California · Rock climbing · South Lake Tahoe

Luther Spires

Luther Spires in California has 10 climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.

10 routes
5.7 – 5.11c
Sport · Trad

Is Luther Spires open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Luther Spires, 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 Luther Spires

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, 13.6 mi away at 7,334 ft. The station sits about 600 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.

Luther Spires is a climbing area in California's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots, with Shire Spire about 0.1 mile away and Detox Wall about 0.4 mile away. The area also draws mountain bikers, with Old Luther Pass Highway and South Upper Truckee Road both within about half a mile. The climbing here is a mix of sport and trad routes, with 10 routes in total. The grades run from 5.7 up to 5.11c, and the hardest of them, Jackass, is a sport route at 5.11c. The easiest is Jane Spy, a sport route at 5.7. Todd Offenbacher is the first ascender of several of these routes. 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 two wet days a month from June through September. That station sits roughly 586 feet lower than the spires, so temperatures at the climbing area run a little cooler. For an overnight stay, Kit Carson Campground is about 6 miles away and Hope Valley Campground about 6.2 miles. Paddlers can reach the Upper Truckee River, about 1.5 miles off.

Routes (10)

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