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.

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)