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The Notch Couloir is one of the wildest couloir routes in Colorado as it combines two classic couloirs and an exposed ledge traverse of Broadway to make a circuitous but mostly snow-filled climb up the east face of Longs Peak. This ideally snow covered route is typically in best shape in the spring and early summer but can be climbed most of the year depending on snow and avalanche conditions. The entire route has also been skied a few times with a rope belay, but a ropeless descent into a parachute launch off the lower east face would be the ultimate "huck".
Longs Peak, Notch Couloir
Grade IV: Snow to 60 degrees, ice or mixed sections in summer and autumn.
First Ascent: |
JW Alexander, 1922 |
Style: |
Fall: mixed route Winter: avalanche gully Spring: steep snow climb Summer: icy climb of Lambslide to dry Broadway traverse to firm snow/water ice and moderate mixed (M1). |
Difficulty: |
60 degree snow/ice, mixed to M1 |
Length: |
6-15 pitches, depending on conditions, climbing abilities and risk tolerance. |
Season: |
All year depending on avalanche conditions and climber abilities. |
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The entire route to the Notch with the dashed lines representing typical 60 meter pitches for the route.
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Seasonal Conditions:
April through June are typically the best months for an ascent of the Notch Couloir. Late spring and early summer provide the best firm snow conditions which are ideal for this mostly snow-covered couloir. As it melts-out in the summer, the snow can transform into alpine ice and although it might be mostly dry, there can be sections of alpine and water ice in certain sections. The months of July and August are the worst time for thunderstorms and by mid-August the Lambslide Couloir approach is often in a dangerously melted-out condition where rocks dislodge from the ice day and night. The autumn season quickly gives mixed climbing conditions (crampons and tools) until the route is potentially too dangerous due to avalanche risk (primarily in the Lambslide and Couloir sections) although the use of a rope and belays can negate some of the risk.
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Vertical Elevation Gain and Mileage:
You’ll gain 4,850 feet from the trailhead to the summit. The route is commonly done in a long day (which reflects the Grade IV rating), though a high level of fitness is needed. It can also be nice to camp the night before, usually at the Chasm Lake bivy sites which involve a descent from The Camel or the other direction via Clark's Arrow to the Lambslide to collect one's gear. At all bivy sites, tents are not allowed after May 15th, and a bivy permit (issued by the backcountry office) is required. It is approximately 5.5 miles each way from the trailhead to summit of Longs Peak via the Notch Couloir route.
Early morning climbing conditions in the Lambslide Couloir in typical spring and early summer.
Gear:
One rope (a 60 or 70-meter length is best and a full set of cams (12), from .2 camalot to #2 are helpful along with a small set of nuts (mostly parallel cracks up here), 8-10 shoulder-length runners, and a couple of 48" slings would be helpful. A helmet is a always a good idea in the mountains where not all handholds have been regularly tested and natural rockfall is possible.
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Most climbers use warm leather boots in the late spring and plastic in the winter up here. The Black Diamond aluminum "Neve" crampons can be perfect when the route is all snow covered due to their sturdy yet lightweight construction. Two tools are easiest to use on the steep snow where a longer axe gets in the way and especially as the route becomes more neve and ice covered. Rain gear is usually essential, as is appropriate clothing (warm pants, fleece top, gaitors, warm hat and gloves). The east face of Longs goes into the shade early (by 11 a.m.) and temperatures can drop fast once the sun is behind the peak. The couloir is in the shade for most of the day due to it's deeply protected position.
Approach:
Leaving the Longs Peak trailhead at 9,400', one ascends the rocky trail to above treeline to reach the Jim's Grove trail junction after 2.8 miles and 1,600' of elevation gain. This initial section typically takes around 1:15 hours. Another 1.3 miles takes one to the Chasm Lake junction and another .7 miles takes one to Chasm Lake at 11,800'. The approach to Chasm Lake is typically done in about 2 hrs. and with another 2o minutes up to Lambslide when Chasm Lake is frozen, reaching this crampon-on point would best be done before sunrise.
It is most ideal when the lake has at last a foot of ice on it as it can easily be crossed in 5 minutes in these conditions to reach the western shore where just northwest are the big boulders that are the official "bivy sites" for this side of Longs. There is often sufficient ice on the lake from early December until early June. Otherwise stay right (north) around the lake where a number of cairns well above the lake (100' vertical) contour through the talus to reach the western end (30 minutes average just to traverse around the lake).
Looking across at the Lambslide Couloir and cut-off to Broadway in early summer.
From the west end of the lake, stay left (south) to climb around the terminal moraine of the long-dead Mills Glacier, taking the easiest way through the snow or scree to reach the base of the Lambslide Couloir. Usually roping-up here or at least pulling out the crampons and axe are necessary for the 1000' vertical ascent of the Lambslide (45 degree snow/ice) to reach the cut-off to the Broadway ledge system.
Traversing Broadway at sunrise in spring snow conditions.
Although the route "officially" starts on Broadway where it intersects with the Notch Couloir, the grade IV rating that I give reflects the approach, climb up Lambslide, and in typical conditions (Oct.- July), the 4-5 pitches of roped climbing across Broadway where a few fixed pins and many cams will help protect the leader and second from a long fall down the lower east slabs. A running belay may be another alternative for belaying the Broadway traverse although without anchored belays, even more gear should be clipped to prevent the climbing team from potentially hanging off the rope over the lower east face.
The high traverse of Broadway which avoids the "step-across" move which is often very steep snow in the spring.
The low traverse of Broadway after the "step-across" move in early summer conditions
Broadway Traverse:
From the top of the Lambslide Couloir, by staying high on the Broadway ledge system when snow covered, the climbing is relatively easy although increasingly exposed until one reaches a nice ledge where the first pitched climbing across Broadway typically starts. The initial pitch involves a short, steep (50 degree snow) down-climb and then it is mostly horizontal traversing pitches across 40-60 degree snow to reach the Notch Couloir. This section can often be the crux of the entire route.
Steep ( 60 degree) snow traversing between run-outs in the middle of the Broadway traverse.
Standing at the base of the Notch Couloir in typical spring conditions.
The Notch Couloir:
From the south side of the Notch Couloir, hug either side to minimize the avalanche and falling rock exposure and stretch the rope out as much as possible to reduce the number of anchors needed for this typically 5-6 pitch snow route.
Pitch two belay anchor on the sunny side of the Notch Couloir in late-May 2008 conditions.
Looking up at the third snow pitch before it narrows and then starts to diagonal right.
At about the halfway point in the couloir, a headwall is reached (often dangerously perched snow mushrooms sit here and just above on climber's left) and at this junction, the obvious path of least resistance to the right brings one back into the sunlight and views across upper Kieners are available to the north. A few more pitches on increasingly steeper snow culminate in reaching The Notch, which along with the Diamond is the most obvious feature on Longs Peak.
Looking down on the typical third pitch of the Notch Couloir
Coming around the corner on steep snow as the route angles right past the narrows on pitch 5 of the Notch Couloir.
From the notch, either traverse west a short distance to gain a moderate chimney climb to reach the south ridge above the notch, or descend for 200' to join the Clark's Arrow route which after a short traverse, meets up with the upper Homestretch on the Keyhole route to the summit of Longs Peak. It should be less than an hour of climbing from the top of the notch to the summit of Longs.
Jason Mines two-tooling some decent snow with big exposure below to the Chasm Lake.
At the Longs Peak Notch where a group of skiers prepared for their descent of this rowdy couloir. We continued to the summit, descended Clark's Arrow to the Loft and glissaded Lambslide and were at Chasm Meadows well ahead of these shredders.
From the summit, there are numerous descent options including the Keyhole, North Face, and Clark's Arrow routes which all are moderate and only the North Face requires the use of a rope for a few short rappels down the bottom of this face. On a late May descent from the summit in 2008, we chose the Clark's Arrow route to reach The Loft (large saddle between Longs and Mount Meeker), and from here, we down-climbed the easy Lambslide Couloir to find soft enough snow to make for a 1000'+ glissading descent down to Chasm Lake. This was a very quick descent down to our starting point for this classic alpine route.
Avalanche Hazard:
The East Face of Longs Peak often has very significant avalanche hazard, typically from mid-November until late April. This very exposed eastern aspect is often lee loaded after a snowstorm and it's perfect upper 40-50 degree average angle, slick bed surface (rock slabs) and undercut nature (unsupported by cliffs) are the perfect ingredients for dangerous slab avalanche conditions. With a terrain trap as serious as the Lower East Face below, extreme caution should be used in evaluating the potential for slab avalanches. The Lambslide Couloir and Notch Couloir sections of the route usually contain the highest danger but with careful route-finding and the use of a rope and solid belays, much of this avalanche danger can be negated due to the climbers being well attached to the rock face.
The view from the west side of the Notch Couloir where one can easily descend to the Clark's Arrow route.
Hazards to other Climbers:
Be aware that a number of high-quality climbing routes lay below Broadway (Stettner's Ledges for example) and so great care should be taken when traversing this ledge system as not to knock-off any rocks onto climbers below. Especially in the summer months when there is much loose material ready to be released and the likelihood of a climber below is higher, a climber on the Notch Couloir could easily kill someone, so be careful!
Looking up at the Homestretch to the summit of Longs Peak, well covered in firm snow in late May, 2008.
Descent:
Typically, the North Face route is the common descent route unless avalanche conditions here are Considerable or greater in which case the Keyhole Route is the preferred path of descent back to the Boulderfield. If there is bivy gear left at the Chasm Lake bivy sites, a descent of the straightforward (3rd class) Camel Couloir is best although the Clark's Arrow to Lambslide Couloir could be a viable and quicker option if snow conditions permit.
Permits:
No permit is required to climb Longs Peak. Bivy permits or camping permits are required and available at the Rocky Mtn National Park Backcountry Office (970-586-1242). They now cost $20, are strictly enforced, and must be picked up in person during business hours.
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