California · Rock climbing · South Lake Tahoe

Lower East Side

Lower East Side in California has 6 sport climbing routes across 3 difficulty grades.

6 routes
5.9 – 5.10c
Sport

Is Lower East Side open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Lower East Side, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Lower East 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

    36° / 23°

    9 wet

  2. Feb

    37° / 23°

    8 wet

  3. Mar

    42° / 26°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    48° / 29°

    5 wet

  5. May

    56° / 35°

    4 wet

  6. Jun

    66° / 42°

    2 wet

  7. Jul

    75° / 49°

    2 wet

  8. Aug

    74° / 49°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    67° / 44°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    55° / 36°

    3 wet

  11. Nov

    43° / 28°

    5 wet

  12. Dec

    35° / 23°

    7 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dagget Pass, NV, 12.6 mi away at 7,334 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Lower East Side is a sport climbing area in California's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, managed by the Forest Service. The climbs sit among a cluster of other climbing and hiking destinations, with Flagpole East Side about 0.1 mile away and Mid Dome roughly 0.3 mile off. The Gunmount Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail both pass within a mile, so it's easy to fold the area into a longer outing. The six routes here are all sport climbs, with grades ranging from 5.9 to 5.10c. Halyard, Stand for the Pledge and Stars and Stripes are all 5.9, and 21 Pair of Underwear and Reveille top out at 5.10c. The area is a relatively compact cluster of routes, and the closest neighbors make it easy to pair with more time on the rocks or on the trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dagget Pass, Nevada, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 49°F and only about one or two wet days a month from June through September. Winter there runs much colder, with January highs in the mid-30s.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive