At the top of Kingsbury Grade, on the Nevada side above South Lake Tahoe, a granite boulderfield sits scattered through the pines a minute from the road, right by Heavenly's base area. It's a compact, recently-developed zone: slabs, aretes, and short powerful lines, headlined by the historic Foxy Lady (V8). If you're staying at Stateline, this is about as convenient as Tahoe bouldering gets. This guide is part of a bigger Lake Tahoe bouldering guide.
(Quick name check: this is the granite boulderfield on Tramway Drive, not the volcanic "Castle Rock" sport dome nearby, and not the sandstone Castle Rock State Park over in Santa Cruz.)
Where it is & getting there
From Stateline, take US-50 east through the casinos, turn right onto NV-207 (Kingsbury Grade Road), and grind about 3.1 miles up the grade. Turn right on Tramway Drive and go roughly half a mile, then park at the Fox & The Hound / Daggett's Station lot. The boulders are on the hillside on the uphill (west) side of the road. Drop into the field on the trail off Jack Drive, and the Foxy Lady cluster is about a 1-minute hike up the hill. You're around 7,400 feet up here. 📍 Open in Google Maps.
Heads-up: this is a residential and commercial area right at Heavenly's base, with the Fox & Hound restaurant and homes on Jack Drive. Park only in the Fox & Hound lot, respect the private property and residences, and keep the noise down. The spot stays open because climbers don't make themselves a problem.
When it's in
Late spring through fall, roughly May to October. At ~7,400 feet it's snowbound all winter, so treat it as a warm-season spot.
The rock
Granite boulders, mostly 10–25 feet, scattered through the pines: a mix of slabs, aretes, and short, powerful compression problems, with a few that climb highball. For years the zone got ignored except for Foxy Lady, then it was developed in earnest starting around 2019, when the King's Landing area turned up (an approachable, circuit-friendly cluster with lake views).
Classic problems, V1 to V10
This is a newer, low-traffic area, so Foxy Lady is the one genuinely established classic. The rest are the best-verified lines across the grades. Grades are community consensus, so expect them to feel stiff some days and soft others. Tap MP / Kaya for beta, and the coordinates to drop a pin:
| Problem | Grade | What it is | Beta | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Soft Chobber | V1 | A warm-up on the Daggett Station boulder | MP | 38.96977, -119.88673 |
| Son of a Chobber | V2+ | On the Tramway boulder | MP | 38.96892, -119.88676 |
| The Big Chob Prevails | V3 | Also on the Daggett Station boulder | MP | 38.96977, -119.88673 |
| Wild Rose Arete | V5 | A clean arete in the King's Landing zone | Kaya | 38.969, -119.887 |
| Foxy Lady | V8 | The area's historic classic, on the Foxy Lady boulder | MP · Kaya | 38.96947, -119.88637 |
| Little Wing | V10 | The sit start to Foxy Lady | MP | 38.96947, -119.88637 |
Grades and coordinates from Mountain Project; problems on the same boulder share coordinates. King's Landing lines (Wild Rose Arete) are documented on Kaya, so that location is the approximate cluster coordinate. This is a newer, lightly-trafficked area, and Foxy Lady is the established classic. Check conditions before you go.
What to bring
- Crash pads. A few of these lines get highball, so bring enough to cover the landing and a spotter you trust.
- A boar-bristle brush for the granite crystals and the popular holds. (How to brush a hold the right way.)
- Stiff, edgy shoes and dry chalk. You'll be standing on crystals and small edges, and dry chalk holds up better on cool granite. (More on chalk here; Pow Day is built for granite friction.)
- A bucket that keeps things tidy. The Bolder Chalk Bucket contains the mess, which matters when you're climbing right next to homes and a restaurant.
Leave No Trace at Kingsbury Grade
This one's really about being a good neighbor, because you're standing in an actual neighborhood:
- Park only in the Fox & Hound lot, and respect the homes and private property along Jack Drive.
- Keep the noise down and keep the scene low-key.
- Watch for seasonal raptor (falcon) nesting closures posted in the broader Castle Rock area.
- Pad off the vegetation, and brush off your chalk and tick marks before you head out. Two minutes of cleanup is what keeps a spot like this open.
FAQ
Where is Kingsbury Grade bouldering? Up at the top of Kingsbury Grade (NV-207 / Daggett Pass), on the Nevada side above South Lake Tahoe, off Tramway Drive by Heavenly's base. Park at the Fox & Hound / Daggett's Station lot.
Is this the same as Castle Rock? Nope. The granite boulders here are the "Kingsbury Grade Boulder Field." The nearby "Castle Rock" is a separate volcanic sport-climbing dome, and Castle Rock State Park is a completely different sandstone area over in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
When is the best season? Late spring through fall, about May–October. At ~7,400 feet it's snowbound through winter, so plan around the snowpack.
Do I need a rope? Nope, it's bouldering: pads, shoes, chalk, and a brush.
Kingsbury Grade is the easy-access pick for South Lake: roll up from Stateline, warm up in the pines, and go throw yourself at Foxy Lady. For the bigger picture, see the Lake Tahoe bouldering guide, and read up on keeping the rock clean before you head out.