[Hide Comment] pretty spooky Jul 15, 2002

[Hide Comment] If you fell from the low crux just above the first bolt, you'd be fine. The rock there is a little poor but luckily, it's well protected. I sent a small foothold off, and there were other places where the rock had obviously been recently broken (still dropping crystals when blown on). The under-the-roof traverse is not necessarily runout. With a few cams and tricams you can sew it up. Take long slings to avoid drag.

As for the top 5.9+/10- area. You pass the bolt and perhaps some 10 or 15' feet later are on a snakey move with poor feet or poor hands. I traversed the dike as a foot traverse. With powerhouse forearms and dime edging shoes, this might be more secure as a hand-traverse. A few times I bent the left knee deeply and used my left hand to mantle sideways on the moves. If you don't normally use chalk, consider doing this route in cool weather.

At this snakey section, there is a hole in the wall, I presume where someone placed and someone else chopped a retro-bolt. SHAME! SHAME SHAME. If you use this AID hold as a crutch on lead- either that or keep in kind your ascent was 5.10b/A0, not a free ascent. Someone should properly patch the hole with epoxy and flakes of local granite.

A fall from the slithering section would be long and frightening, but not likely really hurt you. None-the-less, if your second is not super solid, consider it an act of kindness to come back to the south a little from the end point to belay so as not to be at such a distance for them if they swing.

Earned the 3-star rating. Would be 4-star if not for the drilled hold and also the loose rock down low.

Can somebody patch the ugly drilled hole at the high crux? So you eliminated the retro-bolt, now there's a retro-hold! Jan 6, 2003

[Hide Comment] i heard from a reliable source that the second bolt on the traverse isnt a retro bolt, and it was placed by the first acsentionists...... anyone else hear this? Sep 1, 2003

[Hide Comment] I wouldn't consider your source very "reliable" as the 2nd bolt on the traverse (long ago removed, but the hole is still there) was added LONG after the FA. The hole should be completely filled and camoflauged.

The crux past the 1st bolt has gotten much harder over the years as many small flakes/edges have broken off. For shorter climbers, this move can be quite challenging. Sep 2, 2003

[Hide Comment] So the two bolts (one at the bottom, one at the start of the traverse) were from the FA, but there used to be another retro-bolt on the traverse, too? It was also mentioned to me that at some time in the past, the bolt at the start of the traverse had been chopped. Any story there? Sep 2, 2003

[Hide Comment] To my knowledge (which is far from complete), the 1st bolt on the upper traverse has never been removed (except to replace it). But then again, someone removed the bolts on Stand and Deliver (who knows why) and apparently Swept Away got chopped once (maybe some sort of comment on foreign film route names?). Sep 3, 2003

[Hide Comment] It took me a long time to convince my usual partners that I could give them an adequate belay for the traverse. I set it up so I could walk across the top as they moved, always keeping the belay to them vertical. Actually, I wasn't sure I could do it until I was on top. But what the hell, it worked; and I finally got it climbed. It's an excellent route that's rated correctly; though, I feel the traverse is eight not nine. Nov 1, 2003

[Hide Comment] I feel the move over and above the first bolt should be rated a 10c instead of 10b. A hold or two must have broken off making it more difficult. Any opinions on this crux? Nov 18, 2004

[Hide Comment] I led it again yesterday; and I would have to agree with Karen: it's gotten more difficult; I'd give it 10c. Nov 19, 2004

[Hide Comment] We did this couple weeks ago, I think it is definitely a height thing. 10b (one move at that) seemed about right to me. But for shorter people it may very well be 10c. Nov 19, 2004

[Hide Comment] The move past the first bolt is the hardest for sure. But I would say still 10b. My wife is 5'3" so she for sure used different holds than I did at 5'9" but didn't say it was that hard for her as a vertically challenged person! Feb 7, 2005

[Hide Comment] The low crux is definitely height-dependent. Many former footholds have departed the face. At 5'8", I felt the low crux was .10c if not harder....if you're 6' or have a big ape index, it'll feel much easier...you will want a shoe that edges reasonably well...this isn't the place for your blown out "all day shoe". The ramp walk is a little nervy, but by choosing your foot placements carefully, is casual. Nov 27, 2006

[Hide Comment] Some friends sandbagged me onto this line telling me it was only 5.9. Pretty hard and exciting for that grade! Excellent and engaging pitch. Jan 10, 2007

[Hide Comment] Great route, I'd recommend protecting the opening move in the flake if there is any chance you'll come out of there as it's a bit awkward. Or not, as the first bolt is not that far up.

Will S. may be right about the crux at the bottom, technical crux, it is a bit flaky getting past that first bolt and heading up toward the large crack. For me, it was the psychological crux walking the ramp up high. Just when I thought it was easy, I looked back at the bolt and well, felt pretty uneasy.

Rumor has it no body's ever fallen from up there. I do believe I said I could be the first - but didn't.

FANTASTICLY FUN ROUTE!

~Susan Jan 11, 2007

[Hide Comment] Susan - old partner of mine took the fall on the traverse just before the flake. Swung over to about his first piece under the roof, quite a flight. He got back on and sent! Jan 11, 2007

[Hide Comment] Oh my, I had never heard of someone ACTUALLY falling on the traverse. That would be a fricken' scary fall! Jan 11, 2007

[Hide Comment] I think this is a classic, it has a compelling line, and the final mental crux traverse still lingers, after 20 years.

Remember to belay the follower so that they don't swing the other direction. See Woody's entry (Nov 1 2003). Jan 20, 2007

[Hide Comment] Fell at the first bolt. Then pulled the move. Getting up onto the rail from the crack was tricky. Then the traverse had me going. It took me three tries to finally commit to walk across. My heart was pounding, I was sweaty but kept my cool as best as I could. When it was all over, I heard an applause from the audience below TR Candelabra. What a memorable day that was for me. Not in a hurry to do it again. Well maybe. Feb 27, 2008

[Hide Comment] This climb is all about the traverse. W/ the exception of the face move past the first bolt, everything up to the 2nd bolt is pretty straight forward 5.6 to 5.8.

The traverse is 5.7 to 5.9. The 5.9 move is near the end (about 15' out from the bolt). A fall here would mean a huge pendulum for the leader. Feb 28, 2009

[Hide Comment] Great climb on great rock (except the start is a little crumbly). I think the grade is good, but the traverse is pretty spooky...definitely heady and a PG13/R I think. Four stars! Mar 26, 2009

[Hide Comment] A fun and engaging climb throughout. The bolt hole on the upper traverse has since been filled in by caughtinside, although I was too busy trying not to be scared to notice the workmanship. Really though, the traverse is fairly trivial as far as the moves go. They may feel like 5.9 moves waaay off the bolt but I'd say 5.7, max, essentially something only a poncey lil brit would puss off leading ;). Perhaps bringing a #4 instead of burying #2 would have been appreciated by my follower in the lower crack traverse, however. Feb 15, 2010

[Hide Comment] this is a good route. 3 stars. very exciting traverse at 2nd bolt is 5.8+PG. face move at 1st bolt felt 10- and im tall. crack midway through 5.8/9. gear = small/med nuts and cams for crack and belay. a few shoulder slings and longer Qdraws. Feb 2, 2013

[Hide Comment] Less than par rock on the first part keeps this from being classic, watch out for the sucker jug above the crack, it will make a widow out of some pretty lady someday. Nov 26, 2013

[Hide Comment] Great route. Thin slab crux down low going past first bolt.

Proper use of runners will keep the rope running a straight diagonal line and the leader won't have to contend with drag making them feel like they are being pulled back to the right.

Although both leader and follower have to contend with a possible pendulum fall, IMO the follower has an easier time of it since the traverse gets harder as you go. IOW, you are much less likely to come off at the start of the traverse as you are towards the end.

Resist the temptation to put the whole of your feet on the dike. Keep only your toes on as close to the edge as possible, so as to keep your upper body from wanting to tip backwards. Trust in your feet and don't over commit your left hand with long reaches past where your feet are.

Just did it for the second time (as follower) nearly 20 years after my first time (lead). Just as fun and thought provoking as I remember. Gets good sun towards 11am/noon onward. Nov 30, 2013

[Hide Comment] Did this route a couple of years ago with a buddy and fell at the first bolt on follow. I did the rest of the route clean and it replayed in my head for a solid year. After coming back the year after, I sent it clean and fought with every last bit to get the slab move past the first bolt. It was really windy that day, probably blowing at 30 MPH or a little more, but I didn't really think about how that would affect the traverse. It was pretty spooky, every time there was a gust I had to lay flat on the wall, and then scurry along as far as I could when it wasn't blowing. Probably my favorite route in JTree. Jan 21, 2014

[Hide Comment] The chopped bolt and subsequent hole was patched years ago. How is that fix holding up??? Jan 21, 2014

[Hide Comment] CLASSIC JT...What is so cool about the traverse is that when the feet get thin, the hands get better, and when the hands get thin, the feet are OK...that's what makes the traverse 5.9. But that move at the first bolt is PDH IMO...harder than the moves on "Sundance" at Suicide or "Shit for Brains" at Tahquitz, which are .10b...and the holds continue to erode, so this part of the route looks nothing like it did back when it was put up. Apr 18, 2015

[Hide Comment] I managed to take the fall midway through the traverse...wasn't too bad. I ended up back even with the roof. It was a clean fall, no problems. I even climbed everything up to there on-sight. I really just wasn't concentrating enough on my foot placement during the traverse and lost balance. Climbed back up and finished the route. Dec 7, 2015

[Hide Comment] Moves at the first bolt felt 5.10c/d to me, but my friend who is taller with a long reach(6 ft) floated it and said it felt 10b (I'm 5'9"). Leave the the nuts and .3/micro cams behind. This route can be well protected with singles of .4 - 3 (a 4 might work better than a 3 for the lower traverse), with doubles of 1-2 for someone at their limit. Save the 0.75 for the flake at the end of the traverse. Easily one of the best climbs in the park. If another bolt were to be added to the traverse, the climb would be ruined. Jan 7, 2018

[Hide Comment] As the holds continue to crumble around the first bolt, it's gradually becoming 10c. Going up slightly left of the bolt may be a bit easier and less desperate than going up R of the bolt. Unless you're over 6', in which case going R might be the easier path. Apr 20, 2018

[Hide Comment] The crack leading to the last bolt and walking the plank on the dike are the only memorable sections on this one. The rest of the is decent climbing with some awkward moves thrown in the mix.

You would really have to mess up for this to be rated "pg-13" yea its a bit run but you have a giant dike to walk on. Dec 10, 2018

[Hide Comment] It's a great route, did it for the second time recently. 1st bolt crux is a bit stiffer than you'd expect, but with patience you can find a sequence that works for you (tall or short, I'm 5'8). The horizontal crack traverse is actually pretty casual as there are lots of feet and adequate jams. Take care to lengthen your gear and maybe not place just before transitioning to the vertical crack, as the accumulating rope drag you are creating will be an absolute bitch on the dike traverse. As for the dike traverse..... I'm sure I will do this route a few more times before I die, but I would not consider this section of the climb to be responsibly protected. Many climbers navigate this piece without a fall (myself included), but the potential is substantial, and anyone suggesting that the dike traverse with a single bolt is completely safe is just stroking their own ego. It is a fair possibility that you may be climbing yourself into harms way, and if it were any more tenuous than it is I probably would not repeat it. Mar 5, 2019

[Hide Comment] I’m glad to hear so many climbers have enjoyed the Sidewinder buzz since we did the first ascent!

I was a psyched 18 yr old when I led it, and those were some of the first bolts I ever placed on lead. It is one of my best memories among many, many later FA’s.

It’s amusing to me to see comments like the last one that questions the safety of the final runout and my motives for only placing one bolt on it.

First of all, probably didn’t have another bolt, second, stopping mid traverse at the crux to drill is physically not an option anyway, and third, climbing was, let’s just say, a different activity, with different standards in 1974

To set the record straight - I never placed a second bolt on the traverse

So lucky I was there, then! May 8, 2021