Long's Kiener Route in snowy/icy conditions

[AlexeyD]

Anyone done this before? How stupid of an idea is it?

[Somewhat of a Prick]

I think there is someone from Canada you should speak with.

[Dave B]

Kiener's is pretty much doable year-round given good weather. It is in fact a classic, albeit coveted, winter ascent of Longs. It's also a pretty long day.

I'm guessing you're talking about an ascent soon? The current snow conditions shouldn't be too big of a deal. Lambslide will be bullet-proof ice so you'll need crampons and probably two tools. Also, ice screws for protection if you're not comfortable soloing AI2. The rest of the route should be fine though, just snow on ledges and some amazing exposure.

Getting into fall, winter and spring you'll want to wait several days after big snow storms to (hopefully) allow for Lambs Slide and uppers to stabilize. Uppers is prime unsupported avy terrain with potentially the worst terrain trap (i.e. the Diamond) you can find in CO.

[TomPierce]

I've done it in various snowy/icy conditions before, and agree with Dave about the ice on Lambs Slide; this time of the year it's typically black ice esp near the top. I'd bring appropriate pro unless you were comfortable going sans rope. There are two work-arounds: (1) Climb Glacier Ridge on climber's left of LS, then do a traverse over to Broadway. You'll still need to protect the traverse, it'd be a long slide down if you popped off; or (2) climb up to the Loft, then drop down the upper section of the Flying Dutchman, take the descending climber's left fork (left of the Eagle's Nest), then hug the wall onto Broadway. This will add time to an already long day. I've done both of those options, so they work, but I have no recent beta on conditions. Finally, with early season snow I'd be esp careful not to trust a snowy traverse, there have been mini-slides off Broadway. Not slabs, just snow that gave way. The squeeze section (where I think the Canadian fellow got stuck) protects pretty well: A #2 Camalot in a short vertical crack on the LS side of the move, then an angle piton just past on the Broadway wall (at least it was still there last time I did it).

But I again agree with Dave, it's a classic. Be careful, have fun!

-Tom

[AlexeyD]

Thanks all, this helps. It wouldn't be necessarily now, but in the next few weeks. Regarding Lamb's Slide, I was expecting about as much, so I'd definitely plan on taking tools, crampons and a few screws. I also wouldn't go if there had been recent snowfall because of avy concerns. I was mostly curious about how much more difficult it becomes with snow covering the rocks on the technical sections. The bit about sluffs off of Broadway is also interesting...definitely makes me want to protect at least some of it.

[pbakwin]

I haven't checked it out in maybe 3 weeks, but last time I looked Lambs was NOT ice. This year was exceptional in that late summer just didn't have the heat to cause enough melting to create the usual alpine ice up there late season. By early Sept. the N Face was iced and it stayed that way. Anyway, Lambs may well be excellent right now, but if not you can climb the Glacier Rib on the left (as mentioned). You can simply continue up the rock until you are above the ice/snow of Lambs, then walk across and descend to Broadway. This usually costs just a couple 100 vertical feet to get above the snow.

[AlexeyD]

I haven't checked it out in maybe 3 weeks, but last time I looked Lambs was NOT ice. This year was exceptional in that late summer just didn't have the heat to cause enough melting to create the usual alpine ice up there late season. By early Sept. the N Face was iced and it stayed that way. Anyway, Lambs may well be excellent right now, but if not you can climb the Glacier Rib on the left (as mentioned). You can simply continue up the rock until you are above the ice/snow of Lambs, then walk across and descend to Broadway. This usually costs just a couple 100 vertical feet to get above the snow.

I actually climbed Lamb's in late July of this year, as part of a modified climb of Longs via the Clarks Arrow route, and at that point it was indeed a simple snow climb. At that time, going all the way up and descending toward Broadway would have seemed very contrived. Perhaps in late season the snow ends lower, I don't know. Either way, I don't mind steep snow and ice climbing and would actually appreciate the alpine nature of a route requiring a bit of technical ice. Personally I feel like Lamb's is an integral part of the classically alpine nature of Kiener's, and I'm surprised that some people go to such lengths to avoid or minimize it, but to each his own I guess.

[SchralpTheGnar]

We climbed longs one year in September and the ice was so hard it broke my buddies crampon while we were soloing and induced a mini epic.

Also agree that kieners-lambs slide != kieners

[Dan_Suitor]

Yep. Check out this Trip Report http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include. Not mine, but very impressive.

[Dave B]

This was posted on 29-Sept. Looks pretty icy.

Photo credit: Climbing Life Guides