The Diamond

How worth it is it really to do chasm raps to broadway vs approaching via the North chimney? 
I’ve heard the horror stories but I’ve also seen that it’s not that bad. 

Advice? Personal stories? 

Biggest problem with the north chimney is overhead hazard if there are parties above you.

Biggest problem with the chasm view raps is that you are now the party above others. You have to traverse a big ledge covered in loose rock, and anything you knock off is going down the north chimney.

Raps make sense if you plan to bivy in the boulder field. But if you want to climb car to car, north chimney is the way.  Ive always opted to approach via the north chimney. But I never pitch it out. Speed is your friend.  If you're comfortable soloing or simuling and moving quickly you're only exposed for 30 to 45 minutes. 

If there are other parties in there, there's plenty of places to pass. And less exposed nooks if you wait for opportunity to pass or hear rock fall. 

Ive always opted to start at ungodly hour to be first or second up there. And im comfy in there with a headlamp. But If youre late and theres a train of people in there, wait it out and go for the second shift. Especially if you have a solid all day weather window. 

If snowy, a pair of lightweight micro spikes enhances security /mobility for the beginning. Then ride the slabs on the left until you're in the belly of it. 

Good luck have fun be safe!

I've aporoached via chasm view rappels with a friend who was averse to the snow aporoach getting to north chinmey.  It was fine, we didn't knock anything down - but it certainly is precarious and very possible to knock stuff down.  It's certainly a viable option. I think without any snow concern, as said above, getting to north chimney early and banging it out at 1st light is probably best way to go.  

We did go C2C and rappelled next to north chimney on our way out, and had a brief section of snow, eventually making a big loop.  So, it's possible (and not terrible), to go C2C via chasm view.

Only you probably know what is hest for you and your specific circumstances and concerns, but both options work.

Tiffany Snellingwrote:

How worth it is it really to do chasm raps to broadway vs approaching via the North chimney? 
I’ve heard the horror stories but I’ve also seen that it’s not that bad. 

Advice? Personal stories? 

North chimney is great but only if you are able to scramble it quickly. If you simul you are very likely to pull rocks off with the rope itself. If you pitch out, you should have stayed home, just keeping it real.

Rapping chasm is fine, and will take a little bit longer than an unobstacled chimney ascent. It is however quite loose. I have acutely broken two climbing helmets from overhead impact in my 20+ years, and one of these helmets was while coiling rope after the last chasm view rap. No one above us, got hit with a baseball sized rock falling solo and shattered the helmet. I have also seen showers of debris going down the chimney after climbers were clumsy crossing the gully/chimney from the chasm raps. I would only recommend chasm raps if you are bivying at chasm view to climb multiple days. 

I have seen many parties spend literally all day screwing around in that chimney. I've bailed on many a diamond day because of parties in the chimney having a shit show. There's a reason I've climbed directissima (right next door) several times. 

Also, if it's your first time and you hit the chimney in the dark, for the love of god make sure you're in the North Chimney and not Fields. We were over psyched that time didn't realize our folly til a couple hundred feet up and it was the shittiest scramble/climb/ascent I've ever done. We did find like an entire pack-worth of busted radios, climbing gear, bottles etc by the time we got to Broadway, which was interesting. If there are no tracks in the dirty snow triangle at the base, you're in the wrong place. Sharp rocks/possibly nut tool will help you self-arrest/ascent the little snow patch if it's difficult conditions. 

TLDR; plan on the chimney, and have a topo for directissima or some other consolation prize like kors door as a contingency. 

P.s. you didn't ask but planning/researching an exit via either the gillet gully or the camel are good ideas. Both are substantially faster than rapping the wall, and you won't get a rope stuck or have to interpret the plethora of bullshit bail anchors that are all over the wall if your current plan is to rap. If you're climbing the D for your first time you should summit anyways. 

I have done Field's chimney (left of North Chimney) to approach the Diamond several times to avoid the risks of the North Chimney with other people in it.  It's a little more difficult, but very similar and has always been devoid of people in my experience.

Dave Vaughanwrote:

I have done Field's chimney (left of North Chimney) to approach the Diamond several times to avoid the risks of the North Chimney with other people in it.  It's a little more difficult, but very similar and has always been devoid of people in my experience.

Aw man lucky you! When we went up it, it was dripping all over and much of the route was covered in moss/plant growth that you would necessarily climb through. It felt substantially harder to me at the time, and I remember thinking protection would have been hard to place in all the choss + moss. Definitely, devoid of people is it's greatest asset. 

Yukon Corneliuswrote:

Biggest problem with the chasm view raps is that you are now the party above others. You have to traverse a big ledge covered in loose rock, and anything you knock off is going down the north chimney.

This. Particularly as a newcomer this likelihood goes up exponentially. Highly prefer you don't. During summer season it is almost guaranteed there will be parties below you in the chimney. Have the experience and confidence to move quickly in the N chimney, without knocking choss down, and you'll be fine. 

Having topos for routes on Chasm View Wall as a backup is good beta - those routes are great in their own right. 

MauryBwrote:

This. Particularly as a newcomer this likelihood goes up exponentially. Highly prefer you don't. During summer season it is almost guaranteed there will be parties below you in the chimney. Have the experience and confidence to move quickly in the N chimney, without knocking choss down, and you'll be fine. 

Having topos for routes on Chasm View Wall as a backup is good beta - those routes are great in their own right. 

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't get the logic here--I'd rather have the newcomer on the Chasm View raps than above me in the North Chimney. By definition a newcomer is not going to have the experience and confidence to move quickly in the NC without knocking off choss. I know some people say "well just get there first then" but that idea seems a bit far-fetched these days--there are people who start up that thing in the middle of the night and sometimes there are 10 to 20 parties that do it.

I've seen a ton of rockfall from the raps themselves, but most of that seems to fall right of the chimney. I've done the CV raps a couple times and once on Broadway it seems like the loose rock is easier to manage than it is in the chimney, mostly because the climbing is a lot easier (basically just walking except for the last 50 feet).

Charles Vernonwrote:

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't get the logic here--I'd rather have the newcomer on the Chasm View raps than above me in the North Chimney. By definition a newcomer is not going to have the experience and confidence to move quickly in the NC without knocking off choss. I know some people say "well just get there first then" but that idea seems a bit far-fetched these days--there are people who start up that thing in the middle of the night and sometimes there are 10 to 20 parties that do it.

I've seen a ton of rockfall from the raps themselves, but most of that seems to fall right of the chimney. I've done the CV raps a couple times and once on Broadway it seems like the loose rock is easier to manage than it is in the chimney, mostly because the climbing is a lot easier (basically just walking except for the last 50 feet).

Fair. I guess I should amend to a general blanket statement of "If you don't have the experience and wherewithal to manage that kind of terrain without knocking choss down then please acquire it somewhere less crowded and popular first."

Yesterday we watched and listened to a party's lengthy ascent of the chimney. They were constantly causing rockfall, screaming "rock" every time, but apparently without the awareness or ability to actually improve their conduct. Don't be those guys.

Thank you all so very much for the tips, advice, and sprinkle of ethics.
My partner and I are happy to report that since we do have experience navigating choss , we took the chasm raps. There were less than about 10 other people up there with us and we didn’t experience or cause any rock fall. It was a long and beautiful adventure and we were stoked to have a clean day on the crown jewel! 

DrippySnot Peggs wrote:

What's camping like?

Sleeping out overnight, usually in a tent

blakeherringtonwrote:

Sleeping out overnight, usually in a tent

Tents are not allowed…? We bivvied in caves and under boulders by the lake, and you need to make a reservation and pick up the camping permit from the ranger’s lodge in town as they read the rules to you.

blakeherringtonwrote:

Sleeping out overnight, usually in a tent

Glad you had a great time Tiffany, 

Just linking my previous thread for others doing research,

I was happy with my choice to do the north chimney. interesting that you didn't hear any rockfall cuz I was hearing tons coming from Chasm View. I still haven't done those raps to this day tho. 

blakeherringtonwrote:

Sleeping out overnight, usually in a tent

Comedy gold! Nice