Saddle Climbing

This digital Saddle 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 Saddle days smoother, safer, and more dialed.

The Saddle Boulder is one of the most impressive single boulders in Tahoe.  It has many hard, classic lines all on one overhanging face. The problems are all solid and the proper height. Sitting next to it, the Black Wall boulder is quite large as well, and boasts over 20 problems. Nearby in the forest is another circuit with great climbing. Also in this chapter you will find the Future Boulder and the Wooden Cobra, two more very high quality stones. Unless you are willing to walk quite a ways, a 4WD truck is pretty much mandatory to access these areas.

OPTION #1 DRIVING FROM DONNE... Show more

This digital Saddle 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 Saddle days smoother, safer, and more dialed. The Saddle Boulder is one of the most impressive single boulders in Tahoe. It has many hard, classic lines all on one overhanging face. The problems are all solid and the proper height. Sitting next to it, the Black Wall boulder is quite large as well, and boasts over 20 problems. Nearby in the forest is another circuit with great climbing. Also in this chapter you will find the Future Boulder and the Wooden Cobra, two more very high quality stones. Unless you are willing to walk quite a ways, a 4WD truck is pretty much mandatory to access these areas. OPTION #1 DRIVING FROM DONNER LAKE: If the gate at the bottom is open, this is the best and fastest approach from Truckee if you have a truck, 4WD wagons not recommended. From Truckee drive to the west end of Donner Lake and turn left on South Shore Drive. Go for 1.1 miles and turn right on a dirt road. Continue for 0.6 miles and go right, go another 0.5 miles and go right. (you will pass a road at 0.3, don’t turn here). Go another 0.2 and go straight (left). From here its 0.6 miles to the main gravel road and you will pass The Future Boulder along the way. Once your at the main gravel road turn left and go for 0.5 miles, then turn right up a short hill for 100 yds and park on the left just past the state park sign and just below a big boulder. OPTION #2 DRIVING FROM COLDSTREAM CANYON: From Truckee exit at Donner Pass Road and turn left at the 4 way stop. Drive past the gas stations to the park entrance and reset your odometer at the green gate. (If this gate is locked enter through the main park entrance and loop around past Split Rock). Go for 0.2 miles and turn left around the gravel pits and pick up the main paved road into Cold Stream Canyon. Stay on the main road, not taking any turns and just after you skirt the right side of a big pond look for a big wooden sign. From here reset your odometer, turn uphill on Coldstream Road, and continue for 1.4 miles, not taking any turns from the main road until you get to a tunnel that goes under the train tracks. Reset again here and wind around for 0.2 then take an almost u-turn back right on a road that starts cutting uphill. Go on this road for 0.4 and turn left just after a small creek, go for another 0.8 and turn right. Go 0.3 and turn left then go for 0.2 and the Saddle parking lot will be on your right. APPROACH: A trail leads west from here and after 1 minute you will arrive at the boulders. FOR THE FUTURE BOULDER AND THE WOODEN COBRA: You will finding driving and approach beta listed with these boulders later in this chapter.