Center Cave
Center Cave in California has 6 sport climbing routes spanning 6 difficulty grades.
- 6 routes
- 5.12b – 5.13d
- Sport
Is Center Cave open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Tahoe National Forest.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Tahoe National Forest · Order 17-26-25 · USFS · Tahoe National Forest
Camping and Campfire Restrictions-Truckee and Sierraville Districts
Agency alert covering Tahoe National Forest · Order 17-25-05 · USFS · Tahoe National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Tahoe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Center Cave
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.
Jan
40° / 21°
11 wet · 7 snow
Feb
40° / 21°
10 wet · 7 snow
Mar
45° / 24°
10 wet · 7 snow
Apr
50° / 28°
8 wet · 4 snow
May
59° / 34°
7 wet · 1 snow
Jun
69° / 40°
3 wet
Jul
78° / 46°
1 wet
Aug
77° / 45°
2 wet
Sep
70° / 41°
2 wet
Oct
59° / 33°
4 wet · 1 snow
Nov
48° / 26°
7 wet · 3 snow
Dec
40° / 21°
10 wet · 6 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tahoe City, CA, 6.2 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Center Cave is a sport climbing area in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing and riding spots, with Center Wall and Three Towers Wall each about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is all sport, and the routes run from 5.12b up to 5.13d. Totally Chawsome is the easiest at 5.12b, and A Time Out Of Joint is the hardest at 5.13d. The first ascents of several of these routes date back to the early 1990s. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City show July highs around 78°F with lows near 46°F and only about one wet day in the month. That station sits roughly 780 feet lower than the cave, so temperatures at the cave run cooler. Pole Creek Nordic, a cross-country ski area, is about 0.7 mile away, and Goose Meadows campground is about 0.9 mile away. Martis Creek, a paddling spot, is about 3.8 miles off.
Routes (6)
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