A group of Bay Area climbers kept their cool as a free soloist climbed past their position on Surrealistic Pillar a 5.7 route in Lovers Leap area of Lake Tahoe. You can hear how nervous the roped-up climbers are, compared to the unprotected climber. It does make you question the ethics of free soloing around other people, though.
We were Climbing Surrealistic Pillar route 5.7, three pitches, on lower buttress, In Lovers Leap California when I saw a climber free soloing. We were at pitch two anchor when he passed us. We got a little bit nervous and tried our best to stay out of his way.
Free solo climbing around other people feels like a fairly questionable activity. I get that most of these people know what they’re doing. I get that they’re climbing routes easier than their most extreme. But one mistake means they fall all the way to the ground. If someone wants to risk their life to do it, that’s their choice. But, if someone’s free soloing above other people, and they happen to fall, there’s a chance the people below could get seriously hurt, or at least seriously traumatized.
Lover’s Leap isn’t an unpopular climbing area, either. According to Visit El Dorado, it’s among the most iconic climbing locations in the entire county, with granite-cliff bands visible from Highway 50. With over 150 established routes, it’s been a popular climbing spot for years, with its origins dating back to the 1950s.
“Many of those climbing routes are thanks to M. “Petch” Pietrolungo, the low-key owner and lead guide of Lover’s Leap Guides. He’s lived in Strawberry since 1993, climbing existing routes at Lover’s Leap and adding numerous first ascents that are now considered classics.” – Visit El Dorado