Conn Diagonal 

This is one of the most intimidating 5.7s on the planet. Its a little shorter than Kor's Flake at Lumpy Ridge, but just as hard and even more of an adventure.

If you want to make the traversing 2nd pitch a little more exciting do the overhang. That is after you pass the kidney stone on the traverse go up from there through the small overhang. Then after the overhang just go over to the lightning hand crack to finish. This goes about 10a. The route as a whole without a doubt is one of the best routes that the Conns did, along with their route on East Gruesome.

Rob and I did this route last Wednesday. Awesome exposure at the first belay station. We made our second belay right after the blocky traverse. We made a variation for the summit by climbing towards the gully, then traversing right along a handcrack to gain a shoulder (around 5.8 moves), gaining a shoulder which leads to runout 5.4ish climbing to the summit (occasional pro by dipping into the gully and long-slinging). My question is: has anybody done this variation before?

This is the first multi pitch route I did. It was about the coolest thing I had ever done up to that point in my life. I did it with Tori Stempf on a 3 week climbing course he lead called Project Soar. That was in 1976. That was 30 years ago and I am still climbing in Tucson Arizona on Mt. Lemmon and other areas in the SW. I later returned and put up a route that leaves the Conn Diagonal half way through the 2nd pitch. It is called Long Way To Heaven 5.11-.

This is one of those routes that took me a few years to get around to doing--partly due to the intimidation factor and partly due to it's usually crowded nature. Fortunately this labor day weekend, my wife and I found the route empty and had no other good excuse not to give it a try. What a fabulous route!! Enough good things cannot be said about this one. Each pitch contains fun, thought-provoking, exposed, and varied climbing. Definitely not a one move or one pitch wonder like so many climbs are!
I brought a set of standard nuts, peanuts, and cams from small aliens to #4 camalot and about a dozen runners of varying lengths. I found this to be just about the right selection of gear for the climb.

A absolute classic adventure climb that is not easy on the heart. (this is not your mother's 5.7 sport climb). If you do this route, you will most likely remember it for a long time.

For what it is worth, and perhaps a bit of clarity, here is how we did it.

Follow the faint trail east under the huge face quite a ways til you come to an abvious staging area at the base of a very long system of cracks and flakes that will diagonal west up the face. Make a few face climbing moves to get into the crack flake system and climb away. At the 170 ft point you will come to two old pitons. It is tempting to belay there (as we mistakenly did). Instead make one more very exposed step across move and voila, a very nice newer two bolt anchor and much more comfortable belay stance. Pitch one, 180 ft. Pitch two is not for the faint of heart. Continue right about 15 ft and then head up the face passing an old piton that looks like it is at least halfway out. When you bump into the roof start the infamous traverse right passing the kidney stone on some incredibly exposed moves. The traverse ends at an obvious belay stance where it is easy to build a solid anchor. Pitch two, 100 ft of rope. Look up and see two chimney systems. Pick the one on the left. Gaining the chimney is awkward and then you climb about 40 ft with very little pro. We managed to get in one piece, but the chimney is very secure and probably about 5.5. Pitch 3 90 ft. To get down with one rope (as recommended by a local guide), rappel off the opposite side you just climbed. Walk east and find a good two bolt anchor.(The route you are descending is Jugs.) Rappel 80 ft to a landing area. Do a very exposed 4th class downclimb to the west to another set of anchors which are easy to spot. A belay might not be a bad idea here as a fall would have very dire circumstances. Do another 80 ft rap to the ground and take the 10 minutes hike back around to your packs. It is also apparently possible to rap down the same side you climbed, but this requires two double ropes raps. Have fun.

Can't say enough about this route. EVERYONE should do it at LEAST once.

John, I think it should be climbed at least once a season!

Take the alternate 3rd pitch if you want to stay out of the grunt chimney. About ten feet before manteling into the chimney look right. There is a nice crack that starts out going right and curves left thinning to fingers near the top. Placement can be a little tricky in the bottom. After climbing past the crack there is a run-out ramp with easy climbing.

With lots of long runners, quite easy to link pitches 1 and 2. Just save some slings and gear for the belay -- ie. two #1 camalots, a yellow TCU, two 48" runners or a cordelette.