PRINT: Rock Climb For Real Crack, Lover's Leap

For Real Crack

5.8, Trad, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches,

Avg: 1.8 from 28 votes
FA: unknown
California > Lake Tahoe > Highway 50 Corr… > Lover's Leap > Lower Buttress

Access Issue: Temporary Intermittent Closure Warning Details

ATTN CLIMBERS: Temporary Intermittent Closure Warning
Surrealistic Pillar, Lower Buttress, Lover’s Leap
From July 7 – August 12, 2023
Access Fund & CRAGS + TCC + BACC Adopt-a-Crag Trailwork In Progress

There will be intermittent closures of climbs at the Lower Buttress for both climber and worker safety. Climbs affected will include all routes between Surrealistic Pillar Direct and Sinbad-Herbert.

We all know how popular Surrealistic Pillar is! We understand that this may pose an inconvenience for your weekend climbing plans; however we MUST mitigate the erosion at the base as soon as possible.

Work will occur Wednesday to Sunday from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM from July 8 until August 12 with volunteer work days on Saturdays. There will be a steel cable & griphoist ‘high line’ rigged, which is used to haul and transport large rocks. Please be aware of this hazard AND the potential for large rocks to be moved above you while you are hiking through this area.

Alternative climbs that access the top of Lower Buttress and that can be used in place of Surrealistic Pillar include:
• The Groove 5.8, 2 pitches
• The Farce 5.5, 2 pitches (variations at 5.7, 5.8 & 5.9)

Hiking Access to the Main Wall / Ledge is also still possible via the Main Wall Approach Trail (from Lower Buttress up climber's right) OR the Tombstone Ledge Approach Trail (from Lower Buttress up climber's left).
info@norcalcrags.org

Description

Starts on the left hand wall of the crud gully to the right of Surrealistic that splits the lower buttress in two. Start up the face which leads directly into some interesting chimneys. When the first crack peters out, make some short moves across the face to the right and get into a wide crack/chimney above. Follow the chimney until you can exit on a sloping ramp and move out to the left into another gully. Belay here and finish the route with an easy pitch to the top.

Protection

Cams .5"-3"

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

For Real Crack: Last pitch runout dyke hike

2nd pitch, ow, squeeze chimney, stemming

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Evan Wisheropp

5.8

We did it in two pitches, and I remember I belayed in a little recess at the top of the wide crack feature below chimney two exits; an easy left chimney that would meet up with the gulley, or straight up 25' of chimney that deposits you on a very loose face full of expanding and exfoliating flakes. I went from there over to the ledge caughtinside mentioned, and then up to the top. I belayed on that ledge omce after doing the Surrealistic Pillar variation, I can agree with you caughtinside, it's Brett decomposed.

The first pitch is a ton of fun though. May 2, 2015

Cameron Saul
San Francisco

5.8

First 40' or so are very dirty, but the rest is clean. After you exit the big crack, if you don't traverse to the ledge, climbing directly up and left goes at about 5.7, but is a bit awkward for about 20' Jun 7, 2017

Kyle Broxterman
Las Vegas, NV

There is no way this route is 5.7. I have been climbing for 7 years and this route was a solid modern 5.9. Anyone who is getting into leading 5.7's should steer away from this route. Loose rock, mossy cracks, and adventurous climbing. I lead the route in two pitches. First from the ground up to the sloping ledge mentioned in the comments approx. 200ft). Then finished the route via 5. easy climbing to the summit of the lower buttress. Jun 26, 2022