Cable Route

First of all, so there's no confusion, this route is NOT on the diamond. It is just filed under that rock. I give this route one star, but not because it is a bad route. It is an excellent first technical alpine route for a beginner. After doing the route, however, I would probably not be interested in doing it again unless it was a winter ascent, which would be different.

The history of the route is kinda interesting. I'm not sure of specific dates, but in the early part of the 1900's a thick steel cable was bolted to the rock with huge eye bolts (much like the bolts on the 3rd). Non-technical climbers would use this as an aid to climb up this face of Longs. That is until people started to realize that a 1in. thick cable bolted to the rock for hundreds of feet is a great conductor of electricity. The cable was removed, but a couple of the eye bolts still exist at the belays.

This climb is best started from the boulder field at the base of Long's approaching from the East. From the boulder field, the hike is only about 0.25mi. to the start of the climb and about 1.5mi. descent from the backside (W. side) of Long's. Otherwise, you're looking at a 6 mi. hike just to the boulder field with a full pack of gear. Best climbed mid summer through early fall (unless you bring crampons). I climbed it mid-October in 1998 and it was cold and coated with a nice layer of verglass (thin ice). This changed the grade from easy 5.4 to very contemplative 5.6-7ish.

There is only really one full pitch of technical climbing, then it's very easy 5th and 4th class for a pitch or so. After this, 3rd class get you to the summit, taking the line toward the edge of the diamond, then back to the summit.

The ranger station at the Longs trailhead has a nice 3D model of Longs and a ranger will be happy to show you the exact line. Descent is a downclimb of the same route (raps possible from the eye bolts) or via the standard Keyhole route.

Cable Route

Description

Protection

Routes in North Face/Ridge