RMNP aid lines

Anyone have beta/recommendations for nailing routes on the diamond or elsewhere in RMNP? PM me. Thanks!

I climbed La Dulce Vita to Bright Star once. I freed the lower section of La Dulce Vita. Bright Star seemed like a pretty good route, but I didn't lead any of the aid pitches though. Heads up though, the route has gone free, so I'm sure there are some people out there that wouldn't appreciate you hammering pins on that one. Unless you're just dying to swing a hammer, clean aid is a better way to go on The Diamond: Less iron to carry in to the wall.

You might want to look into linking something on the lower east face (Grey Pillar) or the Chasm View Wall (Invisible Wall, 5.8 A4) with something on the Diamond.

Of all the aid routes on the Diamond, the only one I've heard of people actually climbing on a somewhat frequent basis is the Dunn-Westbay, but you might want to check out the Enos Mills Wall. The latter is closer to the center of the wall and thus has more vertical relief.

Check out Mt Alice's main wall. NObody goes out there, so you could get away with bashing some iron if that's what you're into. Dunn-Westbay goes clean apparently, but that's not to say you couldn't tap a nail home here & there.....I did when I climbed it!

Thanks guys for the advice.

Dunn-westbay is a straightforward clean aid line with bomber anchors. I imagine that for the other less popular lines, bringing a hammer is a really good idea for testing and replacing in situ fixed pins at hanging belays, especially if there is no other available clean gear.
Mt. Alice sounds like fun, I need to hike back there and check it out. Where could i get some beta on potential routes back there?

There's some cool looking nailing lines on the Ships Prow. I've really been wanting to check out "The Bilge" 5.8/A3.

I like to practice my nailing skills on the little twin owls finger crack, there is plenty of good spots for pins of all sizes and shapes, plus you don't have to hike that far with all that iron

I climbed Jack of Diamonds years ago and I think we might of put in 1 pin total and probably could of done without it, it just sped things up, but I wouldnt be surprised if that goes free and soon.

Im no ethics nazi, but I would venture to say that practicing nailing on a fairly classic free pitch like the little twin owls finger crack is not such a good idea. No harm, no foul, however, I would personally appreciate you not heading out to that pitch to practice your nailing. Dont know you JP, and Id guess your no spring chicken wall climber, just my perspective.

Dunn Westbay goes clean with a variety of cam hooks around C2(maybe +?).

Thanks for the recommendations. However I'm not looking to nail up a free route...Preferably something too steep and thin to free.

Kevin L. PM sent.

Dunn-westbay is definitely an awesome route, with very easy clean aid IMHO. Definitely c2 if the 3 fixed heads are still in place.

Clean aid is superfun, but I would like some more experience in the black arts.

Guess no one under 35 or 40 recognizes dark sarcasm...

Kevin Landolt wrote:There's some cool looking nailing lines on the Ships Prow. I've really been wanting to check out "The Bilge" 5.8/A3.

I'd just go find some thin seam somewhere...they're littered all over every face in RMNP and no worries about nailing up a FA...
Was wondering if anyone would go for JP's 'trolling' humour - hahaha

Adam Baxter wrote: Id guess your no spring chicken wall climber

Any info on what lines Caldwell and crew freed?

The routes are left of Sarcasm, at least one was a Gillett aid line. Gangway and the Bilge are the only two aid lines that meet that description.

JP is a trolling spring chicken.....Country Club crack is a way better route for nailing practice.

JPVallone wrote: What does that mean? :-)

k. riemondy wrote: Dunn-westbay is definitely an awesome route, with very easy clean aid IMHO. Definitely c2 if the 3 fixed heads are still in place.

The heads were on the first aid pitch off of the bivy ledge. A stretch of three in a dihedral before you traverse the large flake. I imagine you could hook around them, but a fall there would be exciting.

Smash the state? I think i would like some more experience before I venture onto a Jim Beyer A5 on the diamond.

Maybe I'll just twiddle my thumbs until the black canyon and the desert cools down a bit. I guess i could learn how to free climb again...

Yup, missed the sarcasm on that one. And this is me removing foot from mouth. I thought Jack of Diamonds was kind of serious ...

I was going to say it too, that Tommy C and Topher D were freeing those routes on the Ships Prow since 2003. I was there watching the action.

Go big, step up to the Diamond.

Anyone interested in Dunn Westbay or something comparable on the Diamond in the next month or so?

I'm safe, experienced,but wall rusty.

Shawn
3oh3 9four6 65oh7.

k. riemondy wrote:The heads were on the first aid pitch off of the bivy ledge. A stretch of three in a dihedral before you traverse the large flake. I imagine you could hook around them, but a fall there would be exciting.