Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

Eleventh Grade Corner

5.8+, Trad, 50 ft (15 m),  Avg: 2.7 from 47 votes
FA: unknown
California > Lake Tahoe > I-80 Corridor > Donner Summit > School Rock > 3. Upper - Right

Description

This burly thin crack/dihedral lies high on the right side of School Rock, above the Short Circuit Overhang. Approach by starting up the trail from the Practice Slab a short ways, then scrambling up 4th class boulders and slabs in the big gully system obvious from the pullout. The 40-50' corner should be pretty clear high on the wall. It can stay wet in early season.

Protection

Gear to 2", rap anchors.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Eleventh Grade Corner, rap rings at top
[Hide Photo] Eleventh Grade Corner, rap rings at top
Eleventh Grade Corner
[Hide Photo] Eleventh Grade Corner

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Adam Jesionek
Gdansk, PL
  5.8+
[Hide Comment] I did this several days ago and actually thought it was really quality, especially compared to its 5.9 neighbor to the left (though I'm sure many would disagree with this comparison). It is pretty steep and so I stemmed for most of the climb with great footholds on both sides of the dihedral - moves sometimes akin to that on the problem Once Upon a Time in Yosemite's Candyland. The delicate moves yield memorably to the flow of the climb.

You can protect with small gear, say doubles of #1-#6 mastercams to be sure, plus a perfect horizontal placement that takes a #2 BD C4 in a crack shelf to your right just before the mesmerizing crux (extend with at least a short draw) towards the top. The only con is that the corner is slightly dirty in some places; otherwise, a real classic that definitely should not be missed.

Descend and then drive down to Snowshed for Moles Corner if you're in high spirit for dihedrals of the same grade. Jul 7, 2013
Ben Taggart
Oakland, CA
 
[Hide Comment] This is a great route with pretty good variety of moves. Finger locks near the bottom, the occasional hand jam, and some great stemming near the top. Takes great gear the whole way, crux bulge move especially can be sewn up. If you want to place a lot of gear bring doubles of smaller cams (to green camalot sized). Oct 13, 2020
Floyd McCluhan
Boulder, CO
 
[Hide Comment] There are now rap rings at the top Aug 3, 2021
Peter J
Bishop
 
[Hide Comment] Curious how most people finish this. I went directly up the finger crack on the face above the dihedral to the anchor which I found to be the crux, and a little tenuous for 5.8; perhaps pulling the bulge and ending at the ledge would be casual 5.8, and traversing right onto the face below the bulge would be, say, 5.7?
Anyway I was impressed by the quality and the sustained climbing! Deserves more traffic!! Jun 29, 2022