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looking for D7 info

Original Post
mark55401 · · Minneapolis · Joined May 2011 · Points: 355

the MP page has good info but is a bit lacking on specifics. My partner and I would like to climb this in August or September. We're having a hard time visualizing the line and would love to see a photo with the route superimposed.

We're thinking of climbing this in two days with a night at Broadway. I'm guessing this is doable without a portaledge (?). And is there a lot of traffic on this line in late summer?

Any info at all -- even references to guidebooks -- would be a great help. thanks

Paul Hunnicutt · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 325

Most people will camp past the lake at the base of the Diamond (not on Broadway) or do it car to car. If you slept on Broadway you would obviously have the best chance of getting on it first, but besides that there isn't a real reason to sleep on Broadway. The north chimney approach can be done fairly quickly (1-2 hours) and the route itself is "only" four-six pitches depending on how you run it. You can rap the route or continue up a few different options to the summit.

I think if you are free climbing at that level you should most likely be able to dispatch the route in a day from the base. There could be plenty of traffic in August - September on a weekend. I try to arrive with an open mind and just hop on anything that is open.

On the other hand sleeping on Broadway might be fun and more of a "big wall" experience perhaps. If you go that route maybe the first day you might do one of the actual routes on the lower half of the wall, instead of the loose North Chimney.

Once you get there the route is pretty obvious from any of the topos of the Diamond...at least I thought so.

It is a phenomenal climb and I do highly recommend it.

Mark Hammond · · Eldorado Springs, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 466

Mark,
I agree with Paul, phenomenal climb and you don't need to bivy on Broadway. If you want to, I would stongly discourage you from taking bivy gear up the N. Chimney. Choose another way to access Broadway with bivy gear and definately don't haul a bag up the chimney, you will kill someone. No joke.
You don't need a portaledge for Broadway.
Check out Bernard Gillet's RMNP guidebook. (There are 2, you want the High Peaks, not the Estes Valley).
You are very likely to have company if the weather is nice, weekend or not. If you are planning to aid, may I recommend one of routes on the right side of the wall, where you won't have free climbing parties crawling over you all day long. Then you might even bring a portaledge and enjoy a night on the Diamond. Also pretty awesome.

mark55401 · · Minneapolis · Joined May 2011 · Points: 355

thanks for the info. We're not super-strong and would prefer to have a leisurely day on the route, aiding as necessary. Above all, we don't want to create a bottleneck, and are going mid-week in hopes that the route will be more-or-less open.

1rsties4life Carnes · · CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 235

Hey buddy,I too just checked out your profile and would have to agree that some other goals may be better seeked out on your trip. I know the Diamond is in everyone's eyes the Jewel of Colorado, and it is incredible to climb on. However, 5.9 can feel like 5.11 up there, and there are so many other routes in the park that are incredible outings for you to explore. Here are just a few that you may want to look into.

Syke's Sykle, The Barb, and Age Ax on Spearhead
Flying Buttress on Meeker
Directissima on Chasm View

Have a fun trip

Tony T · · Denver, CO · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 45

I definitely agree with those who are giving you really good and more plausible alternatives given your ability. I know that Climbing magazine did a short article on D7 not too long ago, and made it seem like it's a great route for people who aren't afraid to pull on gear, but the article is kind of deceiving. The Diamond is a *serious* undertaking, and D7, clean aided or not, is going to be very difficult for someone who can climb 5.7's trad and bolted 9s.

Climbing at high elevation is friggin' hard! Think of alpine climbing grades in the same way that people who go from sport to trad are taught. If you climb 5.7 trad, not in an alpine environment, then you're going to want to try to climb 5.5 or 5.6 in an alpine setting. Why? You will likely be climbing with cold hands and sleep deprived. In late summer, the sun drops behind the wall at around 11am, and then the temps drop dramatically too. There is always the nagging fear of an unseen storm dropping in over the summit from the West and making you a crispy critter. Route finding can be wildly more challenging in these conditions. Then you have to remember to leave enough in the gas tank for the descent/rappel. Bonking on a summit above tree-line in the afternoon in Colorado's high-country is a good way to get yourself into trouble.

All of that being said, just getting up to Broadway will be a challenge for someone from a lower elevation state. The hike from the car to the boulder field can be incredibly taxing with bivy gear and climbing gear in your pack. Then you have to wake up very early the next morning when your body is really sore and pissed at you, and then subject it to more hell.

The Diamond is an intimidating wall, and it tends to make you get real honest with yourself when you get up and touch it. I've rapped down D7 after climbing other routes, and I think you would be able to bail pretty easily given the permanent hardware anchors. But, who wants to bail? Why not just climb one of the other stellar routes in the area and have a really great day out?

Another route that hasn't been mentioned is the NE Ridge on Sharkstooth in RMNP.

Good luck!

erik wellborn · · manitou springs · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 355

How does the saying go? Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment? Certainly how I learned. Go for it.

Oh, D7 is certainly aid-able and definitely busy all summer. I would guess the big variable is having stable weather for a extended period.

PRRose · · Boulder · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

A guy with Denali and a solo winter ascent of Mt. Whitney under his belt maybe doesn't need a lecture on the difficulties of high-altitude climbing.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Eric Whitbeck wrote:Paul, Hey do most people who go car to car go up the North Chimney or rap in at Chasm view? Thanks in advance
N. Chimney. Having done both, I can tell you for sure it is faster.
Mick S · · Utah · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 61

Eric, I've done the Chasm View rap, but I would not do it again.

1rsties4life Carnes · · CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 235
PRRose wrote:A guy with Denali and a solo winter ascent of Mt. Whitney under his belt maybe doesn't need a lecture on the difficulties of high-altitude climbing.
I didn't look fully into these and would have to say I agree with you. Still look into those other routes if you have the time as they are classics with fabulous position on all of them.

With that said Paul would you agree that technical rock on the Diamond and snow/ice on Denali are different enough to warrant 2 skill sets? If so it's feasable to better at one than the other even though both take place at altitude. Different topic I know, and not trying to start trouble. Just thought this was an interesting topic for people to share about since my experiences lie solely in the world of rock and have no desire to do the others. Possibly causing me to give advice with blinders on.
Buster Jesik · · Estes Park, CO · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 501
Starting D7

D7 is awesome! It pretty much follows the same crack straight up for the whole route - There is a lot of fixed gear, and last year I believe every anchor is fixed. Take lots of draws ( 16? ) and a couple runners, double rack to #1, maybe #2, a #3 might be useful, a handful of micro stoppers gets you through the crux (which is short). Because of the fixed gear the route does go fast, as mentioned climbing "wall style" on the diamond is usually not recommended because of the long approach and nasty afternoon weather - even if you aid the harder climbing it shouldn't take more then a few hours

P.S. - I can't Imagine a worse hell then hauling in the N. Chimney - plus its would be really dangerous for yourself and other climbers ( its sketchy enough without hauling - lots of loose rock ) If your really set on taking a bag up there then crack of delight would be much cleaner hauling, or just rap in from Chasm, Its really not bad - I prefer it actually , even using a rope in the N. Chimney can cause deadly rock fall. And no, Broadway is a huge ledge, no portaledge needed.
csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
1rsties4life wrote: I didn't look fully into these and would have to say I agree with you. Still look into those other routes if you have the time as they are classics with fabulous position on all of them. With that said Paul would you agree that technical rock on the Diamond and snow/ice on Denali are different enough to warrant 2 skill sets? If so it's feasable to better at one than the other even though both take place at altitude. Different topic I know, and not trying to start trouble. Just thought this was an interesting topic for people to share about since my experiences lie solely in the world of rock and have no desire to do the others. Possibly causing me to give advice with blinders on.
You are totally correct. The are two completely different skill sets. I would never assume that someone who has climbed Denali or The Mountaineers route in winter would be capable of climbing D7. Maybe he can, maybe not...apples to oranges. But he does probably have a good idea of how much more difficult climbing at that altitude will be for him.
Charles Vernon · · Colorado megalopolis · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 2,655

^^^What he said. I have never approached the Diamond that way and am loathe to do it for that reason alone:

Chains at upper right of block for maximum leverage. Yikes!

1rsties4life Carnes · · CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 235

Scary placement... I've always climbed the North Chimney and will continue to do so after seeing that. It reminds me of the old rap station off the back of the Petite in the early 90's. I remember a bunch of webbing wrapped around a dinner plate with a pin behind it, and the plate of rock could be picked up and re-positioned.

Mick S · · Utah · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 61

Oh yeah, reaching around the block to thread the rope for the rappel, in the dark, is awesome! Politely suggest your partner goes first.

David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410

Come now, the rap isn't that bad. The block is huge. The bolts on the back side are like a secret passage to a wonderful land. Invisible to hikers unless you know where to look. Straight out of Lord of the Rings. North Chimney is the better approach route though.

Kenan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 1,237

That block is indeed massive - I don't think it's going anywhere any time soon. Perhaps this pic will give a better sense of scale when viewed in conjunction with the other pic above. Dude in the pic is about 6'3"

Chasm View raps

One thing about the chasm view raps that people haven't mentioned yet... If you're planning to summit the Diamond, you can descend the North Face (old cables route) and you'll walk right past Chasm view on the way down. So you could potentially bivy around there instead of on Broadway and save yourself the pain of hauling bivy gear up the North Chimney.

I still think car-to-car light-and-fast is much better overall, but just throwing that out there...

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Kenan wrote:That block is indeed massive - I don't think it's going anywhere any time soon. Perhaps this pic will give a better sense of scale when viewed in conjunction with the other pic above. Dude in the pic is about 6'3" One thing about the chasm view raps that people haven't mentioned yet... If you're planning to summit the Diamond, you can descend the North Face (old cables route) and you'll walk right past Chasm view on the way down. So you could potentially bivy around there instead of on Broadway and save yourself the pain of hauling bivy gear up the North Chimney. I still think car-to-car light-and-fast is much better overall, but just throwing that out there...
I've done that and it worked out pretty well, although I'll probably never do it again. Had a bit of a scare when it started to rain (while we were on the Casual Route) a bit and we thought we might have to bail...down...with all our bivy gear still up at Chasm View. Wasn't looking forward to going back up there to retrieve it, but we ended up ok, went to the top and all was good.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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