All Locations > California > Lake Tahoe > I-80 Corridor > Bowman/Emeralds > Emeralds

The Benches Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in The Benches

Bear's Lair, The 0 / 8 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 8

Chalkporium 0 / 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Dollar Store, The 1 / 5 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

Elder Wall 0 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Fast Food Wall 0 / 13 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

Fortress, The 0 / 9 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9

Kudos Cliff 0 / 14 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 14

Leftover Ledges 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1

Lightning Bolt Crag 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Moon, The 1 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7

Negativity Cave, The 0 / 6 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 6

Negativity Slabs 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4

Slide Wall 2 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 11

Thunderdome 0 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5

Two Climb Wall 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Via Ferrata Wall 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	4,500 ft	1,372 m
GPS:	39.32533, -120.6494 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	393,933 total · 3,063/month
Shared By:	Justin Johnsen on May 23, 2014 · Updates
Admins:	Ky Bishop, Aron Quiter, Lurk Er, Colby Wangler, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Access Issue: No overnight camping on PG&E property Details

Noticed several tents while walking into the emeralds climbing area this last weekend ( 5/20/17 ). PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) has posted several signs at the gate and other areas that state camping is NOT allowed. Please respect this so that access does not become an issue! Thanks in advance, Colby W.

Description

The Benches section, including Fast Food Wall, Steel Monkey Wall, Dollar Store, Lightening Bolt Crag, Pebble Beach, The Fortress, Bear's Lair, Two Unknown Climbs and Kudos Cliff, are well away from flooding potential. Now back to the Benches areas: There has been a lot of new development in the area since 2008. The approaches are moderate and well marked especially if you use the 6 page guide at the bottom of the main Emeralds page. (Photos) There is a lot of potential for new routes even in the 5.7 to 5.9 range. This area is climbable all year except for winter if it has been snowing or raining and the routes are wet. There is an organized campground at Spaulding Lake or nice dispersed sites on the Bowman Lake road and elsewhere. The Emeralds are divided into two distinct sections as defined in Mike Carville's 1991 Tahoe Guide Book. One section is The Gorge which includes The Wishing Well and the other section is called The Benches.

Getting There

See the Emeralds Getting There section for driving directions.
For an overview map and walking directions to the climbing areas, with GPS coordinates, see page 1 of the 6 page guide in the "Photos of the Emeralds" Section on the Emeralds Main Page. Just before the Bowman Lake Road crosses the South Yuba River bridge you will find a gated dirt road heading up the river, follow the dirt road upstream on the south (right-hand) bank of the river. Keep on the unmistakable main trail (dirt road) for 750 Yards. Cairns change from time to time, so you may see them next to several minor use trails before reaching the true right hand turn to the Benches. The correct trail to the benches has an actual metal bench on it! Also You will know when to turn right off the road because ahead of you, 200 feet, on the road you will see a multi acre open area with many man made piles of gravel and rocks which the PG&E uses for construction. You can also pace the distances indicated on the 1 page guide. (They are accurate)

105 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Benches

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c 117 ● Cast In Stone Sport 2 pitches Negativity Cave
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 176 ● Closed For Lunch Sport Dollar Store
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a 238 ● Push To Open Sport Dollar Store
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 375 ● Step Into The Light Sport Kudos Cliff > Kudos Left
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 168 ● Where's The Beef Sport Fast Food Wall
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 209 ● Charlee And The Stick Factory Sport Fortress
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 197 ● Super Size Me Sport Fast Food Wall
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 48 ● Welcome To Thunderdome Sport Thunderdome
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 10 ● Starfish Prime Sport Moon
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 92 ● In And Out Urge Sport Fast Food Wall
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 153 ● Duppy Conqueror Sport Kudos Cliff > Kudos Left
5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a 36 ● Twice Cooked Whopper Sport Fast Food Wall
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 30 ● Fries With That Mantle Sport Fast Food Wall
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 17 ● Toby Tops Out Sport Fortress
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 7 ● Peer Pressure Sport Bear's Lair