Idaho · Rock climbing · Boise

The Dark Side

Dark Side, The in Idaho has 9 climbing routes across 7 grades in mixed, sport, and trad styles.

9 routes
5.10a – 5.12a
Sport · Trad · Mixed

Best time to visit The Dark Side

Best months: March–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    40° / 26°

  2. Feb

    46° / 27°

  3. Mar

    56° / 33°

  4. Apr

    63° / 37°

  5. May

    74° / 45°

  6. Jun

    82° / 51°

  7. Jul

    93° / 59°

  8. Aug

    91° / 58°

  9. Sep

    81° / 50°

  10. Oct

    67° / 41°

  11. Nov

    50° / 32°

  12. Dec

    40° / 25°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boise Lucky Peak Dam, ID, 2.2 mi away at 2,840 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Dark Side is a climbing area in Idaho on land managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, within the Usbr land unit. It sits among a cluster of climbing and hiking spots, with Green Acres and the Historic Oregon Trail both about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here runs from about 5.10a to 5.12a, with sport and trad routes making up the bulk of the options. The area has nine routes in total, including Safety Dance, a 5.10a trad climb first ascended by Cade Lloyd in 1983, and Wire Brush Hair Cut, a 5.12a sport route with a first ascent by Tom McLeod in the 1980s. The median grade is 5.10d. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Boise Lucky Peak Dam show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 81°F, while July averages climb to about 93°F. The Joel Palmer Trail and Ezra Meeker Loop are both within about 0.2 mile. The Boise River offers fishing about 3 miles away, and Robie Creek Park Group Shelter is roughly 8 miles off.

Routes (9)