Peregrine Falcons are nesting again at Lover's Leap. Please avoid the areas displayed on the map posted below. A closure will be in place at the center of the wall starting in mid-April and ending in September. A detailed listing of closed routes and any changes in the information regarding the peregrine falcons will be posted on the Eldorado National Forest website http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado. If you require addition information contact Susan Yasuda, District Wildlife Biologist on the Placerville Ranger District 530-547-5317.
Here's a map:
2009 Closure Map Submitted By: Amy Ansari on Jun 15, 2009
This area contains mostly trad lines from 5.6 - 5.10d. Most routes are in the 5.8-5.9 range, and anchors are sometimes bolted. This 300 foot face is the far left side of Lover's Leap, with very dikey vertical and slab climbing up faces and cracks. There are a few additional bolts in place on the rock, bot not enough to call most routes sport.
All of Lover's Leap is featured granite, and for those looking for a polished Yosemite-like quality of rock, you should look somewhere else! You will find this rock in the sun in the afternoon, as it faces Northwest. This will make the rock quite hot on a warm sunny summer day. You are at about 6,100 feet, which helps with the heat somewhat, but not with the sun exposure!
Almost all routes require a walk off the top, there is a convenient trail to the left of the East Wall.
From the main trail, head uphill (left at the fork just past the parking lot) about a 1/2 mile on the wide open rocky trail. As the path winds, you will see many smaller trails leading up to Lover's Leap. You should avoid the temptation of taking them,and stay on the main trail until it bends and is about 100 yards from the start of the climbing. The final path leading up to the East Face is very wide, and will take you to a side-windy uphill hike that takes less than 5 minutes from the main trail, and stays wide until just before the East Wall. This path runs you right into the start of the East Corner (5.10d).
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for East Wall:
This is one of the finest crack lines at the Leap. It is located in the center of the East Wall. It should not be hard to pick out, since it follows a continuous crack system for 400ft.P1: This is the best pitch. Follow a straight in crack in a shallow LF dihedral for 130ft. The first 100ft are continuous, but rests can be found on dikes.P2: Continue up the crack system which turns right facing. Belay before a roof.P3: Short pitch. Climb ...[more]Browse More Classics in CA
This is misleading. In fact, I would say most anchors are not bolts. I haven't done every route on the east wall, but I've yet to see a bolted belay anywhere at the leap.
By Aron Quiter Administrator From: Berkeley, CA Jun 10, 2006
Labor of Love and Fantasia both have bolts, though I agree that what I'd written was misleading, and has been changed. Thanks for pointing that out!
By Aron Quiter Administrator From: Berkeley, CA May 17, 2008
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
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