The Diamond Casual Route - training routes

Hello all,

I have been thinking of doing the Casual Route this coming season, and wanted to get some proper prep training in. I know long alpine routes, hiking at altitude, 14ers, etc are great training. But I'm wondering what routes are suggested as good prep routes. ie you should feel totally confident climbing this route before you attempt the Casual... 

Please share any thoughts you have. I found a few suggestions of Yellow Spur and Handcracker Direct, but I'd prefer routes in the South Platte area if possible.  Thank you!  

Yellow Spur doesn't really translate to the Casual Route at all.  You want to be solid on 5.8-5.9 squeeze and chimney, 5.9 sustained crack climbing, some face climbing thrown in for the traverse pitch, and pumpy thin hands/fingers for the crux pitch of Casual.  Good overall endurance with hiking and being at altitude probably help more than anything else with a Diamond day.   Here's some S. Platte recommendations.  If you feel pretty solid on these and have good fitness, I'd say go get on Casual.

Center Route on Cynical Pinnacle

Straw Turkey

Gobblers Grunt

Spend a weekend or two at Vedauwoo, if you can swing it.  If you can do Beefeater without too much trouble you'll be good on the crux of the casual.  Do some 5.8 and 5.9 wider cracks while you're there too.  Good ones would be Fallout, Middle Parallel Space, Intimidation.  

I would usually do 2 other shorter Alpine Routes in the Park prior to a Diamond Day each season for conditioning.  Go do the Barb or Sykes on Spearhead and maybe do something like Directissima to really be ready for the Diamond approach and to work on acclimitization.

In addition to what Jeff said (he's in the RMNP guidebook - definitely listen to his advice) and if you are solid at the grade, physical conditioning might be your biggest challenge when climbing the diamond. I know you alluded to hiking at altitude, but it's worth reiterating that it is a very big day, and being able to go for a long time before you get hit by exhaustion is a big factor in making it a fun day vs. an epic. Worth doing a lot of steep hiking and scrambling to get ready for it. 3-2-1 flatiron link-up in a day, hiking up bear peak or green mountain a good amount of times and doing the warm-up routes in the park that Jeff recommended would be a smart move before going for it. 

To prepare for alpine season and the Diamond my buddies and I like to do the Boulder Skyline Traverse. I'm not a runner and it's a tough day, but if you can get through it in reasonable time (I'm aiming for 5 hours this year and was around 6 last year) you'll know you are in good shape for a Diamond day.

Some of these have been mentioned already but my best suggestions for the Casual Route is to get on Center Route in the South Platte (I think it closes March 1st). Handcracker Direct and Outer Space in Eldo are also good pre-reqs. Less applicable to the Diamond style but another good choice in the SPlatte might be Trail of Tears at Wigwam Dome or Lost in Space Direct if Cyn Pin is closed.

Highly recommend one or two of something like the Culp-Bossier, something on Zowie, Petit Grepon, South Ridge Notchtop before hopping on the Casual. The climbing on the Casual isn't very hard and the cruxes are short. But the altitude, fitness-component, and exposure will all make or break your attempt based on how well you've prepared. We got stuck behind a very slow and inexperienced party and ended up being a very long day. Consider going on a weekday if you can.

I found the 5.9 and 5.10 pitches at Castle Rock and Bell Buttress in Boulder Canyon to be excellent analogs for the crux climbing on the Casual Route. I'd suggest getting comfortable on routes like Curving Crack, Skunk Crack, West Crack and West Face, Cosmosis, and if it's your thing By Gully. If you feel comfortable with those and are in good alpine shape, I think you'd do fine on the Casual Route. Obviously having experience with other alpine routes is a good idea as mentioned above, but the climbing style on the Diamond is quite different than on the Petit, for example.

And definitely agree with Gobblers Grunt at Turkey. The second pitch has a section that reminds me of some of the crux climbing on the Casual.

I won’t chime in on routes to train on..   It is good to have a fair bit of alpine experiences.  Have the head in good order.  If you feel comfortable on other objectives in the park, that can help a lot.  Good overall endurance and hiking shape goes a long way with a good head.  Being able to be cold, or having things dialed to stay warm really helps a bunch too.

When you do it…. One can always rap from table ledge, but it is a far greater experience to either Forest finish, or up Kiners to finish with a summit!  Then down the north face, and either down Lady Washington or the Camel.  Really makes for a lovely well rounded day.

Good luck.  Such a special place.

Excellent suggestion that you hit several Turkey Rock routes with chimneys and offwidths. I have found Turkey to be the superior crack school in Colorado. 

thank you everyone, this is very helpful!