An incredible climb at high altitude on the most famous wall in Colorado. This is the easiest route on the Diamond, but that doesn't mean it's not world class. The route includes incredible climbing with awesome exposure and high alpine weather. Although I have heard the route described as both stiff, and easy for the grade, I think that the published ratings are quite accurate.
P1: Start in the middle of the wall at a less than vertical broken pillar. It is not hard to find. Pitch 1 is 5.4 up broken ground to the bottom of an obvious crack.
P2: Follow the steeper crack at 5.9 to a hanging belay 2/3 of the way up.
P3: A 100 ft. 5.7 traverse with about three pieces of pro, two of which are fixed pins. This pitch is spectacular and has dangerous fall potential, although the climbing is easy.
P4: Climb up a dirty 5.8 crack and chimney to a belay about half way up the route.
P5: May be the best pitch of the climb. It leads up a steep 5.8 dihedral with a handcrack tucked in the corner. Belay halfway up the dihedral on a stance and continue up 5.8 to the Yellow Wall Bivy Ledge. The exposure hits you right here for the final, and crux, pitch.
P6: Climb up a really thin 5.9 crack with fixed gear to a 5.8 squeeze chimney. Trying to squirm your way up the chimney at 14,000 ft is about as strenuous as it gets. From here pull out of the chimney and perform the crux move, a well protected reach over a bulge on thin holds, 5.10a, and you're on Table Ledge.
P7: One last 5.7 traverse pitch leads to the exit onto Kiener's or the rap route.
Protection
Standard trad rack. 1.5 sets stoppers, 1.5 sets of cams .5 - 3. 1 set TCUs. About 6 extended runners and 6 draws.
There is a fixed rope at the base of the North Chimney to help across the snow - don't need crampons. Route was dry from bottom to top on 8/19. Only 2 fixed pins left on the traverse pitch, but we were able to get good gear every 10-20'.
By Matthew Kennedy From: boulder, co Aug 29, 2009 CONDITION REPORT
...Found 3 pins on the traverse yesterday. The last one was a bit camouflaged though... Way psyched on the mills fixed line.
Also picked up some bail gear today on the Casual Route - email me (mkennedy@me.com) and describe your abandoned treasures so they may be returned.
8/29/09 - We had to bail after the traverse pitch today. During the process I ran across a rope that had been stuck after someone pulled it from the traverse pitch anchors. The rope is now fixed on the bail anchor in the middle of the wall. Retrieve it if it's yours or some free booty? If someone could provide some info on how old the rope is, it would be great.
Stellar, easiest route up the dead vertical diamond, and still a great route. The crux can easily be aided for those who get edgy leading 5.10 at fourteen thousand feet, yet the leader should defintately be confident up to mid 5.10 to feel at home on this route. Start early, and try to climb the north chimney at first light. Having people ahead of you in this 500 feet of decomposing rock is very dangerous with rock fall almost assured. It is easiest to solo all except the last steep section which is about 5.5. Once at the base of the diamond, the route is not hard to find, and quite safe with good pro the whole way (except for the traverse pitch, which is actually really easy.) This is also an easy route to retreat from. As almost every belay is made from fixed pro.
A red Metolius TCU, or FCU, or similar sixed cam fits perfectly where the pin used to be at the crux, so save this piece for the crux. If the routes to the left of it didn't exist, this would be the coolest 5.10 ever!
When I climbed this route a very slow party was in first place. The waiting was agony. Finally, it was noon and we had completed only 3 pitches (1 every 2 hours)! Fortunately, at this point, the slow team allowed people to pass. This could have been a disastrous day if the weather had come in, but it was flawless. We reached the summit by 4 PM. Logistically, the simplest way to do this route is in a day. However, beware that a party bivying at Chasm View or Broadway can always beat you to the base of the route, since you can't climb the North Chimney in the dark (unless insane). So you risk being behind a slow party.
The 5th pitch as described above is best done in one long pitch with a 60m rope all the way to the Yellow Wall bivy ledge. This is just about the most amazing pitch I have ever climbed!!!...
I climbed this route yesterday ( 8-15-02) and found it to be one of the best routes I've ever done. A couple of notes- you can do this route in 6 pitchs provided you have a 60m rope. Link what are described above as pitchs 2&3 (first 5.9 and the traverse). And then link 5&6 all the way to the yellow wall bivy ledge. After climbing pitch 4(or 3 in this case) it is helpful to belay at a ledge slightly higher than the obvious one, you will pass a short steep section and a couple of fixed pins to get to this ledge. A special note to whom ever took a crap on the ledge in the middle of pitch 6 (or 4)- YOU SUCK. Please people don't leave a pile of shit on a ledge in the middle of a route! I found the same thing on the petit earlier in the week as well- not good! If you climb this route you will love it!
What and awesome route did it on Aug. 7th, one day car to car, for a first time diamond route it was incredible besides the wet chimney and the sketchy N. Chimney which if I did it again I would not solo the upper 5.6 (i thought due to wet and loose rock) pitch. Elevation gets to you, climbing was not too bad but the endurance factor can be tuff, I was real tired on the long dihedral pitch and the crux pitch. I word of advice if you do it in one day hang your gear at the ranger cabin or somewhere along the way: what follows will explain why:
A vicious rainstorm came in on the traverse onto table ledge, lighting, thunder and side-ways hail, did not stop for an hour. Luckily we were able to rap down D7 to the crack of delight (definitely bring two ropes we would have been stuck if not) got to the base of north chimney and my gear with sneakers and food in it were gone, some remains were scattered about but the rest was f*&%ing gone (dam marmots) latter to find out that this happens often. Therefore we had to do the hike down (5.5 miles) in wet climbing shoes.
If you never have done an alpine route (like the diamond) be prepared to be scared if weather comes in, suck it up and get the hell down. We did the crux pitch and within 5-min. a huge whiteout came in doing the traverse (5.7) sopping wet. Never being in this situation we tried to wait it out, but we started to freeze so we got the hell down (thank goodness). Coming from a boulderer/sport climber I have a new appreciation for alpine climbers they have got big B*lls.
This route is awesome stay smart and be pared, a super physical day if you do it car to car but the way to go. Don't solo the N. Chimney if you don't feel up to it, it does not slow you down that bad. Be quick and enjoy the climb it kicks ass.
If Darth Vader can do it, anyone can. (I doubt he's at his best at 14,000 ft.)
By Ernie Port From: Boulder, Colorado Sep 17, 2003
Attempted this yesterday, car to car, and failed to even get on the route. After 4 pitches of roped climbing in approach shoes, made it to Broadway via the north chimney, which had scattered snow and ice in it. The north chimney is a dangerous 800', rubble filled choss pile made trickier with the snow and ice.Although we were tempted, after such a long approach, we bailed after determining the route was too iced up in places, and there was visible snow on the ledges. We rapped off Broadway down the Crack of Delight, which took 4 raps with two 60 meter ropes. There are anchors at each rap station...
For climbing this route in good conditions, realize that the season rarely extends much into September, and then only if there have not been any significant storm fronts coming through. We have had several cold snaps with significant precipitation so far this September, so it isn't surprising that the route was "out of shape", nor that the North Chimney was difficult. Since much of the Casual Route has shadowed, R-facing corners on it, and that the sun leaves the face by mid-morning, snow/ice is likely to be encountered on the route this time of year.
I did the Casual Route in 78 or 79 with my brother Paul. We were pretty solid 10 climbers, but had little experience at altitude. I had climbed maybe once at Lumpy and done the Petit. We had both climbed a couple of routes in Chamonix in 74. We bivied at Chasm View and did it, no problems, no big deal. There were no lines back then. The lines are what worry me now. If it weren't for the crowds, I'd say, just go do it. What could happen?
Does anyone know what the snowfield is like below the Diamond? Is it climbable yet? Thanks
By phil wortmann From: Manitou Springs, Co. Jun 26, 2006
Was on the Diamond yesterday and found the snow on Mills Glacier to be soft enough. We brought light crampons, which we put on our approach shoes and kicked steps to the top of the couloir that runs right of North Chimney. This seemed to be quicker than the loose rock in the bottom of the chimney,(we almost passed another team here, but my partner dropped his rope and had to go back down for it) and it eliminated the scary shoe climb up the glacier without crampons.
I agree with Mr. Wortmann. Climbing Mills Glacier to the North Chimney with approach shoes, a rock in one hand and a nut-tool in the other is not ideal. In the early season a light piolet or crampons are worth the weight. Between 4 and 5am this past Friday (6/23), the snow was bullet-proof. Chopping steps cost us an hour.
We linked pitches 2&3 with a 70m rope. This also allowed the dihedral to go as one long pitch from the large ledge above the first chimney to the Yellow Wall bivy ledge (~68m). Absolutely the best pitch of my life thus far (setting, rock quality, consistant grade, length, protection...all perfect). Pure joy.
The exposure rapping from Almost Table Ledge is legit.
I thought I would add a few ideas I applied in climbing this thing fast:
We do the North Chimney. Stay on the slabs to the left of the chimney at the start, not in the chimney proper. I do a running belay all the way to Broadway, and it didn't take us too long. A few tips on linking pitches, as I found this to be priceless. 1- North Chimney, all the way to Broadway...solo or simul-climb. 2- 1 Long pitch up the pillar to the base of the first 5.9 crack. Haul pig or second carries. 3- Link 5.9 crack with 5.7 rising traverse to base of major right-facing dihedral system. Have belayer throw haul bag out away from face and haul pig up to belay. 4- Quick 5.8 pitch to belay above large sloping ledge. You have to belay above this ledge to setup for next pitch, and there is great gear for belay. Second wears pack or quick/easy haul. 5 - Long pitch all the way to Yellow Wall bivy ledge. If you are hauling, this is the one pitch that the second will have to wear the pack as it can get caught. This is a full 60m rope-stretching pitch. 6- Crux pitch, and link as far as you can off going left on table ledge. Have second throw the haul bag out again and haul pig. 7- 1 long rising traverse off of Table Ledge to Kiener's.
By Laurie Lambe From: Placerville, CO Aug 22, 2006 rating: 5.10a
On August 21st, the Casual Route was wet enough to have water actually running down across and out of the traverse, even though it hadn't rained that day and only for 5 or 10 minutes the day before. The crux pitch and the 4th pitch also looked very wet (water running out of them.) So, apparently, if it has been raining a lot recently, (although not in the last day or so), there is a very good chance this route will be quite wet. I had heard this about D7 before but didn't know it about the Cas. The other free routes looked mostly dry.
This route is fantastic. Climbed this weekend and barely escaped the thunderstorms. It's a tough day if you do it in one push from the parking lot, but it can be done. A few notes:
The 5.8 corner (p4 or p5) really may be the best 5.8+ crack in Colorado. We did the whole thing in one pitch, and it was very sustained and tough! I know it's just 5.8, but wait 'till you get up there at altitude and do a nearly 200' sustained pitch of it. There's just no where to rest on this pitch, except about halfway up where you either set a belay (probably should have) or keep going.
The crux pitch is (p6 or p7) very solid as well. The chimney squeeze took me by surprise. It's just wide enough so that an armbar won't quite be wide enough, but skinny enough that if you are wearing a pack, it's gotta come off. You can get some pro deep in the back of it toward the top, but then you've gotta pull a mini roof to get out of the chimney. It's about 6 feet deep, ranges from 1' to almost 2' wide, and runs about 15 feet up. That was the hardest part of the climb for me. Then after getting out of the chimney, you've got the 5.10a crux move to the table ledge (crack).
The last traverse pitch up to the table ledge proper is one of the most mentally challenging parts of the climb. It's a very exposed traverse that goes at 5.8. If you are going to rap the route, climb this traverse to the end, and don't go all the way up to table ledge. Go to a ledge that's about 10' below it to find your rappel anchors. There are lots of pitons on this pitch and there are several spots for good pro.
Five 200 foot rappels will get you back to Broadway. Have fun!
By EldoFiend From: Boulder, CO Aug 6, 2009 rating: 5.9+
As of July 27th, 2009 pitches 4 and 5 as described above were wet, with pitch 4 (chimney) sopping wet. Not real fun. I highly recommended linking pitches 2 and 3 (5.9 hands/fingers and the traverse), and belay at the base of the chimney after the traverse using hand-sized pieces. Traverse has about 4 fixed pins, and takes small cams as well, it's nowhere near as runout as people make it out to be. Again, make sure not to traverse too early: wait until you hit two fixed pins close together in the crack, and then start traversing. You should traverse right before the vertical crack becomes filled with vegetation. Enjoy, it's a great route and has tons of fun climbing.
By aaron voreis From: Minneapolis, MN Aug 29, 2009
Help! Yesterday (8/28/09) we rapped in from Chasm View and left our packs on Broadway. After the route, my pack was missing and it appears that Marmots dragged it off of Broadway and sent it careening down the Crack of Delight area! I am missing the following:
Blue Granite Gear Pack Red Marmot sleeping bag in red stuff sack Yellow Dana Designs shelter Leki Trekking Pole Other misc. stuff
We searched for quite a while down on Mills and could not find more than a couple of random items. Please call Aaron at 970-596-9041 if you have any ideas or saw the incident. My HUGE apologies if anybody was hit by anything.
RSS Feed
Slideshow
