Van Diver's West Wall

This is a very nice route right up the center of Long's Peak's West Face. It is a 5th Class alternative to the popular Keyhole Route and skips the yucky Trough section, as well as the Narrows and Homestretch, by taking a very direct line from the base of the Trough to the summit plateau. It keeps to a very moderate line (5.2) while being surrounded by harder terrain. To find the route, follow the

Keyhole Route

until you enter the Trough. Looking up the West Face (to the left of the Trough), you will see an obvious, triangular buttress. Scramble up the left side of this buttress - Class 3 at first and then more like Class 4. Near the top of the left side of the buttress, start trending slightly left to intersect an obvious crack system that leads to a small but obvious broken tower on the ridge above. Continue up this crack system (5th Class, but easy and secure) all the way to the ridge. You need to be careful of loose rocks on this route - you don't want to bombard the hordes in the Trough. It's worth noting that this part of the face has a slight tilt to the south and is in the sun after about 11:00 AM.

Justin Simoni on Van Diver's West Wall. Note the top of the triangular buttress just over his right shoulder.

Justin Simoni on Van Diver's West Wall.

This shot on Instagram

shows the upper part of the face with the little broken tower on top of the ridge.

From the Long's Peak TH, follow the popular Keyhole Route until you intersect the Trough at around 13,300', then turn left.

A small alpine rack would suffice.