The Diamond — Casual Route
🚐 Join the caravan
The Diamond on Longs Peak — Colorado's crown-jewel alpine wall, a sheer 1,000-ft face above 13,000 ft. The Casual Route (VI 5.10a) is the moderate classic line: 6-8 pitches of stellar granite after a committing approach (Chasm Lake → North Chimney → Broadway ledge). One of the most iconic hard alpine rock climbs in the US — and a real push-the-grade step up from the Cirque traverse.
🧗 Routes
🎒 Gear & food
Rack: Doubles fingers-to-hand (0.3-2), single #3, full set of nuts incl. small, ~12 draws/slings.
Ropes: 60m double ropes (the rappel descent + pitches want two).
Footwear: Approach shoes for the 5-6 mi approach; rock shoes on the wall.
🪓 Mountaineering: Early/mid-season: ice axe + crampons for the snow approach to Broadway. HELMET mandatory — North Chimney is a rockfall alley.
🪢 Skills needed
- Committing alpine multipitch trad AT ALTITUDE
- Fast, dialed systems — the weather window is short
- North Chimney approach pitches (loose, rockfall)
- Multi-rappel descent + rope management
- True alpine start (midnight-ish)
⏰ Start & altitude
🌄 Timing: Alpine start — leave the TH ~midnight–2 AM to be on the Diamond at first light and OFF before afternoon storms. Longs Peak lightning kills people; weather discipline is non-negotiable.
🫁 Altitude & sun: Diamond base ~13,150 ft / Longs summit 14,259 ft. SERIOUS altitude — acclimatize multiple days from sea level (HACE/HAPE risk). Glacier glasses + SPF.
✅ Before you leave the trailhead
Auto-built from this dossier — ticks save on this device.
🏕️ Land · camp · water · permits
Camp:
- Chasm Lake / Boulder Field bivy (Longs Peak bivy permit) or a long single-push from the TH
💧 Water: Filter at Chasm Lake / Peacock Pool
📋 Permits: Longs Peak TH (RMNP) — bivy permit for camping; check current RMNP timed-entry rules for the corridor.
⚠️ Hazards · fire · emergency
- Afternoon lightning — be off by early afternoon, NO exceptions
- Altitude 13-14k (HACE/HAPE)
- North Chimney rockfall
- Committing — limited bail above Broadway
- Cold + storms even mid-summer
🪂 Bail / retreat: Rappel the Diamond (well-traveled rap line, 2 ropes) or traverse off Broadway. Make bail calls BEFORE committing past Broadway; North Chimney down-climb/rap if bailing low.
🌤️ Live conditions
Auto-updated 20h ago · °F · tap a link for the mountain-specific picture ↓
🦟 Minimal at altitude
👀 In the field
Tap any for ID, edibility & first-aid.
📍 Nearby & other interest
- Petit Grepon & The Spearhead (Glacier Gorge — same park)
- Chasm View routes
- A lower-commitment RMNP line if the Diamond's socked in
💬 Comments
Comments are reviewed before they show up.