Winter 2022 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.
Showing the ladies my old pebble pinching zone.
#youmustgoup #stonypoint #boulderingisdumb #wheresmycarpet #chatsworth #bouldering
A beautiful day at the Leap with Alex and Randy. Three days of rain ended with blue skies and perfect temps!
#youmustgoup #climbing #localguides #tradisrad #fall #loversleap #eldoradocounty
#loversleap #publiclands
One of the coolest spots at the Leap. The fantastic arete of Traveler Buttress!
#youmustgoup #climbing #50classicclimbs #loversleap #localguides
📸 @schedler
Second day with @schedler
The Groove, Surrealistic Pillar, first pitch of Corrugation Corner into Traveler Buttress, with the LLG finish!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #tradisrad #laketahoe #localguides #localbusiness #eldoradocounty
Another full day of climbing with @schedler on the East Wall!! East Cracks, Psychedelic Tree,Fandango, and the East Wall Route!
No other guide service gives you this much climbing at the Leap! Come climb with us!!
#youmustgoup #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing #climbing #tradisrad #localguides #loversleap #eldoradocounty #laketahoe
Did a little filming at the Phantom Spires for #adventurecities We couldn’t have nicer weather than today!
#youmustgoup #climbing #poser #eldoradocounty #phantomspires #localguides #localbusiness
A smoked filled morning to a much needed rain!
These smoky days have brought back a flood of memories from last years #caldorfire
Hoping the best for all in danger from the fires now burning throughout the west.
#mosquitofire #climatechangeisreal #prayforrain #smokeseason
Another successful Lead class today. From ground school to leading a three pitch climb! Great job Clare!!
#youmustgoup #tradisrad #learntolead #tahoeclimbing #localguides #localbusiness
A smoky day that turned out to be a great day of climbing. Sloan brought out his 10 year old son for his first multi pitch routes today. Knapsack, Deception and Pop Bottle were all ticked off the list!
#youmustgoup #localguides #localbusiness #kidswhoclimb #laketahoe #mosquitofire
“Do you need a rescue(course)!”
We still have a couple of spots open for our Self Rescue course next Sunday September 18th. $150 per climber.
#youmustgodown #selfrescue #loversleap #climbing #climbinginstruction #laketahoe
Ticking off the classic 5.9’s on the East Wall with @cali_climber
A warm up lap on the East Wall route. Then Scimitar, Fantasia, and Fandango!
11 pitches and almost 1500 feet of climbing!
#youmustgoup #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing #loversleap #climbing #tradisrad #womenwhoclimb #localguides
The Dr is in the house! When Dr Dave comes out for a full day, we definitely get one in! Psychedelic Tree, Scimitar, Fandango, and finishing on the East Wall route. Approximately 1500 feet a great climbing!
#youmustgoup #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing #climbing #localguides #localbusiness #eldoradocounty #tradisrad
End of the Day!
#loversleap #youmustgoup #sierranevada
Great day #climbing with Micah and Scott!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #localguides #tradisrad
Great day exploring the Leap with Alicia today! The Farce, Bears Reach, East Cracks, and the first pitch of Haystack!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #localguides #localbusiness #southlaketahoe #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing
Good night Leap.
#youmustgoup #loversleap #sunset
The classic 5.9 tour at #theleap with Todd! The Groove, Traveler Buttress, the Line, and Fantasia!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #localguides #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing
Another Self Rescue course this weekend! Thanks to all that came on out!
We have our next one scheduled for September 18th and still have a couple of spots left.
#youmustgodown #selfrescue #climbing #climbingguide #localguides #localbusiness #loversleap
“That was the best pitch of climbing I have ever done!” Andrew’s comment after climbing the incredible second pitch of Corrugation Corner. Surrealistic to Corrugation in a half day outing!!
#youmustgoup #climbing #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing #loversleap #localguides #eldoradocounty
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
