Tahoe Quarterly

Rock Climbingin Meyers

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Athlete: Chris McNamara
Spot: Meyers

If you're a Tahoe climber, it's hard to beat living in Meyers. You are 10 minutes from all the essential services in South Lake, but get a much mellower feel. Meyers has the most climbing areas within a 20-minute drive than any spot in Tahoe—from the best 300- to 400-foot faces in the country at Lover's Leap to year-round shorter routes at Woodfords Canyon. There are a number of short sport climbs above Christmas Valley and more than 20 bouldering areas within a 10-mile radius. I usually keep a pair of climbing shoes and a bouldering pad in the car. Even if I only have an hour, I can solo the 400-foot Haystack route on Lover's Leap or do a few boulder problems at the Luther Boulders off Highway 89 in Christmas Valley.

I'm pretty happy with my spot on Skyline Drive (northeast part of Meyers). If I had to choose the dream house location, it would probably be in Christmas Valley. There a number of great climbing routes you can ride a bike to. There are a few streets, like Blitzen, where you can actually have a boulder in your backyard.

But my favorite part of Christmas Valley is the far south end, probably the most tranquil area in all of South Lake.

Stats: In addition to publishing 10 SuperTopo rock climbing guidebooks, Meyers resident Chris McNamara started the American Safe Climbing Association. Climbing magazine once computed that three percent of McNamara's life (he jumped into the sport at age 14) has been spent on the face of Yosemite's El Capitan.

Originally published in TQ Best of Tahoe 2008