Longs Peak

Longs Peak is a 4,346-metre summit in Rocky Mountain National Park and the northernmost fourteener in the Colorado Rockies. Its sheer east face, The Diamond, is one of the premier high-altitude big-wall climbs in North America.

The rock is solid alpine granite. The Diamond rises roughly 300 metres of steep, clean stone above 4,000 metres, giving sustained multi-pitch trad climbing in a serious mountain setting. Classic lines such as the Casual Route sit around 5.10, while harder testpieces climb well into the 5.12 and 5.13 range, all demanding fast movement, altitude fitness, and weather awareness. Beyond the wall, the Keyhole Route is a strenuous non-technical scramble to the summit, and the mountain also offers moderate ridge and gully climbs.

Practical detail: the standard approach starts at the Longs Peak trailhead and climbs many kilometres and over a thousand metres to reach the base of the routes, so most climbers begin in darkness or bivouac at Chasm Lake. A national park pass is required, and permits govern camping. The altitude and remoteness make retreat slow, so parties move efficiently.

Season and character: the technical climbing season on The Diamond is short, roughly mid-July to September, once snow and ice clear from the face and before autumn storms return. Afternoon thunderstorms are a daily hazard, so summit attempts finish early. Longs Peak dominates the skyline of the Colorado Front Range and has drawn climbers for well over a century. Its combination of high altitude, sheer granite, and fickle weather makes The Diamond a benchmark of American alpine rock climbing.