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The Dark Side
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Arrowhead Arete Low 
Balancing Act 
Bearded Lady 
Breashear's Crack II 
Cannibal Girl 
Contrivance 
Dasani 
Deal Jams 
Dionysian Ecstasy  
Done Deal Dyno 
Double Arete 
Easy Cracks 
Face right of HighGravity 
From Here Or There 
God Created Crimps 
Gypsy Devil 
High Gravity 
In the Beginning 
Known Secret 
Little Ledges 
Low Hanging Melons 
MoSo Roof 
Mr. Wiggles and Mr. Giggles 
Part of A Warmup Traverse 
Path of Most Resistance 
Proper English 
Riddler, The 
Rupture - V5-V7 
Slapper, The 
Southeast Arete 
Squeezed 
Squirming Coil 
StraightUpNowTellMe 
Super Slab 
Sweet Nectar aka Meet George Jetson 
Terribilitá 
Tornado 
Unknown2 
V3 Dyno 

BETA PHOTO: the square block boulder

Description 

Across from the road from the standard Morrison bouldering area is a hill side of beautiful boulders that draws the eye as you repeat the same old standard Morrison problems. This area gained some recent attention from the video, Who Got the Props? Shady lines for summer bouldering abound in this newly (?) explored area. Perhaps you can find a Holloway or Gill problem here.... First ascent lines await your eyes and touch.


Getting There 

Go to Morrison, look south of the road. This hill side is covered with various shady boulders.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Dark Side:
Bearded Lady   V1     Boulder, 10 feet   
In the Beginning   V1     Boulder, 13 feet   
Proper English   V2-     Boulder, 25 feet   
Super Slab   V2     Boulder, 20 feet   
Part of A Warmup Traverse   V2-3     Boulder   
High Gravity   V3     Boulder, 10 feet   
Breashear's Crack II   V3     Boulder, 19 feet   
V3 Dyno   V3     Boulder   
MoSo Roof   V4     Boulder   
Contrivance   V4     Boulder, 10 feet   
Squirming Coil   V5     Boulder, 15 feet   
Double Arete   V5     Boulder, 16 feet   
The Slapper   V5-6     Boulder, 15 feet   
Dasani   V5-6     Boulder, 10 feet   
Arrowhead Arete Low   V8     Boulder   
Rupture - V5-V7   V? R     Boulder, 10 feet   
Browse More Classics in The Dark Side

Featured Route For The Dark Side
Profit C on MoSo Roof.

MoSo Roof V4  CO : Morrison/Evergreen : ... : The Dark Side
Start low on crimps and move out to arete then up....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO


Photos of The Dark Side Slideshow Add Photo
Looking up the MoSo ridge line.

Looking up the MoSo ridge line.

Wiley enjoying a nice warm up at Morrison.

Wiley enjoying a nice warm up at Morrison.

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans is the "Squirming Coil."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Wiley Evans feels no "Rupture."

Luke Childers gets his repeat of the beloved "Rupture."

Luke Childers gets his repeat of the beloved "Rupt...

Rough map of the Dark Side.

BETA PHOTO: Rough map of the Dark Side.


Comments on The Dark Side Add Comment
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Comments displayed oldest to newestSkip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Sep 28, 2010
By Chris Dawson
From: Denver, CO
Feb 21, 2002

It should be said that this is predominantly a summer destination. In the winter months it is cold, shady and wet, as the sun doesn't touch most of the hillside all day long.

By chris deulen
May 24, 2006

The winter months do bring some great temps for sending. The best way to get here when heading West on Morrison Road is to take your first left after C-470 and park on the right after crossing the bridge in the dirt pullout. Walk to the end of the lot (South) and cross a concrete bridge over the canal. Take the steep trail straight up the dirt. When a fork in the trail comes, go left (up) rather than right (straight and flat). This good trail dips down, then continues up, around trees, and along rock. When you come to the first boulders (which may have notable chalk on them) squeeze between a rock and a tree with your pad. this will lead to, yet another, steep dirt path that will bring you to a nice "cave area." Up another steep hill, and to the right will lead you to the main area, with the Cube.

By Jay Samuelson
From: Denver CO
Oct 13, 2007

If anyone knows the names of any of the recent problems I've put up here on the site (since I don't), please let me know and I'll change them. Thanks.

By Jay Samuelson
From: Denver CO
Jul 17, 2008

Just wanted to thank whoever put in the time, money and effort into making the staircase on the approach trail for this area, it's greatly appreciated

By cstorms
From: Cape Cod, MA
Aug 5, 2008

I agree, the staircase makes the hike up about twice as easy. Nice work.

By Mike Morin
From: Evergreen, CO
Aug 5, 2008

Thank the Jefferson County Open Space Trail Crew.

By Chris Chaney
From: Arvada, Colorado
Oct 4, 2008

The name of the hogback is Mount Glennon and this area is mostly within Jefferson County Open Space.

By Josh Cook
Feb 19, 2009

I have just added some very classic MoSo climbs to the database. The names I have chosen are names that myself and other locals of the area have used for the past 8+ years and have started to become the de facto names of the problems. I realize that we are most likely not the first ascentionists of many of the lines (if not all) and therefore do not have the right to replace names of ones that may or may not exist. I merely hope to give recognition to really good problems and provide a means of reference so that finding problems is easier. MoSo is a great Front Range area and I hope people can visit without having to decipher beta like "Go past Unknown V3, up to Unknown V8, and then start right of Unknown V6". It is for that reason I have added with our given names and will happily change any info if you are 100% sure you did the F.A. and it was called x,y,z.

If you have changes to make to submissions by me (Josh Cook) please comment or email me at joshuacook5@hotmail.com

Good Climbing.

By half-pad-mini-jug
From: crauschville
Mar 21, 2009

I have also added some routes recently and if anyone knows any info on these, I would be more than happy to make corrections. I agree that it would be nice to have names to reference climbs rather than 'arete 1' etc... Also, I'm bad at grading things, so some consensus would be nice too. This is an awesome area, way better than across the road, you can actually top things out.

By Andrew Vojslavek
From: Denver, CO
May 16, 2009

There are plenty of lines still to be done here, go big or go home, seriously folks, proud ascents await!

Cheers and happy findings.

By John McNamee
Administrator
From: Littleton, CO
Aug 2, 2010

Nice darkside vid.

www.deadpointmag.com/videos/watch/matt-loyd-darkside-boulder>>>

By Sean Wolf
From: Lakewood, CO
Aug 30, 2010

Anyone have information about the cave problem at the very top of the hogback with the glue'd hold on it?

By Kelham Stephenson
Sep 28, 2010

Does anyone know what the V1-V2 climbs are that are located in the cave to the right of Dasani? In that area on the left of the cave there are two V1-V2 type climbs, the left one that you can top out, almost onto a flat sheet with some ledges on it. Steep dropoff downhill. The other climb starts on the right side of the left wall and goes straight up w/ no topout. On the right side of the cave is a super awkward, probably V5/V7, overhanging problem that stems a crack?
Couldn't find them on here and thought they would be a good addition for beginning climbers or decent warmups. There's plenty of chalk on the holds, but landings are definitely 2-4 pads and a spotter.