The route wanders a bit, but there's some fun climbing to be had! The final pitch is not recommended for a brand new 5.8 leader.

P1: Follow lichen-y corner, but it's mostly face climbing. Protection is a bit sparse and footing can feel insecure due to the lichen, but it's easy climbing. Transitioning from the corner onto the face is likely the crux. 5.6 35-40m pitch

Move belay up series of ledges or extend the pitch further to the obvious cracks above

P2: Follow clean finger cracks with plenty of footholds on the face. More sustained climbing than P1 for about half the pitch, then it becomes an easy romp to liger ledge. 5.6 35ish meter

Once on the ledge, move belay/scramble left to the prominent dihedral. Nice bit of exposure here!

P3: Climb the corner, placing nuts and microcams in thin corner cracks to back up a nice .75 BD placement on the face. Rather than pull through the roof and potentially trundle oneself with a loose block, pull onto the face about 10 feet from the roof (crux). Fun movement on easy holds to the top! 5.8, 30m

Donut Panic

Cherry Pie

NurdWand (Nerd Wall)

Corn Silk

Thin seam down low that eases into easy 5th. Pull a roof (crux) about 2/3rds of the way up and finish on easy 5th to shared anchors with the last pitch of Nurdwand.

NurdWand is a super fun and easy trad adventure with good but spaced traditional protection. All belays are bolted and have good stances. Most of the pitches do not feature distinct cruxes but are moderate with spaced pro as the cracks open intermittently. A good sense of how to manage your protection over a varied pitch is useful. North Facing so cool and snow at the base in spring, nice and shaded in summer. Summit elevation is ~7600'.

A rare North Tahoe and north facing multi-pitch trad adventure on beautiful stone that could become a local classic for those first getting into longer climbs and placing their own gear.

1. Seasonal snow at base. Followed furroughed (5.6) cracks left of a brown corner to bolted belay 30m.

2. Straight up to next bolted anchor 25m (5.6). Easily linked with pitch one.

3. Up to the left of a black streak then traverse easy ground to the east (climber's left) to reach next bolted anchor 35m (5.6).

4. Start in a small left facing corner then straight up discontinuous cracks and ledges to a bolted anchor 37m (5.6) just short of Liger ledge. Easy 4th class escape to the west at the top of this pitch.

Move belay 3rd Class across the large and flat "White Liger Ledge" (seasonal snow) to bolts. Careful as there is plenty of loose debris on der Liger ledges.

5. Above the bolted anchor follow thin cracks to a  short ramp traverse under a bulge (bolt) then up to a steep bulge (bolt) and crux mantle (5.7) to gain easy ground to the summit bolts on a large block above a big ledge (35m). A huge loose block guards an easy chimney to the left of the mantle but must be avoided until it gets trundled. Seriously, don't fuck with this refrigerator sized death block as it is right above the belay and will make tomato paste out of your belayer.

The descent is a simple walk on the trail down from the summit along the top of the ridge to the parking area.

If you choose to rappel the route beware that the rappel from the top of the 4th is 37m if using one 70m rope. Knot your rope and rope stretch should (?!) get you to to the 3rd anchor. Otherwise only a single 70m rope needed for the route and rappelling the route if required.

This well protected cruiser goes at about the same grade as NurdWand but it finishes at the large gully/plateau 2/3 of the way up the wall, giving you another option for doing both routes on the wall and where you want to finish for the day.

Pitch 1:

25m

- Follow the bolt line straight up like a row of juicy kernels. Unlock a fun and well protected bulge 1/3 of the way up. After that the rest of the pitch is easy and enjoyable climbing. Place gear if you'd like but the bolts will lead you straight to a 2 bolt anchor at a comfy belay ledge.

Pitch 2:

35m

- From the anchor clip the first and only bolt of the pitch, which is up and left about 10 feet. Follow the silky crack systems straight up to another bolted anchor.

Pitch 3:

35m

- Crest the ledge and follow the seam 3 feet right and up from the belay anchor. From there, follow the cracks that are directly above your belayer. Many to thin cracks choose from that suck up gear so pick whatever looks fun and clean. Finish at the two bolt anchor is on some smooth, whitish granite that is on the edge of the middle plateau of Grouse Tor. Walk off, grinning (corn) ear to ear.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Grouse Tor