[Hide Comment] Such a beautiful line that follows this S-curving crack. Pretty much a perfect route with the crux in the beginning, a rest in the middle and a sweet redpoint crux right at the end. There is also two no-hands kneebars and is very well protected. A hidden gem! Jan 24, 2007

[Hide Comment] One of the best routes around. Simply beautiful and sustained, challenging moves over immaculate sandstone. Mike Dahlberg spent an outrageous amount of time preparing to bolt this so it would flow safely and smoothly without interupting the climbing. Kudos for the FA in the 1980's and in such a terrific job in protecting it! Nov 26, 2007

[Hide Comment] Got on this route and almost got the onsight of it today. Super fun moves. Bolted extremely well, I felt like every bolt was right where I wanted it, Great Job Mike! May 21, 2008

[Hide Comment] One of the best in the .12s in the midwest, on par with Wiskey a go go or any others! Great work Mike! Jul 22, 2008

[Hide Comment] Anyone know if this has been led on gear? Dec 17, 2008

[Hide Comment] no idea. but it can go. go for it! Apr 11, 2009

[Hide Comment] I am not 100 percent positive but I believe that Mike lead many of these thin lines pre "city is cool with climbing" days. Oct 3, 2009

[Hide Comment] "I am not 100 percent positive but I believe that Mike lead many of these thin lines pre "city is cool with climbing" days. "

By this do you mean he lead them on gear? Oct 4, 2009

[Hide Comment] I am not aware of whether he did or did not lead them pre-cool city days, but he would have had to lead them on gear. Bolts were not added to these cliffs until the city was okay with it. Sep 2, 2010

[Hide Comment] Mike Dahlberg got the TR-FA of Nexus, Sigma, Tool Boy and The Niche in the mid 1980's. He waited to bolt Sigma until well after the local non-bolting advocate was gone. He worked 8 days on getting the bolts in the best rock, best locations, and best type of bolt so it's quality was preserved. He got the FA-Lead the next week, mid 2000's. Sigma was not led with trad gear in the past. It would require hammering in vertical knifeblades, on-lead, at a grade not yet achieved in that style in the midwest prior to the bolts. No such scaring is evident in the sandstone. If Dahlberg didn't trad it in that fashion in the height of his trad days (see several of his heinous trad routes from that period) that were at that grade or harder, there's a reason for it. If anyone better than his mid-80's and 90's climbing form led it in such a fashion in that time or earlier, it would surely have surfaced and would have been more likely rehearsed, then soloed (which is conceivable for some of Dahlberg's peers which was their style at that time). May 4, 2011

[Hide Comment] led this on gear the other day. triples of silver and purple TCU, as well as doubles of blue. you'll also need 3-5 brass nuts, the largest made by BD (5kn). a #1 BD camalot, oddly enough, comes in handy (it goes in the horizontal crack/pod/jug located mid-route).

all the cruxes protect very well. the only area that does not take the best gear is the dihedral in the end, which only takes brassies.

go lead it! Oct 3, 2011

[Hide Comment] Someone just posted this picture on social media after "cleaning" all these rocks off Sigma. Just my two cents, but seeing this much work done to a longstanding/iconic route made me a little queasy. I hope that the flow stays the same, and that this type of activity does not become the norm.

May 3, 2015

[Hide Comment] Response to Pexaggend:
That's my picture and I did the cleaning. Not sure what you think I was doing based on your comment that ended with "I hope that the flow stays the same, and that this type of activity does not become the norm."

Assuming you don't know the recent history, so here you go: couple weeks ago a photo surfaced of Sigma with two big chalk "X" marks on it and reports of loose rock. I was up on Friday and climbed it, then lowered to inspect the rock. The one flake that helped form the V half way up pulled off with a single tug and landed right where my belayer had been before starting to do the work. Had we not cleaned it, there could have been a serious accident coming. The other block was a little smaller than a toaster and came off with about 5 minutes of wiggling. No tools. Straight up wiggling.

Not sure by your comment what you think I was doing. But, in the end, recent loose rock has been removed. The flow is identical (unless you were using the extremely loose flake previously) and I witnessed two more ascents immediately after I cleaned it. No new or better holds were left behind. Loose rock is no joke and must be taken care of by experienced climbers and stewards in the community. It was a public service, not a modification. Go forth and climb knowing people are out there keeping you safe.

Also, the cairns were fun to build out of the debris while hanging out watching others climb. Art, it does a body good. May 4, 2015

[Hide Comment] One of the better sport routes in the 12 range in MN. Tough technique to tease out and pretty difficult to put it all together bottom to top. There is a reason this is a classic. 5 stars, would recommend :-) Apr 28, 2019

[Hide Comment] Does anyone know if there is a way to get to the top to pre-set up draws to climb? Mar 14, 2020

[Hide Comment] Hey Cyrus,

Yes you can hike to the top. Go the the right of Sax Wall and up a well worn trail. Once above the climb you will have to go down a short steepish hill to the top of the climb. You should probably sling a tree while reaching down the anchors, its a bit exposed. Transferring yourself to rappel to the anchor could be awkward. You could always just set up a TR and then hike back down.

With that said, all the clipping stances are pretty good. So if you are going to lead it, just go for it and hang em as you go. Doesnt change the difficulty that much. Just stick clip the first or second bolt.

Go get it dude! Mar 16, 2020

[Hide Comment] Highly recommend clipping your rope into the second bolt and one up higher (6th?) when TR-ing this. The higher one will prevent swinging when working on the lower section. I recommend the second one because I decked off rope stretch alone working the spot between bolts 2 and 3 on TR. The ground below the start is lower than the ground above the first bolts. Jun 28, 2020