Venture out:

“The best places to learn to climb are Donner Summit and Lover’s Leap, which have a huge amount of easy to moderate climbing. Lover’s Leap has a lot of features to hold onto, and you can get the experience of a multi-pitch climb. Even Yosemite has routes for beginner climbers. Climbing enables you to get up high and experience a place in an entirely different way.” Pick up Chris McNamara’s South Lake Tahoe Climbing guidebook for routes in that area ($22).