California · Rock climbing · Truckee

East Face

East Face in California has 4 trad routes on 3 difficulty grades.

4 routes
5.8 – 5.11d
Trad

Is East Face 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 East Face

Best months: May–September. 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

    41° / 17°

    11 wet

  2. Feb

    43° / 18°

    10 wet

  3. Mar

    48° / 22°

    10 wet

  4. Apr

    53° / 26°

    7 wet

  5. May

    63° / 33°

    6 wet

  6. Jun

    73° / 38°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    82° / 44°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    81° / 42°

    2 wet

  9. Sep

    74° / 36°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 29°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 23°

    7 wet

  12. Dec

    39° / 17°

    10 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Donner Mem Sp, CA, 4.6 mi away at 5,937 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

East Face is a climbing area in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, set within the Truckee Ranger District's boundaries. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with the East Face Main and Brain Block areas each about 0.1 mile away. The area is a traditional climbing destination. Four routes are listed, all rated at 5.8 or above on the YDS scale. Mole's Corner and Telegraph Crack are both 5.8, and The Stranger Within is the hardest at 5.11d. The most comfortable months for climbing are typically June through September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs around 73°F to 82°F, with only two or three wet days a month. That station sits about 1,055 feet lower than the East Face, so temperatures up high run cooler. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 passes about 0.4 mile away, and the Lake Mary Trail is about 0.9 mile off. For an overnight stay, Granite Flat Campground is roughly 6 miles away.

Routes (4)

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Grouse #6Photo: Jonathan Fox, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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East FacePhoto: Jonathan Fox, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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