Summit Lake Climbing

This digital Summit Lake climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Summit Lake days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

Summit Lake is located across the freeway from Boreal and it is part of the huge Castle Peak/Donner Summit complex. The area is divided into two sections and utilizes two different approaches. The first spot is around Summit Lake itself, and for this area you can drive all the way to the lake if you have a 4WD truck with average clearance. The second spot has boulders scattered along a trail that leads to Summit Lake from the rest area on I-80 at Donner Summit. You also have the option of hiking all the way to Summit Lake from the rest area if you wish and go bouldering al... Show more

This digital Summit Lake climbing guidebook gives you GPS navigation, verified topos, and beta for hundreds of climbs. Explore classics and hidden gems with offline access to maps, directions, and beta videos. Whether it's your first visit or fiftieth, KAYA makes your Summit Lake days smoother, safer, and more dialed. Summit Lake is located across the freeway from Boreal and it is part of the huge Castle Peak/Donner Summit complex. The area is divided into two sections and utilizes two different approaches. The first spot is around Summit Lake itself, and for this area you can drive all the way to the lake if you have a 4WD truck with average clearance. The second spot has boulders scattered along a trail that leads to Summit Lake from the rest area on I-80 at Donner Summit. You also have the option of hiking all the way to Summit Lake from the rest area if you wish and go bouldering along the way. It’s only 1.5 miles from the rest area to Summit Lake on a well maintained, easy trail that doesn’t gain much elevation. Since there are boulders the whole way, this is not a bad option unless you are focused on the boulders around the lake. The circuit around the lake is top notch, all the boulders sit in a very tight cluster and the rock is high quality featured granite. Summit Lake itself is really warm as far as high elevation lakes go and it’s a great to place to swim during your bouldering session on hot days. FOR THE SUMMIT LAKE TRAIL BOULDERS: DRIVING: From Truckee take I-80 west and exit at the rest area just before the Boreal/Castle Peak exit. Park at the rest area. Signs claim “4 Hour Maximum” parking time here. APPROACH: Walk to the east end of the rest area and pick up a well worn trail that heads NE from behind the bathrooms. After 3 minutes you will see the Rated X boulder on the trail to your right. Walk 1 more minute and you will hit a junction with the PCT. Continue straight on the Summit Lake Trail (NOT The PCT) and after 5 minutes you will see The Trail Boulders on your left literally on the trail. FOR THE SUMMIT LAKE BOULDERS: DRIVING: If you have a 4WD truck you can drive right to Summit Lake. It’s pretty rough and takes almost 30 minutes to travel 2.5 miles. Smaller trucks, like a Toyota Tacoma fit best on the thin road. From Truckee take I-80 west and exit at the Donner Lake Exit #180 and turn right. Drive a short distance until the road turns to dirt. Reset your odometer at the dirt road. At 0.9 stay left, at 2.2 go right and at 2.5 you will arrive at the lake. The last 1/4 mile is very skinny and those with full size trucks should park early and walk the last bit. Alternately, you can follow the directions to the Summit Lake Trail Boulders and walk from there, it’s a very easy 30 minute walk to the Lake from the rest area. After passing The Trail Boulders there is only one fork in the trail just 1/2 mile before the lake. Go right at this fork. This is a great way to access the Summit Lake Boulders if you don’t have a truck. The trail is flat and mellow and it’s the easiest 30 minutes you will ever walk. APPROACH: From the parking area walk around the left side of the lake on a trail for 5 minutes until you almost start coming around the lake. You will pass a very lush area on the trail and just after that the forest opens up and there are trees covered in green moss. Head uphill here and after about 100 yds you will start to see the boulders. Cut east just after the first boulders towards the ridge a