Peregrine Falcons are nesting again at Lover's Leap. Please avoid the areas displayed on the map posted below. A closure will be in place at the center of the wall starting in mid-April and ending in September. A detailed listing of closed routes and any changes in the information regarding the peregrine falcons will be posted on the Eldorado National Forest website http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado. If you require addition information contact Susan Yasuda, District Wildlife Biologist on the Placerville Ranger District 530-547-5317.
Here's a map:
2009 Closure Map Submitted By: Amy Ansari on Jun 15, 2009
This area is an excellent 250 - 500 foot chunk of mostly vertical granite containing hundreds of horizontal dikes. The resulting climbing is primarily traditional, but has a air of safety because there are rests every few feet. Most of the climbing here is traditional, and you will find about 150 routes that range from bouldering to 4 pitches. Some routes are sport, but most of the sport climbing is .11 or so, as the abundance of easier traditional routes discourages some excellent sport face climbing. All of the routes demand less than 20 minutes to "hike" into, as the entrance path is part of the pioneer trail, and therefore excellently maintained and quite wide. Once you veer off the trail towards the rock things get steep, but are surprisingly easy on the way up.
You can camp at the campground at the entrance to the pioneer trail at the main parking lot, about 1/5 - 2/3 of a mile from all climbs.
Conveniently located at the edge of the campground are a few large boulders worth doing. From the parking lot, head uphill and cross over the small foot bridge to the Pony Express Trail. Hang a left, and walk up the gently sloped trail for about 3 minutes.
Almost all multipitch routes are best to walk off, both for the preservation of existing vegetation, and that most routes don't have any fixed protection at the top of the rock due to the abundance of trees, cracks, and large rocks at the top.
You can get pretty good food at the Strawberry Lodge, when it's open.
Getting There
From the Bay Area / Sacramento: Head East on highway 50 towards Placerville. Continue past Placerville to the town of Strawberry, which is approximately 8 miles past the more marked Kyburz. Turn off the freeway onto the small route that parallels the 50 just on the far side of the Strawberry lodge, which is hard to miss on your right. This is about 40 miles past Placerville. You get a good glimpse of the west and main walls as you get close to the Lodge on a clear day.
From Lake Tahoe: Head 18 miles West on Highway 50 to the town of Strawberry, where you should head a left just before the Strawberry Lodge, which will approach on your left after a magnificent view of Lover's Leap looming to the left on the way to the lodge.
From the Strawberry Lodge: Follow the road that Parallels the 50. At the junction, head left, and travel through the small neighborhood quietly and slowly, as advised by local signs. You will run directly into the parking lot about 1/3 mile later.
The trailhead is towards the rear of the lot.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Lover's Leap:
This is one of the classic 5.7 climbs at the Leap that should not be missed. P1: Start in a short RF dihedral for 20ft, run it out to the left until you hit a lieback flake. Continue upwards into a LF flake system, which will take some larger gear.P2: The "reach" pitch. Follow fun cracks and face holds to the large reach. Continue up on solid 5.6 overlaps to a good ledge.P3: Follow a right leaning crack system with a roof to the top....[more]Browse More Classics in CA
Good backup camping option is to go to the Phantom Spires, which is on Forest Service land. Free, but unimproved camping. It is just 5 miles down the road. The area is in the guidebooks.
Often, if you are friendly, you can share a site at the Leap. Usually it is only a problem if you show up friday or saturday.
I second that area as optional camping. If you want to see something really special, continue up the road to Wright's Lake at the top. Quite a nice place for breakfast if the view of the spires wasn't good enough ~(-:
Anyone heard or know if the fire is affecting the area?
By Aron Quiter Administrator From: Berkeley, CA Jul 12, 2007
The Fire of late June 2007 was well east of lover's leap, and with the wind coming from the south, the leap would be not affected at all. Eagle Lake - probably, but not the leap.
I was climbing at the leap as the got the last of the fire undercontroll. Nothing was affected except a faint smell.
Anyway, there was a sign posted last summer (2007) saying there were plans to start charging $10 for camping as of spring 2008(may if my memory serves). Still worth the trip, but plan a little less beer $.
I wonder if now that they are charging for camping they will have to repair that power line that you have to duck under hiking in or if that is going to remain a special part of the rustic ambiance.
The number for the wildlife biologist in the "Temporary Closure" section is no longer valid.
By Bosier Parsons From: Colorado Springs, CO Jul 26, 2009
So it appears that Lovers Leap has a NW aspect. Am I seeing this right? Just trying to figure out what kind of shade it might receive at what times of day? I'm here visiting in Reno for a couple weeks, and it's 100 degree weather here. Will the Leap be too hot? Any recommendations are appreciated.
The Leap has lots of shade. Usually when the temps are in the 100's in Reno or the Central Valley the Leap stays at a decent 80-85 degrees. There is an occasional heat wave that may make it a bit warm but that's the exception. Should be nice, lots of shade.... Go!
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