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.
Evening cragging!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #cragging #womenwhoclimb #onsight #caldorfire
Fun morning with @tahoe_spencer on Corrugation to Traveler Buttress!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #localguides #foreveryoung #keepmoving
Yesterday I went out to see if could beat my last years personal record of 103 pitches. With a cool forecast and long days, I started climbing on the Hogwild area at 5:45 in the morning. 12 pitches went down there and then headed to the Lower Buttress, where I did another 13. On to the main wall I added 24, then 6 on the edge of Central wall. On the East Wall I was able to get 33 more pitches and was helped by a fixed rope to get back down(thanks @strawberrystationca )! With my feet screaming from wearing soft climbing shoes and starting to feel less than solid, thoughts of quitting filled my head. With still plenty of light left and the the stubbornness I sometimes have, I headed over to the Hogsback for the final 21 pitches ending at 7:45.
14 hours of climbing, 108(guidebook)pitches, and around 12,000 feet of climbing.
A big thanks to @livinontheledge for bringing me my Mythos and climbing the final laps with me!!
Probably taking a rest day today!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #leapcentury #keepmoving #whosold #icantandwontstop #localknowledge #localguides #dikeclimbing #myfeethurt #weputmultipitchintomultipitchclimbing #scrambling
Flowers, a Poodle, and the Leap!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #caldorfire #wildflowers #poodle #cragdog #localguides
I think I might have a shoe problem!?
#youmustgoup #footfettish #lasportiva #climbingshoes #quiver #strawberrystation
❤️er’s Leap!
#loversleap #youmustgoup #climbing #grateful #happiestinthemountains #eldoradocounty #tahoesnaps #caldorfire
We have a few spots open for our Self Rescue course Sunday June 26th.
The course runs from 9-5 and costs $150 per climber.
All outdoor climbers should know these skills and hope to never use them!!
#youmustgodown #selfrescue #climbing #tradclimbing #climbinginstruction #localguides
The #caldorfire caused tremendous damage to our beloved canyon. Mother Nature is not wasting any time coming back with new growth with lots of wild flowers!! Every day I’m up there I see the plants bigger than the day before and the flowers abound!!
#loversleap #planetearth #phoenix #growstrong #gaia #naturalcycles #eldoradonationalforest
Casey and Camilla first outdoor #multipitch climb today!
Another father/daughter team out on the rocks! Father’s Day must be coming up!
#youmustgoup #climbing #eldoradocounty #localbusiness #loversleap #laketahoe
Great lap up Corrugation Corner with Ken and his daughter Roxanne this morning! Couldn’t ask for better weather right now!!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #fatherdaughter #climbingfamily #localguides
Great group pushing their limits and succeeding to gain the summit!!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #localguides #localbusiness #goingforit #multipitchclimbing
Great morning climbing #crashlanding into #travelerbuttress with @flower_power75
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #partner #dontstop #tradclimbing #womenwhoclimb #laketahoe
#poser
#youmustgoup #overeasy #knobclimbing #phantomspires
Great day hanging out and climbing with @skylar__clementine and @pilatesbalancetelluride
A hike in the morning up my favorite trail #horsetailfalls and then helping in Wendy polish off her #tradskills
#youmustgoup #climbing #eldoradonationalforest #tradisrad #friendguiding
Great morning with @utjazz and his son Van up the mighty #corrugationcorner #youmustgoup #climbing #laketahoe #tradclimbing #localguides #localbusiness
We’re back!
#poodle #poodlesofinstagram #poodlelove
A beautiful day with lots of smiles!! Always a fun day climbing with @cali_climber
#youmustgoup #climbing #loversleap #tradisrad #localguides #localbusiness #laketahoe
Perfect day for @julessspec to climb her first #multipitch routes!
#youmustgoup #loversleap #climbing #localguides #laketahoe #tradclimbing
Climbing Corrugation Corner with our new guide @daniel_and_nico
Daniel just spent the winter #guiding down in #joshuatreenationalpark for @cliffhangerguides If you land Daniel as a guide, you will definitely be having a fun day on the rock! #youmustgoup #loversleap #localguides #localbusiness #climbing #laketahoe
Peter from Australia always wanted to climb at the Leap, especially Bears Reach!!
A morning ascent was achieved his goal!!
#youmustgoup #climbing #loversleap #bucketlist #laketahoe #foreveryoung
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
