6/7 and then do the 50ft v3/4 traverse to finish - total = 100ft!
GREEN CAVE

***sit direct V9/10!? do a few hard low traverse moves that are about v7/8ish into kevin's sit v6/7.
GREEN CAVE

****Moonrise Arete V9/10/11!? left hand arete/face from start of kick me up right!?
MOONRISE

*****direct variations!? V11/12/13/14!?
SLITHER

****direct orange cave V13/14/15?!?
SECRETS

**saber-choong low V10/11!?
SECRETS

***corridor traverse V9/10/11!?
SECRETS

**fish slap traverse V9/10!?
SECRETS

****warrior project V7/8?R!?

GEYSERS

Mt Tam Bouldering - Winter 2012

Some new areas and new boulder problems;
Mt Tam Bouldering - Winter 2012