Shark Wall
Shark Wall in California has 5 climbing routes with sport and trad options.
- 5 routes
- 5.9 – 5.11a
- Sport · Trad
Is Shark 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 Shark Wall
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.
Jan
41° / 17°
11 wet
Feb
43° / 18°
10 wet
Mar
48° / 22°
10 wet
Apr
53° / 26°
7 wet
May
63° / 33°
6 wet
Jun
73° / 38°
3 wet
Jul
82° / 44°
2 wet
Aug
81° / 42°
2 wet
Sep
74° / 36°
2 wet
Oct
63° / 29°
4 wet
Nov
49° / 23°
7 wet
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 1,200 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.
Shark Wall is a climbing area in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits right beside the Donner Summit and Donner Pass climbing areas, about 0.1 mile away from each, and the Donner Summit Lakes Trail is about half a mile off. The climbing here is sport and trad, with five routes in total. The grades run from 5.9 up to 5.11a, and the hardest is Sand Shark, a sport route at 5.11a. Jaws is the only trad route, at 5.10b. The other sport routes are Megalodon at 5.9, Sperm Whale at 5.10a and Yelp Of The Kelp at 5.10c. Summer is the most comfortable time to climb. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 82°F with lows near 44°F and only about two wet days. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet lower than the wall, so temperatures up high run cooler. Winter is cold, with January highs around 41°F and lows near 17°F. Milton Reservoir, about 1.7 miles away, offers fishing, and Donner Creek, about 2.8 miles away, is a canoeing spot. Granite Flat campground is about 6 miles away.
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