PRINT: Rock Climbing in Horseshoe Canyon, Lake Tahoe

Horseshoe Canyon

California > Lake Tahoe > I-80 Corridor > Auburn & Grass… > Auburn SRA > Cave Valley (aka Aubu…

Access Issue: The State Rec Area closes at dusk - most parking areas are self-paid Details

Most of Auburn SRA is open from 7 am to sunset. Leave early enough to be off the trails before dusk. Most parking requires self registration fees in cash envelopes (or annual state park passes), and is enthusiastically enforced. Check the Auburn State Recreation Area website at parks.ca.gov/?page_id=502 for current information. Note that the park's policy is that technical roped climbing is only permitted in the Cave Valley/Quarry area - outside the fenced private quarry at the back. Unroped climbing - aka bouldering or DWS - is allowed everywhere with a safe landing.

Description

Horseshoe Canyon currently contains some of the tougher climbing in the Auburn Cliffs area, with routes up to 5.12c. This area is still very much under development, with new routes going up every once in a while.

The right side of Horseshoe Canyon itself is over 200 feet in height, though most of the current routes don't go any further than 75.

All existing routes in Horseshoe Canyon are bolted, though one climb should definitely be backed up with protection, as the bolts are not good.

Getting There

Estimated apporach time from the parking lot: 21 minutes.

From the entrance to the Auburn Cliffs Valley, head past the Memorial Wall and Scale wall into the first canyon on the left. This is horseshoe Canyon.

Routes from Left to Right

5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 62 ● Human Oddity Sport
5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a 29 ● Animal Style Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b 3 ● Bizatch Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 193 ● Uncomfortably Dumb Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b X 16 ● Climbers Beware Sport
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 97 ● Creepshow Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 118 ● Vacavillain Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 132 ● Comfortably Dumb Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 39 ● Phantom of the Opera Sport, TR
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 90 ● Diagon Alley Sport

● Human Oddity

5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport

● Animal Style

5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a Sport

● Bizatch

5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport

● Uncomfortably Dumb

193

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport

● Climbers Beware

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b X Sport

● Creepshow

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport

● Vacavillain

118

5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport

● Comfortably Dumb

132

5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport

● Phantom of the Opera

5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport, TR

● Diagon Alley

5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

crowded horseshoe canyon<br>
Routes From Left to right:<br>
Animal Style .12a<br>
Bizatch .12c<br>
Uncomfortably Dumb .10b<br>
Climbers Beware .10c R/X<br>
Creepshow 5.8<br>
Vacavillain .10c<br>
Unknown .10a<br>
Unknown .11d PG-13<br>
Diagon Alley 5.6<br>

crowded horseshoe canyon Routes From Left to right: Animal Style .12a Bizatch .12c Uncomfortably Dumb .10b Climbers Beware .10c R/X Creepshow 5.8 Vacavillain .10c Unknown .10a Unknown .11d…

Morning Light on the wall by @seek_shangri_la

Crowded day at Auburn!

Horeshoe

horeseshoe canyon

Scoping out routes in Horseshoe Canyon.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

AaronMana

Really fun climbs here, but BELAYERS BEWARE! More than once I've see dinner-plate-sized flakes pop off towards the top on some routes... just pay extra attention, and don't stand directly under a climber. Sep 22, 2015