The Diamond
The trip report on this page represents the 24th time 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.
Route: Komito Freeway: D7 P1-2 (5.10b, 2-3p) + Yellow Wall P4 (5.10a, 1p) + Forrest Finish P1&1.5.5 + Black Dagger P5 (5.10b, 2-p)
A nice 5.10b link-up of pitches.
Route Overlay
Intro
In 1975, Wayne Goss and Jim Logan made the first free ascent of the Diamond by climbing D7 to Crossover Ledge, taking Yellow Wall for a pitch, climbing a pitch of Forrest Finish, and ending with Black Dagger's final pitch. This link-up of pitches is called "Komito Freeway" . This is a great way to climb the Diamond at 5.10b. The route is steep and sustained. Even though it is the second most moderate route on the Diamond, it is quite a big step up from the Casual Route (5.10a, 8p). (Ironically, the first free ascent of the easier Casual Route was in 1978, three years after the first free ascent of the Diamond via the Komito Freeway. The easiest line isn't always the most obvious line.)
I have trip report pages for D7 (5.11c, 5-6p), Yellow Wall to Forrest Finish (5.10d-5.11b, 6p), and Black Dagger (5.11a, 5-6p) (all of which I have climbed more than once), but since "Komito Freeway" (5.10b, 5-6p) is a nice route in itself and the second most moderate way to get to Table Ledge, I made a separate trip report for it.
Nate and I climbed this as our first Diamond route together in 2024. July had been a strong monsoon month, with afternoon thundershowers most days, but we nabbed a midweek "30% thundershowers" day to climb this route. We had a great day on the Diamond.
Time Stats
The following table has time stats for all climbs I have done on the Diamond, including the climb of Komito Freeway on this page.
Photos
Approach
5.4
We approached via the NORTH CHIMNEY to Broadway Ledge.
Pitch 1
5.9
(on previous ascents we have climbed Pitches 1-3 in 2 long pitches)
D7. Climb the left-facing corner to a good ledge. There are lots of fixed pins.
Pitch 2
5.9
(on previous ascents we have climbed Pitches 1-3 in 2 long pitches)
D7. Follow thin corners and cracks upward. There are lots of fixed pins.
Pitch 3
5.10a
(on previous ascents we have climbed Pitches 1-3 in 2 long pitches)
D7. Follow thin corners and cracks upward. There are lots of fixed pins.
Pitch 4
5.10a
YELLOW WALL. Climb a left-facing dihedral above the right end of the ledge, and step right into the Black Dagger crack system. Climb a short ways, then move right again into the Forrest Finish crack and a belay beneath an offwidth section. Or climb up the offwidth, which varies from 12-inch chimney to fingers, and belay above that.
Pitch 5
5.10b
FORREST FINISH. Continue straight up the crack system. Belay just down and left from the Yellow Wall Bivouac Ledge.
Pitch 6
5.10b
FORREST FINISH. Continue up the same crack, which begins wide then tapers to a beautiful hand crack, and gain the top of a smooth wall. Slightly easier climbing leads to Table Ledge.
Descent
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.