Lover's Leap Leads to Friends and Family

  Lake Tahoe, California
Saturday, July 4, 2009

After our long stint into Yosemite, we were excited to head somewhere else (not that we could ever tire of Yosemite's spectacular views and rock climbing!). Our partner in crime, Dave Snow, had climbed at Lover’s Leap in 1999 and 2000 and was keen to show us another of California’s amazing rock climbing areas.


Lover's Leap, Lake Tahoe, California

Lover’s Leap is located just below Echo Summit on the south side of Lake Tahoe and is famous for stellar granite climbing (surprise)! Better known climbs include Traveler Buttress featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and Bear's Reach known for a viral video in which Dan Osman speed climbs the route.  Local legend says that Tahoe's Lover's Leap got its name from when two lovers from different Indian tribes who were at war with each other leapt to their deaths from the summit, rather than live without each other.


Dave and Ben share a belay on Traveler Buttress


Lindsey working the start of the 12a on the Lower Buttress; Ben spewing verbal diaherra as usual


Lindsey working Nirvana's crazy arete (11c)

We also met Dale and Kim from Australia.  These two mates of ours are also travelling for a prolonged period of time after Dale took a voluntary leave from Boeing (the Melbourne-based center).  (Later Dale and Kim also joined up with us in Salt Lake City for the July 4th celebration!)


Kim belaying Dale

More photos of Lover's Leap:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benkunz/sets/72157620924354690/

After four fantastic days of climbing at the Leap, we headed for Reno to visit our friends, Andreas and Veronica.  Andreas and Veronica opened up their house to us—two very dirty climbers after our long stints of camping and climbing in Yosemite and Lake Tahoe!  It was a treat to cook in a kitchen, drink cold beer from a fridge and watch some TV on Andreas’ incredibly huge plasma display!  Ben and Andreas took the opportunity to party like college boys again with a mandatory visit to the local dive bar – the Old Tyme Saloon!  


The Old Tyme Saloon!

It’s only a mile or so from the house, so Ben and Andreas ran there and back and of course enjoyed a few hours the Old Tyme Saloon’s Michael Jackson tribute!   Andreas forgot to take the house keys and Veronica had to stay up to wait for their drunk-asses to get home!  Ben and Andreas’ saving grace was the two roses they picked on the way home and presented to Veronica when the knocked on the door at midnight!

It was in the 90's when we were there, so we all enjoyed a couple dips in their not-so-hot tub. The happy couple are expecting a young Andreas in their household on Halloween and Veronica is experiencing each phase of pregnancy for the first time. They graciously choufered us around Reno to the Patagonia outlet and REI and served up some of the best food we've had in a long time!


Andreas and Veronica

We fattened up even more in Elko, NV, home to most the folks on Lindsey's mom's side of the family. Evert, Lindsey's mom's brother, and Phyllis, Evert's wife, stocked the kitchen for an army and fed us constantly with their great cooking. Phyllis taught Lindsey how to make Kumpa, a Scandanavian pork dumpling, and Lindsey added to the meal with a homemade strawberry cake!

With 10 years of busy life between her last visit with the Hetlands, Lindsey had a great time catching up with Evert, Phyllis, a few of their kids (Kim and Todd), and their grandchildren (Nathanial, Ashton and Hayden).

While Lindsey caught up family, Ben took a day to reunite with the mountains. He took a hike into the Ruby Mountains, a beautiful range just outside Elko.


The Ruby Mountains are a famous heli-skiing destination. In the summer months, they are accessible and stunning, and provide some great fishing and hiking opportunities.


Slowly thawing Lamoille Lake just below the 10,500 foot Liberty Pass

Thanks for all your generosity, Andreas and Veronica and the Hetland family! Happy Canada Day and Fourth of July to all!