California · Rock climbing · Truckee

Center Wall

Center Wall in California has 10 sport climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.

10 routes
5.9 – 5.12c
Sport

Is Center Wall open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for 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 Wall

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

    40° / 21°

    11 wet · 7 snow

  2. Feb

    40° / 21°

    10 wet · 7 snow

  3. Mar

    45° / 24°

    10 wet · 7 snow

  4. Apr

    50° / 28°

    8 wet · 4 snow

  5. May

    59° / 34°

    7 wet · 1 snow

  6. Jun

    69° / 40°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    78° / 46°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    77° / 45°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    70° / 41°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    59° / 33°

    4 wet · 1 snow

  11. Nov

    48° / 26°

    7 wet · 3 snow

  12. 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 Wall 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 Cave and Mini Buttress each about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is all sport, and the routes run from 5.9 up to 5.12c. The hardest is Ghost Dance at 5.12c, and the easiest is War Paint at 5.9. Mohawk, at 5.10b, was first climbed by Jim Zellers in July 1990, and Peace Dance is 5.11d. 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 770 feet lower than the wall, so temperatures on the rock run cooler. Pole Creek Nordic, a cross-country ski area, is about 0.6 mile away, and Goose Meadows campground is about 0.9 mile away. Martis Creek, a paddling spot, is about 3.9 miles off.