The Eighth route is the large gully just to the left of the Notch Couloir. It is just a large gully that goes all the way to the Palisades. In good conditions, there could be 500 feet of 60 degree ice in the lower part and possibly a WI4 chimney at the top.
Here's what it did have:
P1. Head straight up from Alexander's and pass the wall guarding the gully on the left at M2.
P2. Trend up and a bit right into the main gully. Could be good ice here, but we had thin ice and lots of turf (at least its bomber), not much pro. Some simulclimbing, WI2 M2, 300 feet.
P3-4. Climbing the gully till it ends below two chimneys. Snow covered rock steps... M2+ ?
P5. Traverse right up a thin slab (crux) and stretch to rope up to a very exposed position over looking the huge wall that forms the left side of the notch couloir.
P6. Sweeeeeeet. One M3+ move around a block with huge air below.
You can now rap into the Notch, if you can find the rap station (we couldn't) or you can walk off the back and descend the Loft or Lamb's Slide.
The rap anchor at the top of the Notch Couloir is a bit tricky to find. From the high point above the notch, walk downhill to the east about 20 or so feet and there should be a large separated block to your left just below the cliff edge. The anchor is around the base of this block and requires a couple of easy moves to get down to it. One 60m rope will make it but leaves you with about 20' of easy scrambling to get to the base of the notch.
Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirque
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