Sidekick 

The best of the pitches I did here that day, worth 3 stars. Worth the trip up there to do, I was really quite surprised at the number of sidepulls one can do in a single pitch. Good find, though you might not want to climb it after a rain. It had some slick dirt/mud at the steep sections just 24hrs since rain.

I did this trad (gear only) with Jerry Bargo with a light rack of stoppers and cams. Doubles in the cams 1" and below might have been nice to have, but it went without. The climb had some 5.10 moves with a little runout, but not big ones. On the way down I cleaned the crack a little more. RPs and ballnuts could now be used where I did not place anything. This would make it well protected for someone with the skill to place small and complex protection. That may be tricky to get in solidly, so some minor caution remains. I'd call it PG-13 to be conservative. If you don't like it, clip a bolt; there is no risk of getting totally snaked.

Perhaps this makes this line an idea line for people just pushing into more complex and harder trad lines to attempt. Since bolts are available every few yards, one can easily 'bail out'

A 70M rope rap from the anchors got me down to a short 4th-class downclimb to the belay.

Lots of good, fun moves; relatively sustained at the grade, whatever that is. Good new school bolt job.

65 ft of continuous moves on nicely featured rock -- this is destined to become a favorite at the grade on the Boulder Canyon sport climbing circuit. I'd say it is about as much fun as Hound Dog on Bell Buttress, but it's slightly less than vertical so working the hard sequences before committing makes it a bit easier than Hound Dog.

Great find guys.

I posted initially 5.11c and it was the feeling I had when I climbed it on my Shunt, when it was still full of lichen and moss!
In my opinion, it probably is more around 5.11 a/b, especially onsight. But the grade being so subjective and personal, we will see a lot of variation on the grade people will post.

Update: Nearly two months later as 08/04/07, I climbed Sidekick and in my opinion, this is 5.11a/b due to the continuous nature of the climb.

I can see it being harder when first sent as there is still a lot of lichen on the route - especially high up. You can send this in one pitch with a 60m rope. You'll need two ropes for the rap though (perhaps two 50s would work? or like Tony said one 70 and a downclimb).

I didn't try, but I would probably agree with Tony that this could be a trad lead...probably pumpy to place gear though. My guess is when it cleans up even more it would be 5.10b/c. The lower section is quite continuous, but if you get good stances you can shake out. Beta hint: sidepull, sidepull, sidepull....etc.... Nice, fun route. Well-protected if you are trying to break into mid to hard 5.10 climbing.

5.11a/b is my onsight limit right now, and I didn't seem pushed that far.

Don't usually have a problem onsighting 11b. Maybe because I was tired but I took on this one after the crux. Long and sustained. Best route we did.

This is a really good route with excellent moves and good protection.

Good job Bruno and Ron.

This route should not have been bolted. Why is it that people feel that natural gear protectable lines should be sprayed with bolts like a sport park route? That aside, the climbing is awesome and it is a line not to be missed. 10+ seems accurate.

No move harder than .10d, but the sustained climbing merits an .11a. Several surprisngly good rests and shakes. Probably the best single pitch on any route starting from the dirt ledge.

Another needlessly bolted gear line at Tonnere.

Dirk...There's not much you can do about the past...but you can something about the present/future. Ron and I have done several routes on the right side of Tonnere Tower that are mixed routes or all gear. In fact...just in the last three days, Ron and I have done five pitches...ground up drilling on the lead.

There are almost 40 pitches on Tonnere Tower that offer a little bit of everything for all climbers. There is still more to do. You wanna do something positive...grab a rack...start from the ground and work your way up.

Boulder Canyon is loaded with unclimbed routes just waiting to be done. Wanna make a statement...use your energy to create some FAs of your own!

Pretty Simple!

Bob, please don't place the impetus on me for creating this climb in its current state. Your reply would infer that my own lack of effort or drive resulted in this line. Tell me to be positive, but regardless, my negativity does not vindicate this line.

Dirk...Ron and Bruno created the line...put an effort forth. You have done nothing but post on the internet about style and what you think is right.

The positive reaction by most folks who climb at the crag does vindicate Ron's and Bruno's actions.

Get over yourself.

Easy for an 11 if that is the given grade. Very nice moves and well worth doing.

This is the best lines on that cliff 5.10c.