Sid and Charley | Northern Swell

Climbing Sid and Charley - Northern SwellHiking Sid and Charley - Northern SwellRoadside Attraction Sid and Charley - Northern Swell Sid and Charley

Northern Swell

Overview

RATING: 5.7 C0 or 5.10+
MAPS: SHORT CANYON, UT; SID AND CHARLEY, UT

Sat

Sunny. High near 42, with temperatures falling to around 35 in the afternoon. South southwest wind around 3 mph.

42 | 22

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. West wind around 2 mph.

43 | 22

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 18

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 12

Wed

Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.

34 | 13

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Any, hot in the summer
GEAR: 1 - 60m rope, quickdraws, light rack of gear for getting to the first bolt or stick clip
WATER: None
NOTES: The road requires a high clearance vehicle. It is typically not very rough, but has sections of deep ruts best negotiated in a high clearance or 4x4 vehicle. A carefully drive Subaru Outback reached the trailhead without difficulty.

Note: If you're hoping for good pictures, climbing in the evening is recommended.

Sat

Sunny. High near 42, with temperatures falling to around 35 in the afternoon. South southwest wind around 3 mph.

42 | 22

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. West wind around 2 mph.

43 | 22

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 18

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 36.

36 | 12

Wed

Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.

34 | 13

View Full Weather Details
Location of the pictographs and wall

Location of the pictographs and wall

Sid and Charley, named after brothers Sid and Charley Swasey who lived in the Swell in the early 1900's, is an Entrada tower standing in a lonely northwestern corner of the Swell. The tower is infrequently visited, but makes a great outing. It was first climbed in 2001 by Layne Potter at a grade of 5.10 C0, then later free'd at a rated 5.10+. That being said, if your not too proud to pull on bolts (and possibly use a stick clip), this can be done at a very moderate 5.7 C0 or so. The climbing is surprisingly fun, with great exposure and position. The summit offers commanding views over the northern Swell and Cedar Mountain in the distance.

For non-climbers, there is an excellent pictograph panel and partial run a stones throw from the tower and well worth visiting. A short loop hike visits the unique and fasciating Broken Hearted Man Panel as well as several other rock art sites. The loop hike is short enough that most, even young children, can enjoy it.

The trailhead doesn't offer any shade but is otherwise very good, solitary camping.

Sid and Charley Backlight by the full moon

Sid and Charley Backlight by the full moon

Getting There

The first step, is getting to Moore. This very small community is about 50 miles south of Price Utah on UT-10, or just north of I-70, past the town of Emery. From Moore, take the Moore cut-off road that connects Moore to I-70. This is a paved, 2 lane road. Follow it about 10 miles from Moore to where a side road comes in on both sides, almost across from each other.

  • Take the road on the north (left). It passes through a gate in 0.2 miles. ( 12S 499459mE 4306460mN / N38° 54' 25" W111° 00' 22" )
  • Continue, passing another gate at 2.5 miles. ( 12S 500957mE 4310137mN / N38° 56' 25" W110° 59' 20" )
  • Finally, and 3.1 miles, you will reach a junction, with Sid and Charley visible on your left. ( 12S 500734mE 4311367mN / N38° 57' 05" W110° 59' 29" )
  • Go left, following the road 0.25 miles to a parking area a short distance from the base of the tower. ( 12S 500204mE 4311580mN / N38° 57' 11" W110° 59' 52" )
Sunrise on Sid and Charley

Sunrise on Sid and Charley

Route

Rock Art and Historic Site Etiquette
Rock art and historic sites are fragile, non-renewable cultural resources that, once damaged, can never be replaced. To ensure they are protected, please:
  • Avoid Touching the Petroglyphs: Look and observe, BUT DO NOT TOUCH!
  • Stay on the Trails: Stay on the most used trails when visiting sites, and don't create new trails or trample vegetation.
  • Photography and Sketching is Allowed: Do not introduce any foreign substance to enhance the carved and pecked images for photographic or drawing purposes. Altering, defacing, or damaging the petroglyphs is against the law -- even if the damage is unintentional.
  • Pets: Keep pets on a leash and clean up after them.
  • Artifacts: If you happen to come across sherds (broken pottery) or lithics (flakes of stone tools), leave them where you see them. Once they are moved or removed, a piece of the past is forever lost.

Climbing Sid and Charley
The climb starts on the east side, up to the obvious chimney between the two formations. Stem up to the first bolt, about 25 or so feet up. Although the climbing is easier than it likely appears from the ground, climbing part way and stick clipping the bolt is relatively easy. Two bolts bring you around a constriction in the chimney, and to an apparent anchor. (1 bolt / 1 piton) Either belay here or back clean a bit to reduce rope drag.

The route now traverses right, on closely spaced bolts, to a chimney. Head up the chimney on bolts to the summit and register.

One 60 m rope is plenty for getting down.

Visiting the Pictograph
From the tower, walk the road a couple of minutes to its end. Look at the cliff band to the right (northeast). You can make out the panel from the end of the road. For a closer look, hike to the base of the dirt and pebble field, then hike up just right of the large boulder that has detached. The first panel you reach is the most interesting in my opinion. A hundred feet or so right of that is a granary wall, then a hundred feet or so right of the granary wall is a second smaller panel with a snake. Because the talus has eroded below the sites, they are difficult to access and in good shape.

Rock Art Loop Hike
I can’t recommend this short loop hike enough for some great scenery and rock art panels. From the end of the road, go to the wash as if visiting the pictograph panel, then go left and hike up the wash bottom. It meanders for a few minutes before reaching a split in the wash. Go left.

Once hiking up the left fork, keep an eye out on the right for a notch between small cliffs. Hike up and through the notch, taking in the views at the notch. There are rock art sites on each side of the notch, both with a large number of glyphs.

Hike down into the wash on the other side of the notch. Once in the wash bottom, go left (west), upstream for about a minute, then find a way north up the dirt hill to the cliff band at the top of the hill. This cliff band has a dark patina section with a long rock art panel. On the east end is the Broken Hearted Man panel, a unique and fascinating panel. On the west side of the panel is an interesting circle with lines inside it, as well as some other petroglyphs.

From the Broken Hearted Man panel, head south back to the bottom of the wash. Follow the wash east. As the wash turns north, work up at of the wash to the cliff band again right where another side canyon comes in from the north. There is a small petroglyph panel on the point where these two canyons join.

Finally, descend back to the main wash and follow it back to the trailhead.


Videos

youtube thumbnail

Sid and Charley at sunset on a cloudy day

By: ryancornia

Maps

Loop Route / 1.69 miles / Elevation Range 5,750 - 5,824 ft.
To Panel / 0.54 miles / Elevation Range 5,750 - 5,867 ft.
Printable Maps:

Turn Off to Sid and Charley

12S 499455mE 4306469mN

N38° 54' 26" W111° 00' 23"

End of Road

12S 500022mE 4311710mN

N38° 57' 16" W110° 59' 59"

Sid and Charley

12S 500277mE 4311651mN

N38° 57' 14" W110° 59' 48"

Panel

12S 499909mE 4311946mN

N38° 57' 23" W111° 00' 04"

Panel

12S 499868mE 4311960mN

N38° 57' 24" W111° 00' 05"

Loop Jct

12S 499557mE 4311606mN

N38° 57' 12" W111° 00' 18"

Notch Rock Art

12S 499184mE 4311614mN

N38° 57' 13" W111° 00' 34"

Notch Rock Art 2

12S 499224mE 4311637mN

N38° 57' 13" W111° 00' 32"

Broken Hearted Man Panel

12S 499039mE 4311634mN

N38° 57' 13" W111° 00' 40"

Small Petroglyph Panel

12S 499367mE 4311906mN

N38° 57' 22" W111° 00' 26"

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