Birthday Challenge #27!
Zeke on the final moves of pitch 29!
Zeke and Megan have been climbing with Lover’s Leap Guides since 2021. We took them up their first outdoor multi pitch climb at Sugarloaf(30 miles west of Lake Tahoe). They came back the following year to climb the mighty Corrugation Corner on the Main Wall of Lover’s Leap. This year they joined our must do course in Self Rescue. To top it off, Zeke wanted to climb for his 27th birthday! “We buy experiences, not presents!”
At Lover’s Leap Guides, we offer a massive day of climbing your years in pitches. With over 30 years of climbing at Lover’s Leap and 20 plus years of guiding, we have the routes dialed. We can keep the flow going, and the climbs are ticked off at an efficient pace.
We go banana’s for Birthdays!!!
Are you up for the Challenge?
The plan was to meet Zeke in the Lover’s Leap Campground at 6 in the morning. We were packed with water and food just to get us through the first half of the day. The day before I made a cache of food and water on top of the East Wall to get us through the second half of our climbing.
Leaving the campground, we headed to the Hogwild area of the Hogsback. Equipped with my 80 meter rope, I climbed the first two pitches of Ham and Cheese. Zeke followed quickly and in no time we were on top and starting to rappel down Piglet. With 260′ of rope, I lowered him to the ground and he was able to top rope three more pitches. Back on the ground a couple of quick top ropes, then up Better with Bacon(one of Lover’s Leap Guides favorite routes). From the top of Bacon, we dropped off the side and did a quick two pitches up the seldom climbed Peanut Brittle. By 10:00 we had already climbed 15 pitches!
Finishing pitch 10 on Better with Bacon!
Pitch 15!
Still Going Strong!
Heading to the Lower Buttress, the Farce, the Groove, and Surrealistic pillar go quickly. Topping out on Surrealistic, we head to Corrugation and climb it in two long pitches. It’s now 2:00 on top of the Main Wall and 26 pitches are done. With just one climb left to do, we casually walk to the top of the East Wall and enjoy cold beverages and lunch.
Top of the Main Wall!
Descending down the East Wall to the Pony Express trail, we leave our packs and extra gear at the Bear Box(donated by Lover’s Leap Guides). With no parties on Bears Reach, we head to the base of the climb. One 80 meter pitch brings us up to Bushy Ledge, then the final pitch we are on top with a total of 29 climbed pitches! Over 3,000 feet of climbing in ten hours, what a day!!
It’s your Birthday!!!
Celebrating a rad birthday after climbing 29 Pitches!!!
What are you doing for your next Birthday?
Heading to Lake Tahoe, California and looking for an experience? At Lover’s Leap Guides, we offer half and full days of climbing. Learn to Lead and Self Rescue instruction, family climbing, and just straight up rad climbing! Is your birthday coming up and you want an experience to remember for a life time? Lover’s Leap Guides can make it happen for you!
