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Sport Land

Colorado > Boulder > Boulder Canyon > Tonnere Tower
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal Closures 2025 - Bitty Buttress, Blob, Eagle Rock &, Security Risk are closed for raptor nesting DetailsDrop down

Description

Sport Land is the east face of Tonnere Tower, so-named because it is the main sport-climbing area on the crag. All the bolted routes here are sport routes: if you see a bolted line, you can be assured that it is a sport route and no gear will be needed.

Outstanding routes include Stayin' Alive, Sidekick, and Tag Team.

The routes in Sport Land were intentionally created as sport climbs, to provide an area for moderate, multi-pitch routes where only quickdraws are needed. Some of the routes can also be protected with trad gear, either partially or totally (Total Eclipse, Sidekick, Stayin' Alive). If you prefer to place gear, bring your trad rack and see how many bolts you can skip. If you prefer to clip bolts, bring your quickdraws. Either way, have fun climbing!

The east face of Tonnere Tower gets sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon, making it a good afternoon/early evening destination on hotter days, and a good morning destination on cooler days.

There are six two-pitch sport routes and two one-pitch sport routes here, ranging in difficulty from 5.8 to 5.11. There are two trad routes here as well: a 5.6 corner with a wide crack (Nick of Time) and a 5.9 hand crack pitch on the upper wall (Clean Sweep).

The routes from left to right:

0. Up and Left - Lone Unknown Route, 10-, 1p, 65', bolts.
1. Toe The Line, 10, 2p, bolts. Arete on east face.
2. Generous Donation, 11-, 1p, bolts. Headwall left of P2 of 1.
3. Tag Team, 10+, 2p, bolts. Slabs and overhangs right of 1.
4. Total Eclipse, 10-, 2p, bolts. Line R of 3.
5. Sidekick, 10+, 2p, bolts. Face right of 4.
6. Nick Of Time, 6, 1p, gear. Corner with wide crack.
7. Hard Times, 11=, 1p, bolts. Steep face starting partway up 6/8.
8. Face Off, 8, 1p, bolts. Face right of 6
9. Stayin' Alive, 10-, 2p. bolts. Arete right of 8.
10. Clean Sweep, 9, 1p, gear. Cracks right of P2 of 9.

Getting There

Cross the creek via the tyrolean, or wade or hop rocks if the water level is low enough.

Once across the creek, go to the tree on the far side of the tyrolean, and follow a path up left through the woods to a talus field. Climb up the talus, following cairns, to the rock wall. Head left on a path next to the wall, and turn right up the hill on a steep dirt path below the east face. After a few minutes, the prominent east arete (Toe The Line) will loom above you on the right.

Continue up a bit past the east arete, and then traverse right on a dirt ledge to get to the start of the east face routes. This ledge is exposed, so be careful. You might want to gear up before traversing out on the ledge. There are belay anchors on the ledge at the start of every route.

This approach takes about 15 minutes.

Routes from Left to Right

5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 2
Up and Left - Lone Unknown Route
Sport
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
 1
Goodbye Horses
Sport
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 2
6H4D (6 Horses 4 Daisy)
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 162
Toe The Line
Sport 2 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 68
Generous Donation
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 92
Tag Team
Sport 2 pitches
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 167
Total Eclipse
Sport 2 pitches
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 199
Sidekick
Sport 2 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 31
Nick Of Time
Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 7
Hard Times
Sport
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 71
Face Off
Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 352
Stayin' Alive
Sport 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 20
Clean Sweep
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Up and Left - Lone Unknown…
 2
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport
Goodbye Horses
 1
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a Sport
6H4D (6 Horses 4 Daisy)
 2
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Toe The Line
 162
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 2 pitches
Generous Donation
 68
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Sport
Tag Team
 92
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Sport 2 pitches
Total Eclipse
 167
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport 2 pitches
Sidekick
 199
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport 2 pitches
Nick Of Time
 31
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad
Hard Times
 7
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Face Off
 71
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Sport
Stayin' Alive
 352
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Sport 2 pitches
Clean Sweep
 20
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Rapping from the top of Stayin' Alive.
[Hide Photo] Rapping from the top of Stayin' Alive.
East face of Sport Land.  Toe the Line follows the prominent arete in the center of the photo.
[Hide Photo] East face of Sport Land. Toe the Line follows the prominent arete in the center of the photo.