CAMP 4 PRESS

CAMP 4 PRESS is pleased to announce the new (LOCALS GUIDE) Rock Climbing Guide To North Tahoe, available
spring 2011. This comprehensive guidebook covers the North Lake Tahoe / Donner Summit / Reno-Carson City region crags
and rock climbing routes.

LOCALS
GUIDE

The most comprehensive guidebooks available. Dedicated

to documenting and preserving local and regional climbing
history and promoting environmental awareness.

Full color, with high quality photo/topos of nearly all routes (476 pages).
Sixteen years in the writing, with over 6,000 hours of research/documentation. (The local author has 28 years of
continuous climbing experience in the area).
More than twenty previously unpublished crags and cliffs.
Roughly half of the, approximately 1,300, routes reviewed have never before been documented or published!
Dozens of prominent, long time locals have contributed information and reviewed the manuscript for historical
accuracy.
Includes an introduction on local climbing history, and tales of prominent local climbing figures.
Historical route notes with first ascent documentation wherever possible.
All known routes in a nearly 1,800 square mile region are included. (Which are located within a 30-40 minute
approach from parking)
Select bouldering area locations.

Please review the random sample pages, attached below, for a sample preview of how the book is formatted.

To place orders, or for additional information, please contact:

John Jackson
oneadventurousone@yahoo.com
775-690-7789

LOCALS GUIDE
LOCALS
GUIDE
TO
TO

ROCK CLIMBS
OF

NORTH TAHOE

INCLUDING:
NORTH TAHOE
TRUCKEE RIVER CANYON
DONNER SUMMIT
1-80 WEST
EAST SHORE CRAGS
RENO-CARSON CITY REGION
Over 1,200 routes, including more than
700 previously undocumented climbs

24
50
TO PYRAMID
LAKE

DAYTON
VIRGINIA
CITY

(25 mi.)
19

I 80

Map pg. 378

445

23

RENO

WASHOE
LAKE

395

CARSON
CITY
22

20
1
18

50

21
431
INCLINE
VILLAGE

MT. ROSE
EL. 10,776

395

28

15 16

TO
S. SHORE

14
17

1) Indian Springs
2) Hobo Cave
3) In-Between Cliff
4) Rainbow
5) Donner Summit
(see Freeway Crags map)
6) Donner Summit
(see Old 40 Crags map)
7) Deep Creek Crag
8) Sawtooth Ridge
9) Truckee River Canyon
(see Truckee River
Canyon crag map)
10) Santana Wall
11) Shirley Canyon Cliff
12) Twin Crags
13) Crystal Bay
14) Trippy Rock
15) Ballbuster Rock
16) Spooner Crag
17) River Rock
18) Mogul
19) To Pig Rock region
(See Pig Rock area map)
20) Thomas Creek Crag
21) Lakeview Slab
22) Dinosaur Rock
23) Prison Hill
24) Iron Butte

TRUCKEE
RIVER

NORTH
LAKE
TAHOE

13

28

267

TAHOE CITY
8

TRUCKEE

12

9*

89

89
7
DONNER
LAKE

Map pg. 47

10
11

SQUAW VALLEY

Map pg. 68

DONNER
SUMMIT
OLD HIGHWAY 40
I 80
4
3

1 2
20

TO
SOUTH SHORE
Map pg. 246

TO
SACRAMENTO

Table Of Contents
Locator map
Introduction
Local History
Climbing Styles and Ethics
Crag Statistics Chart
How To Use This Guidebook
Recommended Routes

pg.
pg.
pg.
pg.
pg.
pg.
pg.

4
5
7
23
25
27
31

Interstate 80 West
Indian Springs
Hobo Cave
In Between Cliff
Rainbow

pg. 36
pg. 58
pg. 62
pg. 67

Donner Summit [Freeway Crags]

Donner Summit Overview And Crag Map (I-80 crags)
Rest Stop Cliffs
P.C.T. Crag
Babylon
Bat Walls
The Freeway Slab

pg. 73
pg. 75
pg. 86
pg. 91
pg. 96
pg. 102

Donner Summit [Old Highway 40]

Donner Summit Crag Map (Old Highway 40 crags)
Stealth Wall
The Perch
Black Wall
Dragons Nest
Lower Slabs
Road Cut
Peanut Gallery
Space Wall
Cuckoos Nest
Shark Wall & Catfish Crag
Grouse Slabs
McDuffs
Snowshed Crags (Snowshed Wall, White Dike Wall, Train Time Wall)
Green Phantom
Sun Wall
School Rock
Baboon Crag
Star Walls
Goldilocks
Lake Angela Cliffs
Donner Peak
Gravel Pit Boulder
-2-

pg. 104
pg. 108
pg. 111
pg. 114
pg. 134
pg. 137
pg. 139
pg. 145
pg. 151
pg. 154
pg. 159
pg. 163
pg. 180
pg. 182
pg. 204
pg. 207
pg. 209
pg. 216
pg. 219
pg. 226
pg. 229
pg. 234
pg. 237

Truckee River Canyon

Truckee River Canyon Map And Overview
The Columns
Deep Creek Crag (AKA The Secret Spot)
Sawtooth Ridge
Little Chief
Big Chief
Light Deprivation Buttress
Bear Cave Cliff
The Amphitheater
Twin Crags

pg. 240
pg. 242
pg. 245
pg. 267
pg. 283
pg. 288
pg. 324
pg. 332
pg. 336
pg. 340

Squaw Valley
Santana Wall
Shirley Canyon Wall

pg. 354
pg. 357

Eastshore Crags
Crystal Bay
Trippy Rock
Ballbuster Rock
Spooner Crag

pg. 363
pg. 368
pg. 371
pg. 374

Reno and Carson City Region

River Rock
Mogul
Thomas Creek
Lakeview Slab
Prison Hill
Dinosaur Rock
Iron Butte

pg. 382
pg. 388
pg. 393
pg. 396
pg. 398
pg. 408
pg. 411

Pyramid Lake Area

Pig Rock And Contra Canyon Region Overview and Map
Pig Rock Area
Contra Canyon
Monkey Condo Wall and Hidden Amphitheater
Needle Rock

Bouldering Areas
Route Index By Rating

-3-

pg. 416
pg. 421
pg. 423
pg. 424
pg. 431
pg. 439
pg. 445

Donner Lake

2 miles

Truckee River Canyon

Overview Map

Shirley Canyon Wall

Deep Creek Crag

North
Lake Tahoe

DONNER SKI RANCH

BASE LODGE
PRIVATE ROAD

LAKE ANGELA CLIFFS

LAKE
ANGELA

DAM
PACIFIC
CREST TRAIL

* DO NOT SWIM
DRINKING WATER RESEVOIR

OLD HIGHWAY
40 TO SODA
SPRINGS

DONNER SUMMIT
OLD HIGHWAY 40
SUGAR BOWL
SKI ACADEMY

MAP BY J. JACKSON 1993

BABOON CRAG

GOLDILOCKS
WALL
NURSERY SCHOOL
SLAB

SOUTH
STAR WALL

SCHOOL ROCK

NORTH
STAR WALL

TO DONNER PEAK
SUN WALL
SNOWSHED
WALL
RAINBOW
BRIDGE

GROUSE SLABS

INTERSTATE 80
APPROXIMATELY
3 MILES BY TRAIL
FROM HERE

GREEN
PHANTOM
MCDUFFS
TO TRAINTIME &
WHITE DIKE WALLS

SPACE WALL
BLACKWALL
DESCENT
TRAIL

SHARK WALL
PACIFIC CREST
TRAIL
CATFISH CRAG

PEANUT GALLERY

CUCKOS NEST

BLACKWALL

LOWER SLABS
ROAD CUT
OLD HIGHWAY 40 TO DONNER
LAKE AND TRUCKEE

DRAGONS NEST
CREEK

THE PERCH
STEALTH WALL

Reno

Virginia Mountains

34

D
C

Pig Rock, Rabbit Rock and Little Shop Of Horrors

The Hidden Amphitheater
Monkey Condo Wall
Needle Rock

2)
3)
4)
5)

A F - Refer to direction photos

Contra Canyon

Pyramid Lake

1)

Pig Rock Region

Area Map

Sutcliffe

Nixon

Location A

Cattle guard

Turn off road here.

25.6 miles from
Interstate 80

To Reno

To Pyramid Lake

Location B
.75 miles from pavement - Veer left at this Y intersection

Pig Rock Canyon

Needle Rock

This Way

Location D
Veer right to proceed to Monkey Condo Wall.

Hidden
Amphitheater

Needle Rock
Monkey
Condos

Pig Rock
Monkey Condo Wall
.4 miles

Location E

Entrance to Pig Rock Canyon

Pig Rock
1 mile

Location F

Contra Canyon

To Contra Canyon
1 mile

Little Shop of Horrors

65

11
3

6
7
8

9
10

Pig
Rock
100

12

13

West End Pillar

Down

Last Chance
200 yds.

Approximately 1 mile

Dirt Road

Down

Cave

West End
Parking

Donkey Wall

West End Cliffs

Faint Trail

DEEP CREEK CRAG

OVERVIEW MAP

Big
Cave

Trick Or Treat Wall

A.K.A. The Big Wall
(230 vertical wall)

East End
Parking

The Notch

Down

4.8 miles to
Cabin Creek Road

8
9

10

The Arena

Trail

11

East End
Routes

4x4 Road 1/2 mile

(bad)

1) West End Pillar

2) Pilfered Pockets
3) Working Man Blues
4) Twilights Last Gleaming
5) Tourist Attraction
6) Big Bro Corner
7) Tease Me No More
8) Climb Like A Madman
9) Oh, My My!
10) Hidden Pleasure
11) Squaw Cracks

DEEP CREEK CRAG

THE ARENA
RIGHT SIDE
95
85

51

45
53

46
50 Direct

47-48

49
50
51, 52, 53

53 DIRECT

Bolted anchors 6
85 rappel

DEEP CREEK CRAG

East End
Routes 50 yds.

15

54

To The Arena
100 yds.

Black Wall
Black Wall is the largest and most obvious climbing area along Old Highway 40. It is a complex and
interesting crag to explore, with some routes as tall as 350. The quality and variety of routes are
outstanding. A typical route involves a full spectrum of climbing skills, including route finding.
Many of the routes which reach the summit of Black Wall on the left side end up on Lizard Ledge prior
to the short exit pitch. Several exits are possible from Lizard Ledge. The most commonly used exit is
the right slanting 5.7 ramp/crack on the right side of the headwall. A 5.10 face climb, Fasination, exits
this side as well. A more interesting exit than the 5.7 ramp is the 5.8 crack on the left side of the
headwall. Another exit goes around a corner, near the base of the left side crack, and up a 5.7 slab.
To descend from the top of Black Wall to the road, take a trail down through a southwest facing,
brush covered valley that terminates on the road between The Road Cut and Peanut Gallery. The trail
comes out where a seasonal creek meets the road. To return to the base of Black Wall take this
same trail but when the trail gets off the steep part of the descent head left, up and over a small ridge.
Head down to the trail that runs along the base of Blackwall at a point shortly south of the route
Sidewinder.
SPECIAL NOTE: PLACING BOLTS ON, OR EVEN NEAR, ESTABLISHED ROUTES ON BLACK
WALL IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! THE URGE TO GO ON A BOLTING RAMPAGE MAY BE
STRONG, BUT MANY OTHERS HAVE RESTRAINED THEMSELVES AND SO SHOULD YOU!
BOLD RUNOUTS ARE A BLACK WALL TRADITION, AND SHOULD REMAIN THAT WAY FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS TO CHALLANGE THEMSELVES ON. ADDING BOLTS ON BLACK
WALL WOULD SURELY BRING A SWIFT AND UNFAVORABLE RESPONSE FROM LOCAL
CLIMBERS WHO HAVE TRIED TO LIMIT EXCESSIVE BOLTING ON THIS TRADITIONAL CRAG.
WARNING: You can not rappel onto Lizard Ledge from the current anchor bolts, located 25 back
from the edge of Blackwall above Lizard ledge, with a 60 meter rope. You will end up 25 above the
ledge if you try it. These anchors should be relocated to the lip of Blackwall before someone rappels
off the end of their rope and a tragedy happens.
1) UNKNOWN 5.8? corner/large crack dirty 45
[ Unknown fa ]
2) SIDE WINDER .11c
[ John Hoffman / Eric Pearlman ]
3) UNKNOWN 5.7 flake/crack to a short ramp
[ Unknown fa ]
4) LAST TANGO .12b face
[ Mark Hudon / Gary Allan ]
5) UNKNOWN 5.6 hand crack 30 Comes up the backside of Primer Boulder. Rap off of Primer
[ Unknown fa ]
6) DELUSIONS OF DESPERATION .10a or 10d direct start TR Climb a crack before moving
right onto flakes, then up the face.
[ Unknown fa, Max Jones?]
7) LUBRICATION 5.9 crack on the arete
[ Gary Allan ]
8) PRIMER 5.9+ Lieback finger crack in the corner of a steep slab/dihedral
[ Max Jones / Tom Caramia ]
9) SPACE INVADERS .10b slab bolts 75
[ Gene Drake / Rocko Rampino 1981 ]
10) INVADING CANNIBALS .10b fist crack/slab 75 Start by climbing a, 5.7+, fist crack on the
left side of Cannibal Gully before stepping left onto a slab. Climb up the slab and link up with Space
Invaders between the second and third bolts.
-114-

11) **CANNIBAL GULLY 5.7 crack / gully / face / slab 3 or 4 pitches 1 to 4 pro for first
pitch Start up the crack on the left side of the gully or climb the 5.8 chimney on the right side, then
proceed up for 130. Belay on a large ledge in the left hand corner below a chimney at the head of the
gully. From here go up the 5.7, slightly runout, face on the left, past an old bolt. Turn the corner onto
the slab above and continue to a belay from a ledge / terrace. Walk off to the left or continue up and
right across a slab to the base of a gully / chimney for the final pitch. Wet in the spring.
[ Bill Dutton / Paul Sullivan 1969 ]
12) INNER RECESS 5.9 up to 4 pro. 3 pitches Start in a chimney on the right side of the
gully, 5.8. Then proceed up the gully for the rest of the 130 to a large belay ledge in the left hand
corner, below a chimney at the head of the gully. Climb up the left side of this chimney (5.9 and large
pro) and belay from above. Continue up the gully / chimney for the final pitch. Wet in the spring.
[ Unknown fa ]
13) ** BOURBON STREET .10a Chimney / gully 1rst pitch, lieback finger crack to a roof
traverse on 2nd pitch Large pro to 4 for 1rst pitch 3 pitches Climb the first pitch of Inner
Recess then belay at the base of a chimney. Alternate start is to climb the Rats Tooth before moving
into the gully, .10a, or climb the first pitch of Cannibal Gully, 5.7. After the first pitch, start up the
chimney and go right around a small roof to a crack above. Follow this gorgeous lieback, flared finger
crack to the base of a huge, exposed roof, .10a., Traverse right under the roof, 5.9+, and go around
the right corner to a short 5.6 crack that leads to Lizard Ledge. Watch for pro popping out of the
shallow, flared crack on the 2nd pitch.
[Gary Allan / John Hoffman / Malcolm Jolly 1977 ]
14) *RAMBO CRACK 12d sustained, overhanging, right slanting, flared hand crack The top
10 of this crack can be dirty if it has not been climbed in awhile.
[ Hidetaka Suzuki 1987 ]
15) PINBALL JUNCKIE .10d, .12a var. face bolts and pro 45 Climb up the face on the left
corner of the pinnacle.
[ Unknown fa ]
16) RHYTHM KILLER .12 face bolts and pro 50 Climb the face of the Pinnacle just left of
the Rats Tooth.
[ Mike Carville, 1988 ]
17) RATS TOOTH .10a Finger crack to an awkward chimney. Offwidth start variation on left
.10a. 50
[ Unknown fa ]
18) ** TOUCH AND GO .10a crack 4 pitches Fantastic route! Climb the flared chimney, 5.8,
just right of the Rats Tooth then belay from the top of Rats Tooth. From here, go around to the left
and down into Cannibal Gully. Proceed along a nice hand crack on the right side of the gully until
reaching the headwall, which forms a corner with the right side of the gully. Belay at the bottom of this
corner. Climb up a long pitch of finger/hand crack that leads up and right from this corner,10a, into a
long dihedral,5.9+. Climb this crack/dihedral to Lizard Ledge. Final pitch, 5.7, exits Lizard Ledge to
the left. Good pro placements, but bring a double or triple set of .5 to 2.5 pro for the long third pitch if
you want to sew up the pro on the route.
[ Kim Schmitz / Norm Simmons 1971 ]
19) **HUNG OVER HANG OVER .10a crack Climb the Rats Tooth to the bottom of this slightly
overhanging hand crack.
[Craig Shanholtzer / Dick Dorworth / 1975 ]
20) EMPTY SKY .10a Either climb Hung over, Hang Over or the first two pitches of Skywalker to
start. From the top of Hung Over, Hang Over, go left out onto a face / steep slab and proceed up to
Lizard Ledge.
[ Max Jones / Geoff Smith 1977 ]
21)** EMPTY SKY DIRECT .10c face Nice exposure.
[ Paul Bancroft late1970s ]
22)** EMPTY OVERGO .10a R finger crack, hand crack, face 4 pitches
Climb the Rats Tooth to the base of Hung Over, Hang Over and belay. Climb the slightly
overhanging jam crack above, Hung Over Hang Over, and belay from the bottom of a corner. Go left
around the arte and onto the huge, airy, face and follow bolts from Empty Sky before cutting left to
finish up the top of the dihedral of Touch And Go. Runout on the section between Empty Sky and
Touch And Go.
[ Unknown fa ]
24) BLOW UPS HAPPEN .10c slab to a finger crack up a slab A single, old, bolt protects the
(5.9) slab climbing between the Skywalker traverse and the start of the finger crack.
[Max Jones 1970s]
26) ** BLISS DIRECT 12b thin crack on lower/middle section Follows the original aid route
Bliss of The Knife and links the previously freed lower and upper sections of Bliss.
[ Hidetaka Suzuki or Doug Mischler ffa 1987 ]
-115-

Jim Thornburg
Gary Allan on Lightning Bolt Roof, (.11d) Blackwall 1994

BLACKWALL LEFT CENTER

350

34

31
Lizard
Ledge
27

28

46
47

30

23

P2
33

1
8

37

40

45
42

31
35

41

48

36

29
25

32

26
30

17

32,43

38-39

43

44

Photo Overlays
Dashed line = Route location

Dotted line = Route location that is blocked

from view by foreground object in photo.

Green - 5.0-5.7 route

Yellow - 5.8-5.9 route
Red - 5.10a 5.11d route
Blue - 5.12a - 5.14 route
White Obvious route, without rating information.

Bolted or fixed gear rappel anchor.

Approximate height to bottom of route.

100

Continue on in the direction of arrow.

Route begins 20 lower and out of view.

Belay location on a multi-pitch route.

20

A solid black line represents an outline of an object in

the foreground that blends in with the background.

Routes By Ratings

Routes By Ratings
** Multi-Pitch recommended routes (a partial list)
* Single pitch recommended routes (a very partial list)
RED COLORED ROUTE/CRAG NAME = A never before published route.
Red route name with black colored crag name = Previously only published in
the staple bound, small volume Guide To East Lake Tahoe published in 1991.

OS = Onsite ascent
Successful lead (without pulling on gear or
weighting the rope from top to finish) of the climb on
the very first try without any previous attempt, or
beta from other climbers (This includes observing
another climber on the route) Only one onsite
attempt per lifetime, per route.
RP = Redpoint ascent
Successful lead without pulling on gear, preplacing
gear or draws, or weighting the rope from top to
finish.

OS

RP

TR

Date and
partner

Tr = Toprope ascent
Successful climb of the route, without pulling on
gear or weighting the rope from top to finish, with
the rope already running through anchors from
above.

5.2
NURSERY SCHOOL SLAB School Rock

5.3
*SUPER DOO Indian Springs
GROUSE SLABS ROUTE #15 Grouse Slabs
GRAND CENTRAL SLAB Prison Hill

5.4
JUNIPER TREE Indian Springs
HO HUM Deep Creek Crag
LAST CHANCE PILLAR Deep Creek Crag
MOGUL ROUTE # 1 Mogul
MOGUL UNKNOWN ROUTE # 11 Mogul
THE NECK, Pig Rock
CONTRA CANYON ROUTE #13 Contra Canyon
IRON BUTTES ROUTE #21 Iron Buttes

5.10c
SUPER SLAB 4 YOU Indian Springs
OLD SEA HAG Indian Springs
ZEPHER Indian Springs
ARROWHEAD Indian Springs
MONKEY ON THE LOOSE Indian Springs
HANDS UP DIRECT Indian Springs
SLEEPER Rainbow
JUMPING JACK FLASH Rainbow
LIGHT SPECIAL Rainbow
38 SPECIAL Rainbow
ASSEMBLED Rainbow
DIRTY DEED Rainbow
WARRIOR Rest Stop Cliffs
BLOW UPS HAPPEN Black Wall
FASCINATION Black Wall
AQUA LUNG Black Wall
MR CLEAN Black Wall
CENTERFOLD Black Wall
SUMMER BREEZE Black Wall
CENTEX Blackwall
EYES OF SILVER, Peanut Gallery
YELP OF THE KELP Shark Wall
MISS PRINGLES Grouse Slabs
CORNER ON GOLD Grouse Slabs
SHAKE Grouse Slabs
BLACK CORRAL Grouse Slabs
* MOSS POTENTIAL Grouse Slabs
PEBBLE IN THE SKY Grouse Slabs
GROUSE SLABS ROUTE #50 Grouse Slabs
MCDUFFS McDuffs
BEERS FOR FEARS Train Time Wall, Snowshed Crags
MAI TAI MADNESS Train Time Wall, Snowshed Crags
BEMHO White Dike Wall, Snowshed Crags
* FAREWELL TO ARMS Snowshed Wall
SANITATION CRACK Snowshed Wall
BERTHA BUTT BOGGIE Snowshed Wall
YELLOW JACKET Green Phantom
UNDERCLING THING Green Phantom
POWER STRUGGLE Near Green Phantom
ORANG-U-HANG Baboon Crag
FEARLESS YOUTH Gemstone Wall
JUNGLE GYM Baboon Crag
THE COLUMNS ROUTE #3 The Columns
THE COLUMNS ROUTE #6 The Columns
TEASE ME NO MORE Deep Creek Crag
** OH, YES YES! Deep Creek Crag
THREAT LEVEL ORANGE Sawtooth Ridge
SQUIRREL CHASE Sawtooth Ridge
UNKNOWN ROUTE #21 Sawtooth Ridge
PICKELED PIGS FEET Little Chief
HALFBAKED Big Chief
THRASH UNDER PRESSURE Big Chief
* KILLER BEES Big Chief
COWBOYS AND INDIANS (a.k.a. THE CHIEF) Big
Chief
WITCH DOCTOR Big Chief