Directissima 

Some additional beta (from an ascent on 6/29)-- we hauled a pack on the chimney pitch and I highly recommend this-- the squeeze/ow is quite continuous and since it steadily gets narrowing, a trailing pack would probably get stuck a lot. This 5.9+ pitch is at least as hard as the crux pitch, with fewer rests--consider putting your stronger leader on it. Also consider a #4 Friend for the OW, as a #4 Camalot is too big. The gear beta in the above description is otherwise great. Don't plan on trusting any of the old bolts.

Although it is less commiting and shorter, I felt this route was considerably harder than the Casual Route.

The P3 crux is where the chimney narrows into an evil fist crack. Your lower body will be in the squeeze while your hands jam the fist crack. As Charles mentions, a #4 Camalot is too big for this part, so I'd advise taking a #3 and #3.5 Camalot.

Thankfully, the fist crack is only about 10' long. If you have big hands, you can hand jam here and you will find it a bit easier than someone with small hands. Still, it is much more physical than the supposed "crux" on the 4th pitch.

Yes, in some ways, the transition from squeeze to fist crack is the crux of the whole route, particularly if you find the "fist" crack a bit big, but mainly because the feet are so problematic in that section as the crack widens downward. Quite thuggish. What's neat is that the P4 crux move is completely the opposite--delicate and wildly exposed. If swapping leads, everyone will get their money's worth!

Much like Pervertical Sanctuary, the easier-rated offwith pitch is the true crux of this route, and the stronger climber should lead it.

One other note on gear that I forgot to mention--on the final 10b pitch, the crack dies out below the crux moves (the wide crack that Jessie mentions is above this, and no harder than 5.9). There are good small-medium cams below your feet (just under the roof), but for maximum peace of mind I was able to fiddle in a blind RP in a little seam right at the crux, and as I climbed past it, it actually seemed good. So, if the climbing is at or near your limit, you might as well throw in a few larger RPs if you don't normally carry them--they sure don't weigh very much, and possibly might preclude you from falling back into the corner if you blow the crux moves. This section is fairly short, but really cool and exposed, as is the long wide crack (lots of supplemental edges) above.

I agree the P4 crux is short, but there is a lot of 5.9 above there. The first time I attempted the route, I was past the crux when it started raining. I was gunning for the top but started freaking from all the water, and it not getting easier. I eventually lowered off a stopper and we ended up rapping the whole route. I returned some years later and finally did the last 50'. The final crack is also often wet early season, even when it is not raining.

Just did the route yesterday. We found the "easy grassy ledges" getting up to the base of the route to be fairly exposed 4th class (at least where we went). Being timid, middle-aged dads, we roped up. Agreed, Directissima is classic (ignoring the marginal, dirty first pitch)! For us too, the crux was the grunt-a-rama P3 squeeze chimney, and it's meat-grinder fist crack. Another party stuck a #4 Camalot at the end of the chimney, just waiting for extrication by a dedicated booty hunter.

What an OUTSTANDING route!! It's hard to find a climb at this level that is so continuously interesting pitch after pitch. I just kept wondering when it was going to ease off. Really consistently fun top to bottom with good pro. I climbed a harder dihedral to the right for our first pitch and then traversed over when I saw all of the slings. It felt hard! Anyone know what it is? We climbed the last pitch in the snow on June 27th! Crazy

Our rack seemed perfect. RPs to large stoppers. 3/4" Alien to 3.5 Camalot, with extra 1, 2, 3, 3.5 Camalots. This is a must do route. If you are considering doing a Chasm View Wall Route, do this one first. Way better than Red Dihedral. I have not done Royal Flush, but from watching others on it and talking with friends who have, it looks like one good pitch in a sea of ho-hum pitches.

As of 8/15/04 there are 2 fixed #4 Camalots in the slot on pitch 3. I agree with David in that a #4 Camalot is not necessary and a #4 Friend or 2 would protect this pitch (especially with the 2 fixed #4 Camalots in place). Do not be frightened off by the reputation for wideness as the offwidths on this climb are not that hard. The final pitch is AWESOME with interesting rock features, great exposure, and a perfect top out.

[Climbed] the route yesterday in beautiful fall/summer conditions. A gift [of] a day. P2-4 were 5*. Led P3 and would agree that both P3 and P4 are equally challenging, you just work harder on P3. Don't think P3 is just about the [squeeze] or that P4 is just about the 10b crux, they are both solid from the deck to the [anchor]. FIXED Gear: There are 2 Met #4 in the [squeeze]. The first is about 15 feet up and is in good shape. The 2nd #4 is near the top of the [squeeze] and is twisted back and has the webbing cut off. The pin at the exit is a rusty 1/4" bolt with the hanger swinging in the wind. The truth is you don't need any of the fixed gear and you can solidly protect the [squeeze] if you are carrying any combination of 4 cams in the Met #3 to 3.5 range.

We climbed this route on 6/10/06. The two number four Camalots stuck on pitch three are still there, but no webbing left. So, if you want to use them, bring some spectra cord to replace the webbing, or just girth hitch as a modern chockstone. Of course my oxygen deprived European sport climbing mind did not come up with this by itself but got this tip from some guy (Ralfi?) on the descent as he was hiking up to send the Cable Route in his Tevas. Spectacular route.

Aug 30, 06 Excellent route with quality climbing from bottom to top. I would probably avoid the first jungle pitch and do one of the harder (cleaner) variations to the left. Both fixed #4 cams are still in place on pitch three and can either be threaded with spectra or slung like a chockstone. There are numerous bolts on this route, presumably from the first ascent in 1960, that are essentially worthless and should be pulled and or replaced. Most of the hangers are the old Gerry 'pry-out' 'Death' hangers and all of the bolts are 1/4" Rawl drives. With modern gear, none of them are necessary, so I would vote for cleaning up the route by removing the bolts and leaving them out.

I did this route on July 1. Awesome day, very quiet with only a party on Red Wall. Not one party on the Diamond or Lower East face of Long's. This is a great alpine route with awesome position. The exposure on the last pitch is breathtaking, be sure to look down! Pretty burly line and harder than the Casual Route, so be ready. The fixed #4s are still there. I only bothered slinging the bottom one which made it comfortable to walk my #3.5 Camalot along with me. I had one old #3.5 Camalot and one new #4 Camalot which seemed perfect. You don't need an old #4 size even without the fixed ones.

Please leave the bolts!! They are awesome to see on this classic climb and give a great sense of history. They are worthless for protection but should be left so future parties will have the enjoyment of climbing past them and thinking about what things were like back in the golden age.