Winter 2023 IS ON!
Climb The Leap
Lover's Leap offers some of the best rock climbing around Lake Tahoe. Lover's Leap Guides offers guided rock climbing and educational courses for all ages and abilities. Our highly experienced guides have been operating at the Leap since 2003 to provide safe and unforgettable climbing experiences for our clients.
Rock Climbing Guiding and Education
Founded in 2003, Lover’s Leap Guides are based at The Leap in Strawberry, California near Lake Tahoe. Learn to climb, learn new techniques, or just enjoy a day out on the rock with an experienced guide.
Experienced, knowledgeable guides
AMGA-certified guides who have developed and completed first ascents of many of the climbs at Lover's Leap.
All ages, all abilities
Specialized in working with children and adults. We also have experience guiding adaptive climbers.
Safety. Fun. Learning
Whether you want to improve technique or learn technical skills, we'll be your guide.
Tshirt weather at Sugarloaf today!
#youmustgoup #climbing #tradisrad #localguide #winterclimbing #tahoeclimbing #sugarloaf
So nice to get some climbing in this morning, especially with @loversleappoodles This might be the longest stretch of non climbing I’ve had in the last few years. Grateful for the snowpack that the #sierra has, but stoked for the high pressure that’s moved on in!!
#youmustgoup #climbing #poodlelove #climbingaddict #winterclimbing #cragdog
Watched the sunrise on top of Sugarloaf this morning while helping out with a commercial shoot. Such a beautiful way to start the day!
#youmustgoup #eldoradocounty #winterclimbing #summitsunrise #sugarloaf
A winter ascent of #sugarloaf
#youmustgoup
Moon rise
#youmustgoup #loversleap #eldoradocounty
Power outages, flooded house, crazy traffic, rude tourists, no other place I’d rather be!
Happy New Year!
#youmustgoup #grateful #strawberryhome #loversleap #2023
Snowy Dayz!
#youmustgoup
Pinching some Loaf time in between storms with @swol__nol
#youmustgoup #climbing #climbingsddict #sugarloaf #loafingaround
What a great way to celebrate the solstice! Climbing Sugarloaf with @tahoe_spencer on a beautiful sunny day!!
#youmustgoup #localguides #climbing #tahoe #noliftlines #sugarloaf
Sugarloaf is back on! High pressure has moved in and the remaining snow at the Loaf is disappearing quick!
Looking for a day of sunny granite? Hit us up for the grand tour of this fantastic climbing area!!
#youmustgoup #whatsskiing #climbing #laketahoe #noliftlines #localguides #loafingaround
Great final day of climbing in Mexico with @jackwurster and @oldladycrusher
Another great day with @jackwurster
#youmustgoup #climbing #mexico
Day four at EPiC with Jack. Climbed 20 pitches but only had to rappel 12!
#youmustgoup #mexicoclimbing #epc #guidesdayoff
Flora and fauna of EPC!
#youmustgoup #climbing #guidesdayoff #floraandfauna #pero
Day 2 at EPC with a ascent of the 23 pitch Time Wave Zero!
#youmustgoup #climbing #epc #keepmoving #climbingaddict #adventure
Great first day climbing in Mexico today! Nice cloud cover kept the temps perfect! What a fantastic place!
#youmustgoup #mexico #guidesdayoff #epc #climbing #spaceboyz
Squeezed in another day of guiding Andrew at Sugarloaf today before the storm moves in late tonight.
The Loaf is forecasted to get snow, but it usually doesn’t last long. We will be running climbing days throughout the winter. Hit us up if you want the grand tour of this fine granite crag!!
#youmustgoup #localguides #climbing #yosemiteclimbing #sugarloaf #tradisrad
Great Lead course with Matt. With solid instruction, Matt who never placed gear learned to build solid anchors and place bomber gear. We then went off and he led his first Trad climb. After belaying me up to the ledge we transitioned to a bolted anchor which we rappelled from.
Finished the day with a couple laps on the sunny Pony Express!!
Great day!!
#youmustgoup #localguides #climbing #tradinstruction #learntolead #winterclimbing #tradisrad #tahoeclimbing
Had Sugarloaf to myself all morning. Crazy how nice it was and that no one was there.
Ticked off a good selection of climbs. Dominion to Farley with “out the cave exit”,down Scheister, Farley with the Farley Mowat finish,down Scheister, the Stone into Harding’s Chimney into the Knobby Wall with the Never Cry Wolf finish, Morticia, Pony Express, down West Chimney, the Podium, Diagonal Left and Diagonal Right.
Back in Strawberry, decided to get a lap on Better with Bacon while the sun was still on it.
#youmustgoup #climbing #soloisolation #climbingaddict #keepmoving #nopartner
Fun morning climbing with Matt and his daughter Elle at Sugarloaf this morning. Another perfect day to be Loafing around!
#youmustgoup #climbing #localguides #climbing #laketahoe #winterclimbing
Rock Climbing Lover’s Leap
Lover’s Leap is a steep cliff band near South Lake Tahoe. If you’re driving Highway 50 between Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, it’s hard to miss this prominent and striking feature. The Leap has become a world-renowned rock climbing destination with over one hundred and fifty established routes. It is best known for its traditional multi-pitch routes, often using granite dikes for holds; but the area also includes some boulder problems. Traveler Buttress, featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America, was put up in 1966.
Lovers Leap Guides is the current longstanding guiding service for rock climbing at Lover’s Leap. We offer guiding as well as rock climbing classes.
Other Areas
In addition to Lover’s Leap, there are other zones if you’re interested in exploring some other nearby rock climbing areas.
Phantom Spires
This area is made up of many free standing formations called spires. Up to 250 feet tall, the summit of the spires offers breath-taking views of the American River Canyon.
Sugarloaf Rock
For more experienced rock climbers, the rock at Sugarloaf has frequently been compared to Yosemite for its smooth granite and straight crack climbing.
Meet Petch
Petch has been climbing since 1989 and has passion teaching and guiding as much as he does for climbing. At the end of an eight month climbing trip that took him and his partner from Joshua Tree in Southern California to Devils Tower in the eastern part of Wyoming, and everything in between, the final stop turned out to be Lover’s Leap. The right turn towards Lover’s Leap landed Petch in the campground in 1993. Climbing for eight months and a bank account of zero, he quickly found a job at the Strawberry Lodge. Falling in love with Lover’s Leap and Strawberry he found making a home easy. A guiding job opened in 1996 with teaching youth backpacking and rock climbing. The exciting future of guiding as a full time profession led to the opening of Lover’s Leap Guides in 2003. With his enthusiasm and knowledge of Lover’s Leap, Lover’s Leap Guides has become the most popular and busiest service to climb at Lover’s Leap. He has spent countless ours working with the Access Fund, CRAGS, and the Forest Service to maintain trails, protect nesting raptors, and community outreach. Climbing most of the routes at Lover’s Leap, he has also added numerous routes of his own. From 5.5 to 5.12D, some of his first ascents have become modern day classics. A good chance you will probably climb one of his routes when you climb with Lover’s Leap Guides.
Petch is certified by the AMGA as a Rock Instructor and holds his certification as a Wilderness First Responder and CPR.
Some Love from Our Clients at the Leap
”"Both of us enjoyed ourselves more than we ever have outdoors, and climbing the "Bears Reach" route after having watched that video of Dan Osmond climbing it was wonderful. We went to the 90ft wall after and both felt inspired to climb better than we have ever done. Look forward to climbing with you again sometime soon."
Martin and Donesa
Read More Testimonials”"Very good client care. Being out with Petch you really feel well guided as communication is clear, belay positions are selected to see and coach clients through cruxes. It is a good quality experience!"
Doug NidiverAMGA examiner
