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Routes in The Diamond
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Ariana T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Beethoven's Honeymoon T 5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c |
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Black Dagger T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Black Death T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Bright Star T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R |
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Casual Route T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Curving Vine T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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D1 T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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D7 T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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D7 Variation T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Dunn Westbay T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b C3 |
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Dunn-Westbay Indirect T 5.13a/b 8a 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c |
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Enos Mills Wall T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a A2 |
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Eroica T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b PG13 |
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Forrest Finish T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Free Grand Traverse, The T 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a |
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Full Dunn-Westbay (aka Dunn-Westbay Direct or The Direct Dunn-Westbay) T 5.14- 8b+ 32 X+ 32 E8 7a |
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Full House T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b |
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Gambler's Fallacy T 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c |
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Hearts and Arrows T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Honeymoon is Over, The T 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a |
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King of Swords T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Obelisk, The T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Pervertical Sanctuary T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Yellow Wall T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R |
Order Wrong?
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| Type: | Trad, Alpine, 1000 ft (303 m), 8 pitches, Grade IV |
| FA: | Forrest, 1970. FFA: Goss & Logan, 1975 |
| Page Views: | 24,939 total · 99/month |
| Shared By: | Joe Collins on Jun 22, 2002 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Access Issue: Closures
Details
Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
Description
This route should probably be added to the database for a variety of reasons. First, the current description under the Yellow Wall omits the last pitch, which is probably the crux of the FF, and second, the Yellow Wall is not the FF, and vice versa, as much as we would like to say we've climbed the Yellow Wall of the Diamond when we climb this variation (see comments under Yellow Wall).
I suggest the Yellow Wall entry in the database be revised to describe the actual Yellow Wall climb and not just the easiest path up this part of the wall.
Pitches 4-6 of the Forrest Finish involve pretty burly and sustained hand/fist crack climbing. There isn't any 5.10 offwidthing as stated in the Gillett guide, but it's still pretty darn physical. It goes without saying that this type of crack climbing is pretty draining at 13,500+, and will probably feel more like 10+/11- if you're not well acclimitized (as is usually the case).
To start, climb the first 3 pitches of D7 or Yellow Wall to the right side of Crossover Ledge, each of which is 10-. The D7 variation to FF (called Komito Freeway) is actually the path of the first free ascent of the DIamond by Goss & Logan, though they apparently switched over to Black Dagger in the middle of the 6th pitch.
P4- From the right side of Crossover Ledge (with the Black Dagger slot looming above), climb up about 20 feet until you can find a rightward traverse that leads over to the FF crack system (5.9). Climb the crack system to an obvious intimidating flare/OW. Climb the OW with the help of a crack on the left (5.10) and contnue until rope drag stops you in your tracks and belay (150 feet).
P5- Continue up the crack system through an OW (guide calls 10a but it felt more like 5.8/9). Rest and then climb the burly, sustained hand/fist crack past some awkward pods (10) to belay alongside the Yellow Wall bivy ledge (100 feet).
P6- More wide hands (10) leads to a good rest with multiple options above. The Black Dagger system is the leftmost and looks like it is probably the easier way to go. The FF takes the right variation and climbs a funky, insecure lieback (10) up into a slot. Awkwardly climb the slot via a mix of kneebars and face features in the slot (10) up to Almost Table Ledge (150 feet).
The FF continues up from here via 2 more seldom-climbed 5.9 pitches to the top of the Diamond. The usual option is to traverse left to a short right-facing dihedral where a pin protects a 5.8 move up to Table Ledge.
Descend following the D7 rappel route (6 raps) to Broadway and then 4 raps to the side of the N. Chimney to the Mills Glacier. The alternate option, which is probably faster, traverses over to Kiener's and follows that, skirting the summit, to the N. Face cables descent. The disadvantage to the latter option is that you have to hike a grueling 400 vertical feet up Kiener's late in the day and that you can't stash your gear at the base of the wall.
I suggest the Yellow Wall entry in the database be revised to describe the actual Yellow Wall climb and not just the easiest path up this part of the wall.
Pitches 4-6 of the Forrest Finish involve pretty burly and sustained hand/fist crack climbing. There isn't any 5.10 offwidthing as stated in the Gillett guide, but it's still pretty darn physical. It goes without saying that this type of crack climbing is pretty draining at 13,500+, and will probably feel more like 10+/11- if you're not well acclimitized (as is usually the case).
To start, climb the first 3 pitches of D7 or Yellow Wall to the right side of Crossover Ledge, each of which is 10-. The D7 variation to FF (called Komito Freeway) is actually the path of the first free ascent of the DIamond by Goss & Logan, though they apparently switched over to Black Dagger in the middle of the 6th pitch.
P4- From the right side of Crossover Ledge (with the Black Dagger slot looming above), climb up about 20 feet until you can find a rightward traverse that leads over to the FF crack system (5.9). Climb the crack system to an obvious intimidating flare/OW. Climb the OW with the help of a crack on the left (5.10) and contnue until rope drag stops you in your tracks and belay (150 feet).
P5- Continue up the crack system through an OW (guide calls 10a but it felt more like 5.8/9). Rest and then climb the burly, sustained hand/fist crack past some awkward pods (10) to belay alongside the Yellow Wall bivy ledge (100 feet).
P6- More wide hands (10) leads to a good rest with multiple options above. The Black Dagger system is the leftmost and looks like it is probably the easier way to go. The FF takes the right variation and climbs a funky, insecure lieback (10) up into a slot. Awkwardly climb the slot via a mix of kneebars and face features in the slot (10) up to Almost Table Ledge (150 feet).
The FF continues up from here via 2 more seldom-climbed 5.9 pitches to the top of the Diamond. The usual option is to traverse left to a short right-facing dihedral where a pin protects a 5.8 move up to Table Ledge.
Descend following the D7 rappel route (6 raps) to Broadway and then 4 raps to the side of the N. Chimney to the Mills Glacier. The alternate option, which is probably faster, traverses over to Kiener's and follows that, skirting the summit, to the N. Face cables descent. The disadvantage to the latter option is that you have to hike a grueling 400 vertical feet up Kiener's late in the day and that you can't stash your gear at the base of the wall.
18 Comments