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.
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:
1. Toe The Line, 10b, 2p, bolts. Arete on east face. 2. Generous Donation, 11b/c, 1p, bolts. Steep headwall left of second pitch of Toe The Line. 3. Tag Team, 11b/c, 2p, bolts. Slabs and overhangs right of Toe The Line. 4. Total Eclipse, 10b, 2p, bolts. Line right of Tag Team. 5. Sidekick, 11a/b, 2p, bolts. Steep face right of Total Eclipse. 6. Nick Of Time, 6, 1p, gear. Corner with wide crack. 7. Hard Times, 11c, 1p, bolts. Steep face starting partway up Nick of Time/Face Off. 8. Face Off, 8, 1p, bolts. Face right of Nick Of Time. 9. Stayin' Alive, 10a/b, 2p. bolts. Arete right of Face Off. 10. Clean Sweep, 9, 1p, gear. Steep cracks right of second pitch of Stayin' Alive.
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.
According to maps provided by the Boulder County Assessor's office, some or possibly all of this area of Tonnere Tower is on Forest Service property. However, you have to cross private land to reach this area if you are accessing it from the Boulder Falls parking lot. I assume that the landowners have not granted permission to cross their property. Cross the private land at your own risk. Some routes may lie on private property.
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Sep 26, 2007
I visited the Boulder County Assessor's Office today, and viewed their records and aerial photograph of the private property in this area. It is a mining claim known as the Black Diamond Mill Site. The 2.45-acre property has an assessed value of $490. It is not property intended for residential development.
There are no signs indicating private property anywhere in the area.
Many other crags in Boulder Canyon and Dream Canyon also lie on mining claims.
I feel that this does not pose an access issue for Tonnere Tower.
Sport Land
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