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Anal Sex

5.8 X, Trad,  Avg: 2 from 16 votes
FA: Bill Serniuk, free solo.
California > Lake Tahoe > Highway 50 Corr… > Phantom Spires > Middle Spire

Description

Starts from a triangular rock, against the base.
Left of "Regular Route".
Climb straight up the face, through a tunnel.
A fun, easy solo.
The description in the Supertopo Tahoe Guide is incorrect.

Protection

none.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

How to capture the right perspective? Not quite as steep as it appears, but not as slabby as a right-rotation would make it appear either.
[Hide Photo] How to capture the right perspective? Not quite as steep as it appears, but not as slabby as a right-rotation would make it appear either.
Tiptoeing up the upper tier face as an alternate finish to the Regular Route. <br> <br> September 2009
[Hide Photo] Tiptoeing up the upper tier face as an alternate finish to the Regular Route. September 2009

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Steve R.
Oakland, CA
[Hide Comment] Don't remember anything on this route qualifying it for an "X" rating. Solid liebacking traverse with decent pro then up through tunnel. Nov 2, 2009
Blitzo
  5.8
[Hide Comment] What liebacking. You're on another route dude. This goes straight up an unprotected face.
I think 70' or whatever it is, with no pro would be considered X. Aug 24, 2010
mattymck
Rocklin, Ca
  5.9 X
[Hide Comment] The lieback is Rain Song I believe, about 5.7/5.8 and it goes straight up the juggy konobs about 20-25' up the lieback, with some decent knob tie-offs. Anal Sex goes straight up the face through the tight tunnel/batwings/flakeish thing past some crimps and a knob mantel, def an X route. Felt more like 5.9 on lead to me, but then I am far from a soloist. Jun 22, 2012
Kelley Gilleran
Meadow Vista
  5.8 X
[Hide Comment] This route is hard to get the first time, feels uncomfortable and can hurt if you don't get the sequence right. Adjacent to the clam. Apr 18, 2016
Charles Winstead
Mill Valley
[Hide Comment] Originally thought the route name was just random offensive, but after being there and connecting 2 and 2, had to laugh out loud. There is a 4th class traverse around middle height of the middle spire perfect for setting up top rope anchors (trad) above Regular Route or Cockabooty or even Anal Sex. Right in the middle of this traverse is an exposed step or two across a sloping slab with no real hand holds and just scrubby smeary footholds. Wouldn't be a problem but you are looking straight down into an circular opening that's 5-6 feet in diameter formed by two giant slabs coming together in a point.. You might be thinking "if I slip and fall here, would I be able to grab onto the edges and stop myself" and the answer is likely no. anyhow, that is the view from the top of Anal Sex. Climbing up from the bottom, the aforementioned slabs look like butt cheeks and, well you would enter into that hole from below... No protection, but like I said easy enough to set up a top rope. Can't say the same for what would be a second pitch above. Aug 13, 2021