PRINT: Rock Climb Sideline, The Sawtooth Range

Sideline

5.9+, Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, Grade IV,

Avg: 2.8 from 33 votes
FA: Reid Dowdle, Neil Baxtron, August 1992
Idaho > Central Idaho > Sawtooth Range > Elephant's Perch

Access Issue: Please use WAG bags for human waste and pack it out! See request from the Wilderness Ranger in the Sawtooths. Details

Hello! I am a current Wilderness Ranger In the Sawtooths and would like to propose adding using wag bags to the description for the elephants perch. We are seeing increased visitation from both climbers and hikers and the impact of human waste is really piling up. While it is not a current Forest Service regulation, I believe we, the climbing community, can lessen our impact on this fragile area by packing out our human waste. Wag Bags are not currently available in Stanley.

Description

An easier start to Astro Elephant, which avoids the (2) 5.10 pitches.

Location

Center of South face, starting 100' above the chockstone in the descent gully. (Lower 5th class to climb around chockstone).

Protection

standard rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

topo of Astro Elephant by Reid Dowdle, with some edits

Starting up Pitch 2.

Top of pitch 4 at a great ledge

Looking up Pitch 1.

Looking down Pitch 3 from belay at top of Pitch 3.

Starting pitch 3

Pitch 2 (and the descent gully down below)<br>
<br>
July 2013

Pitch 2 (and the descent gully down below) July 2013

topo of first 4 pitches by Reid Dowdle

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Stan Pitcher
SLC, UT

5.9

This route can also be used as an approach to Sunrise Corner but is very worthy on its own also. Beautiful rock and views!

The 5.9+ on the topo is if you continue on AstroElephant. Jul 23, 2010

drewford
Wasatch Back, UT

This is a fun variation. Just be aware that it involves some mandatory long runouts. Aug 29, 2010

Tim Wolfe
Salt Lake City, UT

5.9+

I have done both variations. This is a bit more run and has a loose block. Personally prefer the other start. Jul 2, 2011

Mark Rolofson

Here are some corrections to the First ascent info. I was not on the first ascent of "Sideline" with Reed Dowdle and Neil Backstrom. I was sitting by the lake relaxing after a hard climbing the day before. Dianne Barrow & I hiked in there with Reed, Neil and Mort two days earlier. The date was not 1987 but August 1992. The day before their ascent of "Sideline", Dianne and I climbed the "Direct Beckey" (5.11d) on the Elephant's Perch. It was a great day on a great route with a great partner and I got the on-sight no falls ascent. Sep 20, 2011

Aerili
Los Alamos, NM

A route worth doing. Easy to combine pitches 3 and 4 together but I would not do so for 1 and 2. I tried, but the rope drag is no bueno even with minimal # of pieces (I only put in three on p1) and long slings. Also, the crux of the route is the top of pitch 2 and you will want a precise belay, no rope drag, and your belayer in view.

The finishing face on p2 looks unprotectable but gear can be had here and there. I could not protect the crux itself. You only have solution pockets in a bulge which Camalots don't fit in (and my orange Master Cam would not seat securely no matter what I did). Perhaps a red or brown tricam would work or a red Metolius.

We found a #4 useful on some parts of this route.

Pitch 1: 5.7
Pitch 2: 5.9
Pitches 3-4: 5.9 and 5.8...the topo is pretty accurate Jul 29, 2013