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DescriptionThe west slope of Long's Peak drops 3000 feet into a rugged basin at the head of Glacier Gorge known as the Black Lake Cirque. Some of the most impressive walls and spires in Rocky Mountain National Park are found here towering above fields of wild flowers, ice-scoured slabs and jewel-like lakes comprising an alpine paradise of exceptional beauty (except for the mosquitoes). The rim of Glacier Gorge is formed by Half Mountain, Storm Peak and Long's Peak on the east; Keyboard of the Winds, Pagoda Mountain and Chief's Head Peak on the south; and by McHenry's Peak, Powell Peak and Thatchtop Mountain on the west. Spearhead and Arrowhead are satellite or island peaks within the rim of the gorge. Getting ThereBegin from the Glacier Gorge Bus Stop (Trailhead) and follow the Glacier Gorge Trail to Black Lake. A useful shortcut branches right from the main trail just after the 4th stream crossing (about .55 mile) and regains the main trail just east of the Loch Vale Junction. As soon as you cross the log bridge over Icy Brook, you are in Glacier Gorge. This great trail continues to Mills Lake, Jewel Lake and eventually to Black Lake. From Black Lake the trail climbs along a beautiful cascade SE into the basin above Black Lake. From here, cairns indicate the line of least resistance into the upper cirque. The ClassicsMountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Glacier Gorge:
Shelf Cirque Traverse Easy 5th Trad, Alpine, 19475 feet, Grade IV Shelf Cirque
North Ridge 5.6 Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, Grade II Spearhead
Crescent Ridge 5.6 PG13 Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 500 feet, Grade II Pagoda Mountain
A Walk In The Park 5.6 Trad, Alpine, Grade IV A Walk in The Park
North Buttress 5.7 Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade III Pagoda Mountain
Glacier Gorge Traverse 5.7+ Trad, Alpine, 5000 feet, Grade IV Arrowhead
Syke's Sickle 5.9+ Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 900 feet, Grade III Spearhead
Ripsaw/Northeast Ridge 5.10a Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 1300 feet, Grade III Arrowhead
Full Metal Jacket 5.10c Trad, Alpine, 3 pitches, 320 feet, Grade III Arrowhead
Arrowplane 5.11a Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 800 feet, Grade III Arrowhead
Birds of Fire 5.11a R Trad, Sport, Alpine, Grade IV Chiefshead Northwest Face
Thurmond/Levine 5.11 R Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 470 feet Chiefshead Northeast Face
Cowboys and Indians 5.11c Trad, Alpine, Grade IV Chiefshead Northeast Face
Spear Me the Details 5.11d Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 700 feet, Grade III Spearhead
All Two Obvious 5.11d R Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 800 feet Spearhead
Stone Monkey 5.12a Trad, Alpine, Grade III Spearhead
Featured Route For Glacier Gorge
Ithaca 5.12a CO : Alpine Rock : ... : Arrowhead
Ithaca climbs the huge arching corner system just right of the plumbline of Airhead (5.11d) and a bit left of Warhead. Start off a long ledge system reached after some easy scrambling.Pitch 1: Climb straight up the beautiful slab below the arch with no gear but good holds. Belay in some ledgy stuff below a nice clean right facing corner. Delightful 5.8X, 160feet.Pitch 2: Climb the [L-facing] corner to a nice stance below a left angling roof/arch. Excellent. 5.11a, 75fee...[more] Browse More Classics in CO
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