Tahoe wasn't always Tahoe. Over time, The Lake has been given different names by different groups of people.  In the winter of 1844 John Fremont and Charles Preuss were having a very bad time trying to explore the Sierras during winter.  On February 14th, after "an extraordinary meal of pea soup, mule, and dog" they dragged themselves up Red Lake Peak on Carson Pass and became the first White Europeans to see the lake.

At the time, local Washoe had already named the lake. They called it Da-ow-a-ga.  Preuss and Fremont hadn't heard of it. Despite a hearty effort, the Washoe Marketing Department of the mid 1800s had failed to penetrate into the european explorer community. "Keep Da-ow-a-ga Blue" stickers just hadn't been produced in high enough numbers.

Being European, Fremont and Preuss decided the lake needed a good european name they could actually pronounce, and choose Lake Bonpland. They named it after Aime Bonpland, a clean shaven french botanist/explorer.  Neither Fremont nor Preuss knew Bonpland personally, but in the 1840s, French explorer/botanists had all the groupies.

Lake Bonpland went through several names and was soon renamed Lake Bigler after California's first full term Governor. Bigler was a bit racist and created laws and institutions to exclude Chinese immigrants from american society. This didn't have an effect on his support, and the lake remained Bigler for seven years. Although eventually it was re-named after the former Governor began to support the Confederacy during the civil war.

This wasn't the end. There was still ongoing debate as to what the lake should be called, with the legal name changing back and forth between Tahoe and Bigler.  Mark Twain was one detractor of the term "Tahoe", spraying repeatedly against it. It wasn't until 1945 that the name permanently changed to what we know today, leaving our friend Aime Bonpland all but forgotten.

- For this cruiser go straight up from the bottom (to the right of the obvious mossy corner) through an awkward reach, step left, and then up to a ledge. From the ledge continue up and slightly left, gaining a small pillar which you climb up to another small ledge. Head a little right and follow a pair of double cracks up as high as you can. Step right for the anchors.

J'aime Bonpland

Bigler's Bounty

cum bucket

fucking rock

Mitches mayhem

Blissful Banging

Tessie's Terror

Drain The Lake

shit bucket

When me and my friend Bennett Carlson first paddleboarded into Bliss looking for new climbs this was the first one we developed.  When we looked up this climb, we thought "Wow! If you brought a lady on this thing you're definitely getting laid!". The next day, eager to test the theory, I camped next to the water with a tall, pretty blonde girl. Sure enough, our idea from the day before was proved correct. "Blissful Banging" was born.

Routes and Ratings

5.8+

Although maybe not as nice as the other two variations, this one is a bit easier. Go straight up the pillar through the narrow hand crack on the bulge.  Gear is thin at first, but turns bomber before and through the bulge.  Step right onto an arete/ridge about halfway up the climb at a decomposing granite horn in the middle of the left facing corner. You can sling the horn for protection. Follow the arete up staying right with somewhat thin gear until you reach a crack system that leads to the anchors.

5.9+

The classic line. Go straight up the pillar through the narrow hand crack on the bulge. Come through a left facing corner and step left to an arete as soon as you can. Follow the arete a few meters to a good stance below a hand crack with the roof variation on your left.  Pull through a small bulge/roof into the curving hand crack directly above the stance and follow it to the anchors.

5.10b/c

The roof line. Follow up to the same stance as the 5.9+ but step left over open air into some radical roof action. Go through the small roof into a beautiful hand crack, then traverse a couple feet to the right for the anchors.

the right side of the pillar on the left of the face. balance moves and a crucial crystal for a mantal. very fun. fall could be dangerous from toprope anchors. will likely fall into the main face.

the slab to the right of biglers bounty. the crux is about halfway up, no hands traverse left on good feet. very balanced. slight right of anchors possible swing with fall.

the off-width crack to the left of biglers. lots of features and very easy to climb, some parts chimmey.

This puppy has yet to see a lead. Probably clocks in somewhere around 5.12 through the corner down low with some runout spots up high, but nothing too serious. Although it is still a little dirty as of now.

You can find this climb on the south tower of the highline. There are no bolted anchors specifically for the climb, but there are 3 bolts on top of the tower without hangers that you can use to rig a top rope by cinching down stoppers over the bolts.

Would love to hear about someone leading this thing!!!!

- 5.10b

Head straight up a well protected splitter crack at about 5.9 (first move is the toughest) until it peters out. Step out right into an easy crack system that leads to a big ledge. Through the easy part keep your eye out for a cool 'hole' hold on the face to the right. When you reach the ledge place some good gear and continue straight up underneath a small slabby roof. Gain the undercling with pasted feet, place a small cam (yellow BD .2) under the roof, and get your left foot over the roof onto a good foot at the edge of the slab. Pull a balance-y mantle move standing up on your left foot then make 3 or 4 easier moves on an unprotected face to a jug.  A fall on the mantle would take you darn close to the ledge, and a fall from the face would almost certainly give you a good bounce on the ledge before the rope caught.  That being said, if you've got the skills for the mantle, you shouldn't have a problem with the face.

- 5.9

Climb the same way as the normal route up to the ledge but then avoid the mantle by climbing to the left of the roof through an easy crack (5.6 or 7). A nice way to setup the top rope if you wanna lead it, but the mantle looks scary.

- 5.10c/d

Start to the right of the normal crack and go up and right through a couple balancy and strong moves. Basically a v2/3 boulder problem for 30 feet. In low water it can be an intimidating lead with sparse gear for the first 10-15 feet. In higher water the ground fall would get slowed down by the water, but you'd probably still hit the rocks. When the lake is at its highest the first moves will likely be underwater. After the first moves continue up through the mantle for a nice, exciting line.

far-left arete on bilgers wall. easier if cleaned lots of growth on rock. all could be dangerous because of swing. trad directional is possible.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Calawee Cliffs