The Diamond

The trip report on this page represents the 8th and 9th and 13th and 21st and 28th and 32nd times I have climbed the Diamond. 

I cannot seem to get enough of this amazing alpine wall of granite, and I keep wanting to come back. I have put together a "Diamond Beta Page" summarizing the main methods of approach and descent as well as summarizing/comparing the time stats of the various approaches and descents I have taken. Check it out by clicking the link above.

Category: Colorado (RMNP)Summit Elev: 14,255 ft (Longs Peak); 13,700 ft (Table Ledge at top of route) Rock Type: Granite
This page contains five trip reports:

1.

D7 + Kiener's to summitDate: September 2, 2019 (Mon)Trip Report #: 365Partner: Nate Arganbright

2.

D7 + Camping in CirqueDate: June 3-4, 2020 (Wed-Thu)Trip Report #: 416Partner: Nate Arganbright

3.

D7 + Kiener's to summitDate: August 6, 2020 (Thu)Trip Report #: 442Partner: Nate Arganbright

4.

D7 + Kiener's to summitDate: August 11, 2022 (Thu)Trip Report #: 568Partner: Nate Arganbright

5.

D7 Date: August 1, 2024 (Thu)Trip Report #: 726Partner: Nate Arganbright

6.

D7 Date: August 27, 2024 (Tue)Trip Report #: 740Partner: Kishen Mangat

Route: D7 (5.11c, 5-6p)

Sept 2019: Climbing the Diamond via D7 at the end of my first summer living in Colorado. Climbing doesn't get much better than this.

June 2020: Climbing D7 to kick off the next summer alpine season.

August 2020: We couldn't stay away.

August 2022: Back again. I finally figured out the 11c crux.

August 2024: Back again. I forgot how to do the 11c crux.

August 2024: Back again. Tenth Diamond ascent of 2024! Still gotta figure out that 11c crux.

Table of Contents for this page

Route Overlay

Time Stats

The following table has time stats for all climbs I have done on the Diamond, including the climbs of D7 on this page.

Diamond Time Stats

Trip Report #1: D7 + Kiener's Route to summit (Sept 2019)

(first time climbing D7)

Intro

It seems appropriate that my 7th time up to the Diamond (and eighth route I'd climbed on it) was D7. It was also probably the best route I had climbed so far on the Diamond. D7 features beautiful, solid rock and good cracks all the way up. It was originally an aid climb, so there are lots of pins. 

I climbed D7 with Nate Arganbright. We'd had an adventurous day on D1 the previous weekend, and it was nice to return the following weekend (Labor Day Monday in fact) for another day on the Diamond. Nate climbs D7 at least a few times a year and has climbed the route in all conditions (soaking wet, filled with ice, ...), so he was easily convinced to add another lap to the year's tally. We climbed the route in just under 4 hours, with me leading the odd pitches and Nate leading the even pitches (Pitch 4 is by far the hardest pitch of the route, involving pretty sustained 5.11-ish climbing and an 11c crux section). It was one of those unusually warm and calm days on the Diamond, and we climbed in t-shirts as we managed to stay in the sun the entire time. It was not yet noon when we reached Table Ledge, so we decided to continue up to the summit via Kiener's Route (we had not left any gear on Broadway Ledge to give the option of continuing upwards). We descended via the Cables Route and then down Camel Gully back into Chasm Lake Cirque. This was the first time I had been down Camel Gully, so I enjoyed the opportunity to collect some photos of this connector option between Chasm View area and Chasm Lake area. 

All in all, probably my favorite route and most enjoyable day on the Diamond to date. Thanks Nate for being psyched to climb this route again! 

This page gives a trip report from our climb, including a route overlay, time stats from the climb, and lots of photos. Enjoy! 

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
Morning sun on the Diamond.
Approaching the North Chimney. 
Ascending the North Chimney. Our least favorite (and most dangerous) part of the day. The party above us was roped up, and they ended up kicking off (or their rope kicked off) some giant rocks as we were ascending below them. We were just lucky to be a bit right of the path of the rocks.

Pitch 1

5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
(on other trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Looking up Pitch 1.
Midway up Pitch 1.
Upper stretch of Pitch 1.

Pitch 2

5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
(on other trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Nate starting his lead up Pitch 2.
Midway up Pitch 2.

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Pitch 3 ascends the shallow right-facing corner on the right side of the photo. The corner on the left is the D7 Variation.
Higher up on Pitch 3.
Looking down from the belay at the top of the pitch.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
Looking up Pitch 4. The crux pitch.
One of the several old bongs on the route.

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.
Pitch 5 splitter.
Nate topping out on Table Ledge.

Table Ledge to Summit

3rd-4th. KIENER'S ROUTE. This involves traversing to the left side of Table Ledge and then scrambling up the blocky shoulder to the summit.
Table Ledge.
Upper Kiener's Route, taken just after rounding the corner from Table Ledge.
Blocky 3rd and 4th on upper Kiener's Route.
Almost at the top!
Summit view. The flat summit expanse is always such a contrast to the vertical face of the Diamond you climbed to get there.
On the summit. A rare photo with me in it. 

Descent

We descended via the CABLES ROUTE  (3rd class scramble and 1-2 single rope rappels) to Chasm View. Then we descended CAMEL GULLY (3rd) back into Chasm Lake Cirque.
Heading down the Cables Route.
The first rappel.
The second rappel.
A view of The Diamond from Chasm View. I spot at least 7 parties in the photo. 
Zoomed in on climbers on right side of Diamond. I think they are on Enos Mills Wall and Queen of Spades. Probably trying to free them.
Table Ledge. It's more like Table Roof on the right side of the Diamond.
Looking down the ridge between Chasm View and the entrance to Camel Gully.
The entrance to Camel Gully.
View of the Diamond from the entrance to Camel Gully.
Descending Camel Gully.
Nearing the end of Camel Gully.
Hiking out around Chasm Lake. What a beautiful summer day.

Trip Report #2: D7 + Camping in Cirque (June 2020)

(second time climbing D7)

Intro

RMNP had just reopened after the closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the spring had not seen any big dumps of snow in the alpine, so Nate and I were thinking the same thing: Diamond.

The original plan was to spend two nights in Chasm Lake Cirque and climb for two days, at least one of which would be on the Diamond. But we ended up truncating the trip to one night and one climb due to incessant afternoon squalls making it uncomfortable to just hang out at camp after we got back down from the climb. But it was an awesome trip nevertheless, to be up there and climbing on the Diamond, and the only ones up there too. We climbed D7. In fact, this stellar route had been the most recent route both of us had climbed on the Diamond, when we climbed it over Labor Day weekend at the end of the previous season. We faced a bit of mixed conditions getting to the base of the route (crampons and ice axe certainly came in handy). But the plus side was that we had the entire Diamond to ourselves. And the North Chimney had never felt so safe with no parties above to kick stuff down. Climbing conditions on the route were superb; the rock was surprisingly dry for early June. We had sunny rock and sunny skies until midway up the crux pitch (the second to last pitch from the top). By the time we reached the top of this pitch, a squall system complete with thunder and lightning was brewing just over the ridge, and we made the wise decision to cut left to the Diamond Rappel route and rappel one pitch from the end of the route. 

All in all, another excellent Diamond adventure with a super solid partner.

This page gives a trip report from our climb, including a route overlay, time stats from the climb, and lots of photos. Enjoy! 

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
The parking lot at Longs Peak trailhead. I'm used to seeing it much more packed with cars (sometimes you even have to park down the road if you don't arrive before 5am), but the combination of early season, midweek and COVID-19 pandemic meant we had a choice of parking spot.
Nate hydrating on the hike.
We hit intermittent snow on the trail near treeline. For the most part, the trail was a lot more clear than this section shown in the photo.
A squall hit as we got to treeline and we decided to wait it out in a stand of trees. These squalls generally pass pretty quickly and its usually worth it to find shelter from the biting hail.
Approaching Chasm Lake cirque.
A frozen Chasm Lake and the Diamond above.
Approaching the North Chimney in the morning.
A view up the North Chimney. This is more like early July conditions than early June.
Soloing up the North Chimney. This was the safest I had ever felt in the North Chimney, since there were no parties above us.
A little bit of snow to deal with. We switched back to approach shoes for awhile.
This bit of steep, icy snow was probably the crux of accessing Broadway Ledge from the North Chimney. We put on crampons for this.
Broadway Ledge. The snow was soft enough to boot through.

Pitches 1-2

Pitch 1. 5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
Pitch 2. 5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
We usually climb these as two pitches, but we ended up doing it as three pitches on this climb. They are deceptively long pitches and there are just so many fixed anchors and places you can stop.
Nate starting up Pitch 1.
Higher up on Pitch 1.
Looking up our second pitch. This could be part of either Pitch 1 or Pitch 2 as described in the guidebook.
Nate starting off our third pitch. This would be part of Pitch 2 as described in the guidebook.
Just so much awesome rock, huh?
A pretty flower and one of the many pitons on D7.

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Looking up the start of Pitch 3 (our fourth pitch). 
Nate nearing the top of the pitch.
A frozen Chasm Lake far below.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
Looking up Pitch 4.
Some thunder clouds building over the Boulderfield area just over the ridge....
The 11c crux section.
Quickly getting ominous....

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.

Because of the dark clouds building quickly around us, we ended up traversing left to the second rappel anchor on the Diamond Rappel Route, rather than finishing the final pitch to Almost Table Ledge. Both of us hated to bail so close to the top of the route, but it's best not to mess with Colorado thundershowers. A lightning strike just over the ridge just as we began rapping told us we made the correct decision.
See other D7 trip reports for photos of Pitch 5.

Descent

We rappelled via the DIAMOND RAPPEL ROUTE back to Broadway Ledge (5 raps with double ropes, but 4 raps for us since we had stopped one pitch shy of Table Ledge) and then from Broadway Ledge down to the snowfield (4 raps, 1st with single rope and last 3 with double rope). We then hiked out around Chasm Lake. 
Rappelling.
Descending the snow on Broadway to get to the rappels below Broadway.
The final rappel to the snow.

Photos from bivying just above Chasm Lake

"The Hilton" bivy boulder. Snow still taking residence.
The bivy spot just above The Hilton looked a bit wet too.
We bivied on top of this flat boulder. Can't beat the view.
Oysters and tomatoes and cheese can make instant mashed potatoes pretty darn tasty.
Morning sun on the Diamond.
Enjoying coffee from the sleeping bag. Sun rises early in the spring.
Laying out the gear at the bivy boulder after the climb. It had gotten a bit wet dragging it through the snow.
Reading a book during a rare afternoon sun break.
Relaxing at camp during a rare afternoon sun break.
Curious marmot.
Howdy!
Hunkered down during yet another afternoon squall. You aren't allowed to have a tent in RMNP, and with the sheltered bivy sites still filled with snow, we didn't really have any comfortable spot to hang out when the squalls came. They just kept passing through. Eventually we had enough and decided to hike out and forgo another night up there and another climb the next day. 
Ship's Prow. I want to climb something on this.
We had dinner, backcountry style, on Nate's porch, with a view of the Diamond.

Trip Report #3: D7 + Kiener's Route to summit (Aug 2020)

(third time climbing D7)

Intro

And we cannot stay away....

Our goal this time was to shave a few hours off of our previous car-to-car climb of D7. We hiked in with only what we needed, wearing our harnesses, and brought only a single 70m rope for an up and over ascent. We left the trailhead just after after 6am. We crushed our previous time, and car-to-car in just under 9 hours.

Another awesome day of climbing on the Diamond! Photos and time stats below.

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
Beginning the approach. We had to park pretty far down the road since the trailhead was already full of cars by 6am. I began the clock at the trailhead itself.
Approaching in the morning light.
North Chimney.
The final "scramble" to the base of the route. Don't slip here.

Pitch 1

5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
(on other trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Looking up Pitch 1.
Higher on Pitch 1. 

Pitch 2

5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
(on other trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Lots of pins.
Looking down Pitch 2.

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Starting up Pitch 3.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
The crux pitch. Can also belay a bit higher than where this photo is taken.
The crux is ahead.

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.
Looking up Pitch 5.
Top of the route on Table Ledge.

Table Ledge to Summit

3rd-4th. KIENER'S ROUTE. This involves traversing to the left side of Table Ledge and then scrambling up the blocky shoulder to the summit.
Kiener's Route.
Looking up towards the summit. We didn't actually tag the summit this time, but cut immediately right towards the Cables Route descent.

Descent

We descended via the CABLES ROUTE (3rd class scramble and 1-2 single rope rappels) to Chasm View. Regain the trail in the Boulderfield.
A quick stop at Chasm View to gaze at that towering wall we just climbed.

Trip Report #4: D7 + Kiener's Route to summit (August 2022)

(fourth time climbing D7)

Intro

Weather had been poor throughout much of the summer, which put a damper on Diamond climbing activity. Even on nice days, it seemed that the world-class wall of alpine granite was fairly quiet. In August, Nate and I took advantage of a free midweek day to do a lap of the Diamond. This was the fourth time we had climbed D7 together. It was so nice to be back on the Diamond with my favorite climbing partner.

Nate and I climbed the route in six pitches instead of our usual five pitches. We swung leads, with Nate getting the crux 11c pitch. I was psyched to get the crux clean (following it of course) without too much of a problem (in my first three times up D7 I had always ended up getting an assist off a cam at the crux). A short hail storm hit just as we finished the final pitch of the route, but cleared off as we began the descent. Typical Diamond weather. 

The following gives time stats and photos from the climb.

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
Leaving the Longs Peak Trailhead. It's nice to leave in the daylight and return in the daylight.
Trail crew at work.
Alpine columbine.
Chasm Lake with the Diamond towering above.
Looking up the North Chimney. There was only about 30 feet of snow to negotiate.
North Chimney.
Scrambling to the base of the route.

Pitches 1-2

Pitch 1. 5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
Pitch 2. 5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
We usually climb these as two pitches, but we ended up doing it as three pitches on this climb. They are deceptively long pitches and there are just so many fixed anchors and places you can stop.
The start of the route.
Nearing the end of the pitch. You can also continue abut 50 feet higher to a higher ledge.
Old piton en route.
Near the top of Pitch 1. Fun 5.9 climbing ahead.
Lots of pins on D7.
Anchor. Nuts connected by a wire. If you climb to Crossover Ledge in two long pitches, you don't use this anchor.
Nate leading up to Crossover Ledge.
Yet another old piton.

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Looking up Pitch 3. Go up and then step right instead of going up and left (left is a variation).
Higher on Pitch 3.
Ledge at the top of Pitch 3.
Anchor (nuts and too much old tat) at the top of Pitch 3.
Nate following Pitch 3.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
Looking up the crux pitch.
The final stretch of Pitch 4.

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.
Looking up the final pitch.

Table Ledge to Summit

3rd-4th. KIENER'S ROUTE. This involves traversing to the left side of Table Ledge and then scrambling up the blocky shoulder to the summit.
Topping out on Table Ledge. In a hail storm. There was a party on the Casual Route also topping out.
Nate enjoying some sesame snaps on Table Ledge.
Exiting Table Ledge to access upper Kiener's Route.
Upper Kiener's Route to summit.

Descent

We descended via the CABLES ROUTE (3rd class scramble and 1-2 single rope rappels or downclimb, we rappelled) to Chasm View. Then we descended FIFTH AVENUE (4th) back into Chasm Lake Cirque. We regained the trail and hiked out.
Rappelling off an eyebolt on the Cables Route.
The Diamond from Chasm View.
Descending the ridge below Chasm View en route between the Cables Route and the entrance to Fifth Avenue.
Descending Fifth Avenue. This is an alternative option to the Camel Gully for getting back into Chasm Lake Cirque after descending the Cables Route.
Descending Fifth Avenue. This is an alternative option to the Camel Gully for getting back into Chasm Lake Cirque after descending the Cables Route.
Moth wings floating along the shore of Chasm Lake. 
Zoomed in on the moth wings. I was pretty fascinated by these.
Pika gathering nesting materials for the cold mountain winter ahead.

Trip Report #5: D7 (August 2024)

(fifth time climbing D7)

Intro

A hot, dry stretch of summer had arrived in RMNP. Nate and I decided it was a good time to focus on the Diamond. We squeezed in this midweek Thursday to climb D7, and planned to come back for the weekend. 

The following gives photos for our fifth climb of D7 together. I was unable to free the 5.11c crux this time, so I need to come back!

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
Nate had bivied up below the Diamond on Wednesday night, and I hiked up and met him Thursday morning. 
My crown fell out for no reason. At least I didn't swallow or crack it.
Diamond alight in morning alpenglow.
North Chimney.

Pitch 1

5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
(on previous trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Looking up the first pitch of D7 from the base of the route. Sustained 5.9 fun.

Pitch 2

5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
(on previous trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Nate starting up Pitch 2. More sustained 5.9 fun.
One of many fixed pins and bongs on Pitch 2.

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Start of Pitch 3. More great crack climbing.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
Start of Pitch 4. The crux pitch.
Looking up at the crux. Both Nate and I had to A0 it, even though both of us had freed it in past summers. We plan to come back soon to try to resend it.
The anchor at the top of Pitch 4. Typical Diamond anchor of fixed nuts, pitons, and tat.

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.
More crack climbing fun.
Piton.
Nearing the end of the pitch.

Descent

Almost Table Ledge is the top of the route. From here we rappelled via the DIAMOND RAPPEL ROUTE back to Broadway Ledge (5 raps with double ropes) and then from Broadway Ledge down to the snowfield (4 raps, 1st with single rope and last 3 with double rope). We then hiked out around Chasm Lake. 
Top rap anchor. New chains installed in 2024.
Rapping.
Beware of the knot sliding when you rap with the tag threaded through the anchors. It slid about 5 feet during the rappel. But our 65m tag was 5m (about 16 feet) longer than our rope, so it would have to slide more than 8 feet to become a safety issue. Of course you don't know how much it is sliding when you are rappelling.....could just thread the lead line every time, but this takes more time.
Back on Mills Glacier at the base of the rappels. We just beat the sun/shade line back down.
A marmot chewed Nate's helmet strap.
Alpine columbine alongside the trail.

Trip Report #6: D7 (August 2024)

(sixth time climbing D7)

Intro

It was a beautiful stable summer day, so what better way to spend it than climbing the Diamond. This ascent was my tenth Diamond ascent of Summer 2024!

Kishen and I decided to climb D7. We got a casual start of 5am from the trailhead, avoiding the Russian Roulette of the North Chimney rush. We climbed the route in fix-and-follow style, with the leader fixing the rope and the follower toprope soloing the fixed line as the leader hauled up the pack with the tag line and took a break. This is a good style for D7, where the upper leads are quite demanding. I led the rope-stretching Pitches 1&2 to just above Crossover Ledge, then Kishen stepped in and led the harder pitches to the top. Despite the chilly conditions once the sun left the wall, he had great leads, resting only once or twice on the crux pitch but getting all of the moves free. I, however, struggled quite a bit on the crux pitch (cold fingers didn't help) - looks like I still have some unfinished business on D7 (I had freed the crux in August 2022, but I'm still at the stage in life where what counts is the most recent performance).

Below are pitch-by-pitch photos from another glorious day on the Diamond with a great partner.

Photos

Approach

5.4. We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge. 
Diamond aglow in the morning light.
Getting closer.
Taken looking down from the base of the North Chimney. Very little snow now.
We soloed the North Chimney, and protected the crux left exit move with a cam.

Pitch 1

5.9. D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge, and continue up to a higher ledge. This is a long pitch (~200 feet). There are lots of fixed pins.
(on previous trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Looking up D7 from the base of the route.
Kishen following Pitch 1, in toprope solo mode (we climbed the route in fix and follow style).

Pitch 2

5.10a. D7. Start in a left-facing corner and then follow thin corners and cracks to Crossover Ledge. You can also belay on a ledge a bit higher. This is another long pitch (~180-190 feet) with lots of fixed pins.
(on previous trip reports on this page we have sometimes climbed Pitches 1-2 in 3 shorter pitches)
Kishen following Pitch 2, in toprope solo mode (we climbed the route in fix and follow style).

Pitch 3

5.10c. D7. Climb the thin right-facing corner that starts a few feet right of the left side of the ledge. Stop at a stance below two leaning cracks. (The prominent right-facing dihedral off the left end of the ledge is the D7 Variation.) 
Kishen starting up Pitch 3.

Pitch 4

5.11c. D7. Climb parallel cracks to another small ledge. This pitch has the crux of the route.
Kishen leading Pitch 4. Nice lead Kishen!
We climbed this route in fix and follow method. My preferred toprope solo setup is two microtraxions (one micro and one mini, actually) and a bungee around my chest.
One of the many pitons on D7.
Looking up at the crux section. Hard. My cold fingers weren't feeling it today. But Kishen had a great lead.
Steph following Pitch 4 (toprope soloing). Photo by Kishen.

Pitch 5

5.11a. D7. Work up a thin crack that widens to about 10 inches, and continue more easily to Almost Table Ledge and then Table Ledge.
Kishen starting up Pitch 5.
Fun climbing on Pitch 5, especially after the try hard of Pitch 4.

Descent

Almost Table Ledge is the top of the route. From here we rappelled via the DIAMOND RAPPEL ROUTE back to Broadway Ledge (5 raps with double ropes) and then from Broadway Ledge down to the snowfield (4 raps, 1st with single rope and last 3 with double rope). We then hiked out around Chasm Lake. 
Starting the rappels from Almost Table Ledge. Nine rappels to the ground.
One of the 9 rappel anchors on the Diamond Rap Route. Earlier this season (2024), the chains were upgraded and new glue-in bolts were put in.
Rappelling.
A mysterious laceless Nike at the base of the North Chimney. 

previous and next adventures

(September 2019)
(June 2020)
(August 2020)
(August 2022)
(August 2024)
(August 2024)