California · Rock climbing · Tahoma

Calawee Cliffs

Calawee Cliffs in California has 9 climbing routes with 7 difficulty grades.

9 routes
5.6 – 5.12a
Mixed

Is Calawee Cliffs open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Calawee Cliffs, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Calawee Cliffs

Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    37° / 22°

  2. Feb

    38° / 22°

  3. Mar

    43° / 25°

  4. Apr

    49° / 27°

  5. May

    58° / 34°

  6. Jun

    69° / 40°

  7. Jul

    77° / 46°

  8. Aug

    76° / 46°

  9. Sep

    69° / 41°

  10. Oct

    58° / 34°

  11. Nov

    44° / 27°

  12. Dec

    38° / 21°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tahoma, CA, 4.7 mi away at 6,315 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Calawee Cliffs is a climbing area in D.L. Bliss State Park, part of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit in California. The land is managed by State Park and Recreation, and the cliffs sit within a few tenths of a mile of the Lighthouse Trail and the Rubicon Trail, making them an easy addition to a walk through the park. The climbing here is mixed, with nine routes spread across a range from 5.6 to 5.12a. The easiest is Mitches mayhem at 5.6, and the hardest is Tessie's Terror at 5.12a. The routes are all mixed, and several have first ascents listed, including J'aime Bonpland (5.7) and cum bucket (5.9+). Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from the nearby Tahoma weather station run to highs around 77°F in July and 76°F in August, with lows in the mid-40s. Winter is cold, with January highs near 37°F and lows around 22°F. Middle Bliss, another climbing area, is about 0.9 miles away, and Lumberjack is about a mile off. For an overnight stay, Meeks Bay Campground is about 3.1 miles away.

Routes (9)

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Middle BlissPhoto: Scott Thompson, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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