California · Rock climbing · Big Bend

Left Side

Left Side is a California climbing crag with 9 routes across 7 grades, offering sport and trad options.

9 routes
5.8 – 5.12c
Trad · Sport

Is Left Side 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 Left Side

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

    44° / 25°

  2. Feb

    46° / 26°

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

  4. Apr

    56° / 30°

  5. May

    64° / 37°

  6. Jun

    75° / 43°

  7. Jul

    82° / 48°

  8. Aug

    82° / 47°

  9. Sep

    76° / 44°

  10. Oct

    65° / 37°

  11. Nov

    51° / 30°

  12. Dec

    43° / 25°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Spaulding, CA, 6.7 mi away at 5,156 ft. The station sits about 800 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.

Left Side is a climbing area in the Yuba River Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits close to several other climbing spots and campgrounds, making it an easy addition to a day or a longer stay in the area. Summer is the warmest stretch for climbing here. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Spaulding weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower, run around 82°F for highs in July and August. That station's typical lows in those months reach the upper 40s, so temperatures up high at Left Side run a little cooler. The closest neighbors are Central Area and Rainbow, both climbing areas about 0.1 mile away, and Big Bend Campground, also about 0.1 mile off. Loch Leven, a hike roughly 0.3 mile away, is another short option.

Routes (9)