Casual Route

The Casual Route is an incredible climb at high altitude on the most famous wall in Colorado. This is the easiest route on the Diamond, but that doesn't mean it's not world class. The route includes incredible climbing with awesome exposure and high alpine weather. Although I have heard the route described as both stiff and easy for the grade, I think that the published ratings are quite accurate.

P1: Start in the middle of the wall at a less than vertical broken pillar. It is not hard to find. Pitch 1 is 5.4 up broken ground to the bottom of an obvious crack.

P2: Follow the steeper crack at 5.9 to a hanging belay 2/3 of the way up.

P3: A 100 foot 5.7 traverse with about three pieces of pro, two of which are fixed pins. This pitch is spectacular and has dangerous fall potential, although the climbing is easy.

P4: Climb up a dirty 5.8 crack and chimney to a belay about half way up the route.

P5: May be the best pitch of the climb. It leads up a steep 5.8 dihedral with a handcrack tucked in the corner. Belay halfway up the dihedral on a stance and continue up 5.8 to the Yellow Wall Bivy Ledge. The exposure hits you right here for the final, and crux, pitch.

P6: Climb up a really thin 5.9 crack with fixed gear to a 5.8 squeeze chimney. Trying to squirm your way up the chimney at 14,000 feet is about as strenuous as it gets. From here pull out of the chimney and perform the crux move, a well protected reach over a bulge on thin holds, 5.10a, and you're on Table Ledge.

P7: One last 5.7 traverse pitch leads to the exit onto

Kiener's

or the rap route.

Standard trad rack. 1.5 sets stoppers, 1.5 sets of cams 0.5 - 3. 1 set TCUs. About 6 extended runners and 6 draws.