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Twin Owls

California > Lake Tahoe > Highway 50 Corr… > Phantom Spires

Description

A pair of little spires sitting side by side. This area gets much less traffic than the big spires. The west twin has a couple of accessible 5.8 lines, and both have harder routes as well.

Routes, left to right.

West twin (climber's left).
* Unnamed 5.8 (TR only)
* Unnamed 5.8 (sport, 4 bolts to two hangars)
* Harding's Other Chimney 5.7
* Unknown route, 5.10a-ish (mixed sport-trad crack and 2 bolts to anchor with chains on top of the formation)

East twin (climber's right).
* Unnamed 5.11a (sport, 3 bolts to anchor with chains)

Getting There

From the parking lot, take the main trail towards the ever-visible middle spire. Take the first side trail on the left going downhill. Follow it past the twin owls formation, then wind around below them to the right.

Routes from Left to Right

5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 10
● Unnamed
Sport, TR
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 3
● Unnamed
Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
● Unnamed
 10
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport, TR
● Unnamed
 3
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The Twin Owls, seen from their south, downhill, side.
[Hide Photo] The Twin Owls, seen from their south, downhill, side.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

David Gibbs
Ottawa, ON
[Hide Comment] I climbed the "Unknown route, unknown grade (mixed sport-trad crack and 2 bolts to anchor with chains on top of the formation)" on TR. It felt like about 5.10a to me. Crux was the lower section. Oct 5, 2013
Justin Johnsen
Sacramento, CA
[Hide Comment] Thanks David, put your gradestimate in the area description. Oct 25, 2013
wsperry
Lafayette, CA
[Hide Comment] Climbed a super aesthetic corner pitch on the right owl. 10+ range? any body have info, it starts low in the corner of the right twin in the 4th class gully and works its way up to the big block and you climb face/crack right on the arete of the upper block. super fun route. Oct 1, 2017
Aidan Maguire
Placerville, CA
[Hide Comment] I think the climb that wsperry climbed was my FA?
Easy climbing to a ledge then into a somewhat awkward crack just left of the arete that ends on the arete. 10+ seems about right. Easy to set a TR. Rock is a bit coarse. I can't actually remember what I called it? Perhaps it should be renamed The Dawn Of Senility? Apr 13, 2023