Copied from Strava write-up:
Wow, what a trip!
Splits:
Treeline 28:02
Chasm Junction 39:40
North Chimney 1:09
Broadway 1:24
Kieners 2:11
Summit 2:22
Down Cables 2:29
Treeline 2:55
TH 3:09:50
Man I really hate doing write-ups but maybe I need to this time. When I do a write-up though I go all-out! No TLDR. Here goes:
This went pretty damn well! Longs is a complicated mountain and it's easy to make routefinding errors that can cost minutes. I managed to recognize all the visual cues I needed to get through the tundra and boulderfields without a mistake. Really refreshing after making so many errors during my July effort. Tried to keep it in zone 4/4+ to chasm junction and then ripped the downhill to the start of the boulders. North Chimney went well despite having a party pummel rocks down toward me and having to take off my rock shoe to remove a pebble. I had the entire diamond to myself. Just absolutely dreamy! Gunned it up the first pitch and then started to slow down for the easy finger crack pitch and nebulous third pitch traverse. I briefly took a wrong turn on the traverse but got back on track quickly. Pitch four went without a hitch and I was at the base of the long dihedral. My heart rate had come down quite a bit and I upped the pace through the perfect hand and finger cracks in the dihedral. Jack and Joe had hiked up to Chasm View to watch me and I waved and gave them a "WARR". Below the crux pitch I took a minute to get a sip of water and turned around and looked out east over the lake. After deciding it was time to go I committed to the slightly more insecure finger cracks, chimney, and final bulge sequence. Everything felt better than ever - SO secure! As I pulled the final crux bulge I remember hearing the late Micah Dash's words (as he climbed a 13- finger crack no less) from the film Return to Sender in my head "I'm just like not even pumped and I'm gonna send this thing". Getting over to Kieners I embraced the pain to the summit and started down the north face. Cables was VERY icy, even moreso than last week, but somehow it didn't slow me down much and I think I PR'ed summit to below cables. Jack and Joe were waiting at chasm view cheering me on. After getting through the more technical terrain I popped in my headphones and blasted The Black Keys, Truckfighters, Pendulum, Wolfmother, and a little Earth to wrap up the final sprint from the foot bridge. I recall reading that after Maury's effort the park ranger at the trailhead had a hard time believing - understandably so - that he'd just climbed the diamond in less than 3.5 hours. There was also a park ranger present today, and when I told him the same thing he was totally unimpressed and remarked "yeah I heard that someone's trying to do the keyhole in less than 5 hours today". Alright man.. thanks for encouraging humility.
Props to Maury Birdwell for setting such a stout time! I've had ambitions of climbing the Diamond sans rope for years, but after seeing Maury's effort in 2021 it expanded my horizons and gave me a "game on!" sort of mentality towards it. The diamond has inspired me ever since I moved to Colorado, but I think the greatest source of inspiration I've had is Stefan and Anton's 2016 LPT effort. I remember sitting in my grad school lab behind a computer and Pat Kenneally showed me the video they made of the LPT FKT and I thought "no effing way, these guys are machines!". Well, the inspiration has lasted and they'll indefinitely be my role models. Thanks for setting a good example and enabling me to push the envelope guys.
A lot of folks supported me throughout the process of doing this but in particular I want to give a huge thank you to Jack Gugel. Jack was my original diamond simul partner and was proactive about supporting me throughout training, strategy, decision making, and execution. I can't thank you enough buddy.
Many thanks to the other guys that got out for a simul lap with me: Jack Neus, Eric Warren, Dan Vinson. Thanks to Lynn Anderson and Stefan Griebel for all your advice and decision making help (particularly with the weather!). Thanks to Joe Kennedy for getting me amped day-of and for taking photos from chasm view.
"There's nothing else that makes me feel so alive" - Derek Hersey
WARRRRR!!! 👹
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Lastly..
For the record, it goes without saying that this style of climbing involves accepting an unthinkable amount of risk. It is a very personal choice that I do not take lightly. It's pretty simple, I find profound meaning in being in the mountains and climbing in this style, and I accept the risks. I do not have delusions that I cannot fall. I accept the position that climbing without a rope is a pretty dumb thing to do, and I believe it shouldn't be glorified, normalized, or encouraged in any case.