Author Topic: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...  (Read 5932 times)

JC w KC redux

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Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« on: April 18, 2013, 02:27:28 PM »
Any recs for a guidebook with these areas in it? We signed up for the AAC climb-in for Donner in June. I have been wanting to go back to the Leap too. KC and I stopped by there when we went whitewater rafting near Placerville last year but sadly didn't have enough time to climb.

I know, I know...just wait for the SPH book and avoid the crowds.
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mungeclimber

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2013, 02:41:33 PM »
there was a thread about how one of the books is NOT recommended... on supertaco
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Brad Young

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2013, 02:46:51 PM »
I would never use The Locals Guide to North Lake Tahoe (going from memory on the exact title). It is so bad it is almost unusable. Actually, better yet, since I bought two of it (like I do with all the guidebooks I buy), you should use it: I'll sell you one.

Probably best to go with the old, also flawed Falcon book, and the supertopo South Lake Tahow area book.

cobbledik

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2013, 06:26:35 PM »
There's no one good guidebook for the area. (Supertopo is good for leap unless you want obscure routes right of hospital corner)

What I do is own every guidebook, falcon, climbers guide, supertopo, AND mountainproject in a PDF form (you have to scan them myself) in my iPhone and use them with each other. Bringing them all in paper form doesn't work unless you're cragging close to the road.

And climber guide to Tahoe is the worst guidebook I own. The descriptions are on different pages from the pictures. No all-inclusive topos, just lots of close up pictures which is cool when you're right at the crag but trying to figure out a bunch of lines to hit at a crag in a day involves flipping back and forth and back because the pictures don't have names anything else but a number. Really stupid choice for the guidebook author IMO.

Brad Young

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2013, 06:42:30 PM »
What's the title of the worst one?

cobbledik

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2013, 07:08:08 PM »
Locals guide to north Tahoe

I misnamed it as climbers guide to north Tahoe

squiddo

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2013, 07:51:10 PM »
I would never use The Locals Guide to North Lake Tahoe (going from memory on the exact title). It is so bad it is almost unusable. Actually, better yet, since I bought two of it (like I do with all the guidebooks I buy), you should use it: I'll sell you one.

Probably best to go with the old, also flawed Falcon book, and the supertopo South Lake Tahow area book.

Agreed- that guide is one of the worst I've seen.
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F4?

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2013, 08:35:26 PM »
Yah had to buy 2x??
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JC w KC redux

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2013, 09:43:33 AM »
Wow - thanks for all the input guys! Funny - because when I did a search it recommended the book that everyone says is crap. So it looks like my choices are crap, old/outdated and supertopo - I don't like the taco books. I forgot that I borrowed a guidebook(Carville) a while back from the AAC library and got a bunch of routes at the Leap. Bottom line is - I'm just looking for a dozen or so routes that KC and I can lead at the Donner Pass get together. I suppose I can just rely on other folks that are there unless someone has some stuff scanned that they'd be willing to share. The easier the better - definitely nothing harder than 5.9 - and to be honest I haven't led anything with gear harder than 5.8
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Atomizer

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2013, 09:19:23 PM »
The supertopo guidebook is filled with errors except for the leap.

cobbledik

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2013, 11:16:57 AM »
Donner Climbs I have done and Liked that Fit your requirements: All Trad

Black Wall
Rated X 5.7 2P  - Fun, able to sew it up, rope drag can be a bitch if you do though.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/rated-x/106490139

(Easy to walk over from rated X and set TR on bolts [use large cam for directional] over Black September 5.9 1P - super fun vertical finger to fist crack - needs 70m rope to avoid belaying on a slab with a 5th class downclimb

Grouse Slab
Jellyroll Arch 5.8 2P - Amazing route, small cams and nuts while you friction on feet. Feels more like a slab climb with a roof to place gear in as you traverse.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/jellyroll-arch/105735152

Snowshed Wall
Composure 5.6 1P - Easy but fun.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/composure/105735137
Hairshirt 5.8 OW 1P - Fantastic heel-toes and armbars
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/hair-shirt/105735518
Nova Express 5.9 is fun but expect a line that never moves on that one. Also Devaluation 5.7 looks good from the road, but I've never had fun on it the three times i've led it.


JC w KC redux

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2013, 11:27:06 AM »
Donner Climbs I have done and Liked that Fit your requirements: All Trad

thanks for taking the time to hash that out!
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cobbledik

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2013, 04:51:55 PM »
Figured I should add some more that I like and others I haven't climbed but have heard good things about firsthand by those that have climbed them.

I Like:
Green Phantom Rock: less than 2 minutes from the parking lot, TR from bolts, Climb in morning or afternoon, midday is hot, go on weekdays because the crag is gangroped by guides (myself included during the summer) on the weekends.
Phantom Staircase 5.8-5.10a TR 1P - Really fun friction climb of good length left is easier, middle is fun, right is weird. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/phantom-staircase-left/105836195
Roccocater and Yellowjacket both 5.10 sport but easy to TR from bolts at the top. Not worth it on their own but if you're there for Staircase, it's worth moving over to them.
Everything else is meh or too short.

Snowshed Wall:
Telegraph Crack 5.8 Trad 1P - Very Nice. Some vertical and wide moves, easy for 5.8 leader, hard for the 5'6" new leader who led it.  http://www.mountainproject.com/v/telegraph-crack/106888893
Moles Corner 5.8 trad 1P - Short fun 5star crux section then wandering 1star gully climbing to top.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/moles-corner/106906236

Heard Good Things About:
School House Rock
Mary's Crack trad 5.8 2P long - route finding can be a problem I'm told but otherwise is a mellow and fun climb to gain an appreciable altitude. My friend solos it when he has free time. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/marys-crack/106157283

Grouse Slab
Insidious Crack 5.6 trad 1P 150' - Watched my new leader friends lead this. They did fine, seems to protect well, looks straightforward and fun. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/insidious-crack/105735155

Black Wall
One Hand Clapping 5.9 trad 4P - My friend looooves this route. Can't speak about the protection of difficulty because he's a notorious sandbagger. Check on bird closures for upper pitches to lizard ledge http://www.mountainproject.com/v/one-hand-clapping/105736426

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Stay away from Peanut Gallery. Blech.

mynameismud

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2013, 05:45:57 PM »
One Handed Slap is good, a bit difficult but good.

Mary's Crack is good
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JC w KC redux

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Re: Guidebook for the Leap, Donner, Tahoe etc...
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2013, 01:20:36 PM »
thanks again for the added input.
I copied and pasted the posts into a word doc.
I also broke down and ordered the supertopo book from Colorado Crack Gear.
they are doing a 20% off sale if anyone cares - they have aliens :)
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