Center Wall
Center Wall in California has 5 climbing routes across 4 grades.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 5 routes
- 5.8 – 5.10c
- Sport · Trad
Is Center Wall 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 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.
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, 6.9 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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 climbing area in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, about 0.3 miles from Shirley Canyon Cliffs. It sits in the high country, and the most comfortable climbing weather typically comes in July and August, when typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City run to highs around 77 to 78°F and lows in the mid-40s, with only one or two wet days a month. Winter is cold and snowy, with highs near 40°F and snow on about seven days a month from December through February. The area has five routes, with sport climbing and trad climbing both represented. The grades range from 5.8 to 5.10c, with the hardest route, The A Bomb, a trad climb at 5.10c. Black Napkins is a sport route at 5.9, and Blanche Serviettes and Philo Beddo are both sport routes at 5.10b. Shirley Lake Trail is about half a mile away, and the Western States Trail passes within a mile. For an overnight stay, Silver Creek Campground is about 3.6 miles off, and Deep Creek Crags, another climbing area, is about 4.3 miles away.
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Shirley Canyon Cliffs
~1 min drive
Shirley Canyon Cliffs in California has 4 climbing routes ranging from easy to difficult, offering sport and trad options.
Deep Creek Crags
~7 min drive
Deep Creek Crags in California has 3 routes with sport and trad climbing.
The Arena
~7 min drive
7 climbing routes in California spanning 6 grades, sport and trad.
South Wall
~8 min drive
South Wall is a California climbing crag with 9 sport routes.
Mini Buttress
~8 min drive
Mini Buttress in California has 12 sport climbing routes across 10 grades.
Center Wall
~8 min drive
Center Wall in California has 10 sport climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.
Big Chief
~8 min drive
Big Chief in California has 18 sport climbing routes across 12 difficulty grades.
The Oven
~8 min drive
The Oven in California has 10 sport climbing routes across 7 grades.
Light Deprivation Buttress
~8 min drive
11 sport climbing routes in California spanning 7 difficulty grades.
Pentathlete Wall
~9 min drive
Pentathlete Wall in California has 6 climbing routes across 5 grades.
