Longs Peak - Upper East Face

ICE/MIXED

ALPINE

MAP

The terrain above Broadway, between the the top of Lambs Slide and the Diamond, is known as the Upper East Face. This is actually the east side of the southeast ridge and is split into two sections by the Notch Couloir. The large broken face to the left of the Notch consists of a series of buttresses, pinnacles, and gullies, the most notable of which are Zumies Thumb, the Eighth Route gully, and the Beaver. The area between the Notch Couloir and the Diamond is characterized by Kiener’s Chimney, The Window area, and a sloping wall that is the small-but-true east face of Longs Peak. Approach: Routes to the left of the Diamond (south of The Obelisk) are usually approached via Lambs Slide or a route on the Lower East Face such as Alexander’s Chimney or Stettner’s Ledges. It is also reasonable to reach routes to the right of the Notch Couloir via the North Chimney, though this approach is steeper and more dangerous than Lambs Slide. Descent: For routes south of the Notch Couloir that finish on the crest of the southeast ridge, simply hike down the ridge to the Loft (the broad saddle between Longs Peak and Mount Meeker) and descend via The Loft. For routes north of the Notch Couloir, such as The Window, continue to the summit via Kiener’s or downclimb Kiener’s to Broadway.