PRINT: Rock Climb Gingerbread, Lake Tahoe

Gingerbread

5.7, Trad, 2 pitches,

Avg: 3 from 160 votes
FA: George Connor, Robert Oravetz, 1975.
California > Lake Tahoe > Highway 50 Corr… > Phantom Spires > Upper Spire

Access Issue: Road Closure - Caldor Fire and Dirt road winter closures Details

While climbing is open, Wrights Lake Road is within the Caldor Fire closure: fs.usda.gov/eldorado/. Plan to approach from Hwy 50. In addition, Eldorado National Forest closes dirt roads during wet conditions between November and May. The main office number 530-622-5061 might help you get current conditions, which aren't always updated on the website. fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado… When the road is closed, simply park on a pullout of Wrights Lake Road and walk the extra mile.

Description

Starts left of Fear Of Flying on the south face.

Take the right hand of two corners.

Climb up, undercling right and climb a flake to its top.

Climb a wide crack or the face to the left, using the crack for pro.

Can be done in one long pitch.

Rappel off back side, 80 feet.

Protection

Pro to 4 inches.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

"Ginger Bread". Photo by Blitzo.

Fellow climber on Ginger Bread. Photo taken from the belay of Fear of Flying. Both are awesome routes.

Former Arizona climbing pal Monica says hello to Sierra country granite. =)<br>
<br>
June 2010

Former Arizona climbing pal Monica says hello to Sierra country granite. =) June 2010

Brett beginning ginger bread.

Gordon leading up Gingerbread

one long pitch with awesome features

A view of the start of ginger bread

casting off on the start of p2

From the base

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Blitzo

5.7

This is a good 5.7. Aug 24, 2010

B RAD

Can I get away without a #4 on this route? Currently i only go up to a #3 C4 and a #9 hex. Thanks! Feb 11, 2011

J. Albers
Colorado

5.7

You can get away without a #4, but if I recall, this will require you to runout the last pitch a bit (on the last pitch, you face climb to the left of a pretty wide crack that you stuff gear into). Others can correct me here, but if you are pushing your limit, you may want a wide piece. Feb 11, 2011

Daniel Trugman
Reno, NV

5.7

As Jay said, a 5.7 leader will want a #4. If you are willing to run it out a bit on ~5.7 , you'll be ok with the #3 and the hex, I think. Feb 13, 2011

Floyd Hayes

5.7

I thought P1, especially the upper half, was just as good if not better than any 5.7 pitch at Lover's Leap. Two BD #4 cams are useful on each pitch. Take along at least a half dozen slings, you'll want them for a short traverse and for gear placed deep in the wide crack. Sep 4, 2011

Brett Schooley

You can get away without a #4 camalot on the upper part of the first pitch by using a knob tieoff, a bomber number 10 hex, and two #3 camelots To (over)protect the upper crack drop a #10 hex, #3 camelot, knob tieoff, and a #4 camelot prior to topout Apr 23, 2013

Josh C
Somewhere out West

5.7

I agree with caughtinside. The lower half of this route has flaky hollow sounding rock. And as far as the fun factor goes, it pales in comparison to it's next door neighbor Fear of Flying. Jan 27, 2015

wsperry
Lafayette, CA

Did a cool variation for the second pitch,instead of climbing next to the wide crack, I traversed up and left to the corner slinging chickenheads the whole way. Nice and exposed, super fun. Jul 16, 2015

Kelley Gilleran
Meadow Vista

I agree with wsperry. The left hand variation on knobs is good even if it's runout a bit. The wide crack is more akward to protect (for me). The left runout face option is good if you're comfortable with low angle runouts on big holds. Feb 26, 2016

Billy Simek
Campton, KY

Watch for heinous rope drag if linking both pitches. Aug 6, 2017

Julian Callin
Albuquerque, NM

This is mentioned on the page for "Fear of Flying" but not mentioned here: the rap gear is hard to find

"The rap anchor is not the bolts that are most obvious - it's is just below the lip on climber's far right (toward the wall the goes to the true summit)." Oct 12, 2020