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All Locations > California > Lake Tahoe > Highway 50 Corr… > Phantom Spires > Middle Spire

Lean And Mean

5.9 YDS 5c French 17 Ewbanks VI UIAA 17 ZA HVS 5a British


 Avg: 2.7 from 116 votes

Routes in Middle Spire

Anal Sex T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c X
Candyass S 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
Candyland T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
Chainsaw Willie T,TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
Clam, The T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Cockabooty T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Corn Flakes T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Fancy Dancin' T,S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
Hard Up T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Harding's Other Chimney T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
Hooray Hooray! T,TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Lean And Mean T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Leaner and Meaner T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
Over Easy T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
Penny Candy S 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
Prow, The S 5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
Rain Song S,TR 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
Regular Route T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
Slowdancer T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Tyro's Test Piece T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
Unknown T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
Unnamed T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
Type: Trad, 2 pitches
FA: Bob Grow and J. Moore. 1976.
Page Views: 3,090 total · 22/month
Shared By: Blitzo on Sep 6, 2006
Admins: Aron Quiter, Lurker, M. Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer suchoski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

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Access Issue: Dirt road winter closures Details

Description

Follow the obvious right facing corner right of "Over Easy". Do some roof moves and belay. Continue to top.

A great climb with the crux about two thirds up the first pitch.

This is a great route!

Protection

Pro to 2.5 in.

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Photos

Climber wishing he had some smaller gear at the crux on Lean and Mean.
Climber wishing he had some smaller gear at the…
 0
Here I am heading up "Lean and Mean."
Here I am heading up "Lean and Mean."
 0
Alanna contemplating the slabby crux.
Alanna contemplating the slabby crux.
 0
"Lean and Mean".<br> Photo by Blitzo.
"Lean and Mean". Photo by Blitzo.
 0

12 Comments

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Steve R.
Oakland, CA
Steve R.   Oakland, CA
bring your small gear Nov 2, 2009
ShaunG Gregg
SF, CA
ShaunG Gregg   SF, CA
Agreed. Nuts and small cams will do just fine. Crack starts to peter out towards the top. Dec 23, 2009
fivefun
  5.9
fivefun  
  5.9
Roof move is quite mellow once you commit. Well protected with a blindly placed #1. Jul 25, 2011
bergbryce
California
 
bergbryce   California
 
This route seemed really un-inspiring. I was really cold however. Got to try it when it's warm. Jan 8, 2012
aaron hope
Walnut Creek, CA
aaron hope   Walnut Creek, CA
For me, the crux was a bit heady - decent but not great protection where you have to pull the crux slick-slabby-chimney move. Good warm-up before jumping on Fear of Flying which has sustained slick-slabby-chimney moves! Jan 31, 2012
Kyle Townsend
Oakland, CA
 
Kyle Townsend   Oakland, CA
 
Great route, takes gear well, technical and physically strenuous crux. If you put in good pro before the crux, nothing to worry about, but it's heads up just enough to keep it interesting :) Roof moves are straightforward and jug-tastic, extra points for running it out to the chains! Nov 1, 2012
Phil McAllister
 
Phil McAllister  
 
The crux protects well with a #5 black diamond nut right in the bottom so you can still get your fingers in above it. After the crux it eases up a lot and the roof is a cakewalk after the thin cracky crux Nov 25, 2012
stuart.h
Redwood City
  5.9
stuart.h   Redwood City
  5.9
A nutty climb overall with a bit of everything. Got a good nut placement on crux, face moves, one of those squarish nut jobs would have been great. For roof move, if you go right you'll get a better view. Protected it with opposed nuts, ~1". May 7, 2013
Pavel Burov
Russia
 
Pavel Burov   Russia
 
A fun variation - do not use the left corner. Do the top half as a slab climb using the corner for protection only (do not finger jam!) Oct 16, 2013
Rude Boy
San Francisco, CA
 
Rude Boy   San Francisco, CA
 
The roof looks intimidating from the ground but it is actually quite easy. Go for it! Oct 30, 2015
Michael Dom
  5.9
Michael Dom  
  5.9
The roof was easily and protected and really easy. It was just getting to it that made the climb 5.9. Dec 13, 2015
Amanda Luu
Danville
  5.9
Amanda Luu   Danville
  5.9
The crux section is before the roof on this slabby unprotected section. However, there is one teeny finger jam that isn't secure but will help you get your body positioned to move through.

The roof is surprisingly easy for how it looks from the ground. There is actually a huge crack with good jugs inside. Jul 10, 2017

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