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One of the most inspiring and humbling alpine walls in North America is celebrated in this photo essay.
Diamond
Warning:
Rock, ice
and avalanche conditions change constantly and the information provided
here should not be the final say in making the best decisions in regard
to your risk management in the mountains.
ClimbingLife, LLC and its
contributors accept no liability for your decisions based on this
information. Ice and mixed climbing are very dangerous sports
and one
can easily die or be seriously injured engaging in these activities.
Proceed at your own risk, plan for the best outcome and be
prepared for the worst.
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The Diamond
of
Longs Peak
All photos by Eli Helmuth
Steph
Davis swinging around on a sunny summer day on the Diamond.
Rapping
down the Lower East Face of Longs Peak in wet conditions.
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The
Diamond Face of Longs Peak is one of the most formidable
alpine rock faces in the lower 48, with long sections of vertical
climbing from the 12,000' glacier base to it's culmination just below
the summit at 14,255'.
An
ascent of any route on this sheer face is a climbing
experience to be savored and the potential for big adventure any time
of year can equal that of Alaska or the Himalayan Ranges.
On the 5.9 section of the
second pitch before the long 5.7+R traverse of the Integral "casual " Route
on the Diamond.
Click
on photos to enlarge
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(Above)
The Lower East Slabs, North Chimney and most of the Diamond
face of Longs Peak shining in a summer sunrise.
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A
September ascent with portaledge and a big-wall approach was
appropriate for the winter storm conditions we encountered on this
short trip. Even in the hottest of summer weather, once this
east-facing escarpment loses the morning sun, the shadows go cold and
running water freezes quickly at these elevations.
\
Climbers
on the left (south) edge of the Yellow Wall (YW), likely on Pervertical (IV
10+). The YW describes the golden shield containing
a dozen or so of the best free routes that ascend this featured 450m
alpine wall. Combining the rarely free'd lower east face via
Directagonal (V- 11c) or Endless Summer (V 5.12-) and a route like the spicy Yellow Wall (IV+ 11b) or
D7 (IV+ 11c) makes for a true complete ascent of the Diamond.
The
'enduro pitch' dihedral of the Casual Route is the furthest shadowed
corner in the center of this photo and I often belay from the lowest
grassy ledge in the very bottom shadowed slab. The right-facing
dihedral at the intersection of grey and gold stone approx. 50' right
of the Casual is another Roger Briggs and Eric Doub route: Eroica (V+12b).
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 The
rappel anchor points and distances from the Chasm View to Broadway.
Looking down the
'enduro pitch' and the alternate belay ledge near the bottom of this sustained 5.8 dihedral that is one of the best
pitches of The Casual, the most traveled Diamond route.
On the final rappels down the lower east slab.
Finding the camouflaged anchors on this clean wall just left of the North Chimney can be the crux of this
descent.
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The Diamond on a summer morning with the horizontal crack system
at 3/4 height (an overhang at far right) posing as the
infamous 'Table Ledge" that separates a 'Diamond climb' from a 'complete
ascent' that would include the final 300' of 5.10+ or
harder climbing to the highest part of the face.
Most parties traverse left on Table Ledge to the skyline and scramble
to the summit or rappel down the "D-7 Raps" back to Broadway and then
continue down the lower east slabs for a total of approximately ten-
50m rappels.
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At the top of the 5.9 chimney on the Casual Route with a party below at the
top of the Enduro Pitch. The Yellow Wall Bivy Ledge is the
nearby grassy one in the sunshine.
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Sunshine
illuminates a team at the far-end of The Casual route 'traverse pitch'
with the climber at bottom right starting up the typical 4th
pitch 'Enduro Dihedral'. Broadway is the talus filled
ledge and the North Chimney emerges from the cleft at upper center of
the photo.
On
the second pitch of the Casual Route linking the 5.9 crack with the
traverse pitch into a 60m rope stretcher. The Enduro Dihedral
is at far left and directly above the rope at center is the obvious D-1
crack system (V-12b); the route of first ascent of this face and still the most imposing of the regularly climbed 'classics'.
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Looking
up the upper slabs of the North Chimney with the 5.7 cut-off to the
left following the sun/shadow line.
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On the final moves (and crux) of the Casual Route (IV 10a) on the
Diamond Face of Longs Peak, Colorado.
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Eli
is an AMGA certified Rock, Alpine, and Ski Mountaineering Guide in his
21st year of teaching all aspects of mountain and rock
climbing to guests and guides of all levels. He also
leads adventures from Rocky Mountain National Park to
Eldorado Canyon to the high peaks of the world; specializing in
climbing and skiing trips to Alaska, South America, Canada, Nepal and
western Europe.
Please
contact us for more information or to register for one of
our Friday rock outings, a guiding skills seminar, rock rescue
clinic, trad leading seminar, or a day of private rock climbing (will
swap leads) with Eli Helmuth;
one of Colorado's most experienced rock,
mountain, and ski guides.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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