Sidewinder (4-5 Pitches, 5.6)

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The Diamond
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Sidewinder (4-5 Pitches, 5.6)

Page Type:	Route
Route Type:	Trad Climbing
Rock Difficulty:	5.6 (YDS)
Number of Pitches:	5
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Overview

Wyoming's Snowy Range offers alpine hiking, scrambling, and climbing from high trailheads and with very short approaches. Despite that, you do not see too many climbers out here. Maybe that's because Colorado climbers have closer options or because the moderates here have a reputation for long runouts and some don't trust the quartzite that makes up these peaks.

So although the trails here can be crowded with hikers on summer days, if you want alpine climbing with little commitment to get to it and no crowds, you'll like the Snowy Range, and Sidewinder is sure to please.

Sidewinder ascends about 700' over 4 or 5 pitches. Despite the 5.6 grade that seems most common among the few sources online, you should be aware that one source, and it's by a seasoned local, puts it at 5.8. There's also a comment or two on the MP page suggesting 5.8.

I thought the start of P2 was a bit spicy and might have been 5.8, but I don't think anything else on the route came close to that. However, as this is an alpine route, you might not follow the same path we did.

Getting There

Sidewinder is located on Diamond Buttress, which is just south of and separated by a gully from the Diamond, one of the most unmistakable features on Medicine Bow Peak.

On WY 130, park at the Lake Marie West parking area. This is 26 miles east from the intersection of WY 130 and 230 south of Saratoga, and it is 15 miles west of Centennial.

Skirt the western side of Lake Marie and then strike out across the talus to Diamond Buttress and the base of the climb. Use photos in the next section to help with location. The distance from the trailhead is less than half a mile.

Route Description

MP describes the climb as 4 pitches. We did a short 5th pitch up loose 4th Class rock because my partner wasn't comfortable scrambling it.

Basically, follow dihedrals and gullies as you go from ledge to ledge. Where exactly you belay is up to you; there is no fixed protection on the route. I recall the start of the 2nd pitch being a bit spicy, and near the end of the pitch, I had to grovel through bushes to reach my belay location. Otherwise, the climb was pretty smooth sailing (I led P2, P3, and P5).