Containing many basalt formations holding many fine routes in the Tahoe Area, this region Located above highway 89, you will find an excellent view of the large ski areas on the eastern rocks of the canyon.
You will find a diverse range of climbing here, including some of the best sport climbing around. There are also a fairly large selection of traditional routes as well.
Being high up in the Sierra, this area will only be climbable when the snow resides on the approach in the spring, usually in April or May, and continuing through late december, depending on the year. On a dry year, you might find this area climbable year-round.
NOTE: The mapquest map will just show you the best representation of the entire Truckee River Canyon area. This is not intended to give you the exact location of any single rock, since this area is about 15 miles long. So - Ignore the star.
Getting There
For access to Big Chief:
Exit the central truckee exit and take a right. Go into the traffic circle, and take your first right, which will wind down to West River Street, where you should take a left. Follow this about 1/2 a mile to Brockway drive (the sign MAY still say highway 267), where you should go right.
Note that this is NOT the NEW 267, which has an exit off of the freeway. There has been a lot of construction in this area recently, and they've renamed some roads...
Less than a mile later, turn right on Palisades Drive. Go over the hill, and turn right on Silver Fir, and shortly afterwards turn left on Thelin Street.
Within a block, hang a right onto the dirt road just after a gate, which is set back from the road about 30 feet. Drive 5.2 miles on the main road, which is numbered as National Forest Road 06. Stay straight on the road past the turnoff to the ranch (which has a sign stating "horseback riding" or something like that), and you will see a large dirt turn around inside the most prevalent right turn, which actually has a full right turn, and also sharper right turn 30 feet later in case you miss this first one. This leads you about 100 feet into a traffic circle type thing, which is the parking area for the Big Chief area.
For the Trueckee River Basalt Area: Head South down Highway 89 out of Truckee towards Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City. You will see the Basalt cliffs of the Truckee River Basalt Area on the left, and you can park in the campgrounds in front of the rocks, yet still on the west side of the Truckee river.
For The Ampitheatre:Head South down highway 89 out of Truckee towards Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City. Park just before the turnoff to Alpine Meadows. You will be able to see the Ampitheatre just before the bridge heading over The Truckee River.
The rightmost route in the cave, Flying High Again follows a juggy crack system on very overhung traversy terrain for the first 4 bolts. Moving to the second bolt can be akward, but hands improve from then on. The crux is after the fourth bolt as the climb begins to move more vertically up to the final ledge. Make sure you've got someone to follow you, since cleaning this overhung traverse would be a pain on rappell....[more]
The dirt road to approach Big Chief does not open until the snow clears off it. This is usually in late May. You can just walk the road, but that makes the hike quite long. So instead, there is a trail leading up from highway 89 directly to Big Chief.
There is a bridge to cross the truckee river off highway 89 just north of mile marker 16.05. From there, find a trail leading directly up the hill to Big Chief.
(Sorry i can't give more details, but i don't know them. We did the long hike. not recommended.)
Does anybody know if there is good free camping somewhere near this area? I'm headed this way to work/climb for a couple of months and I'd like to just camp to save money.
Truckee River Canyon
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