RMNP - Rock 

Overheard in a discussion about climbing during the winter time in Rocky Mountain National Park - "If you not being bouted at least 40% of the time, you're not trying."

I remember reading in Dumais' ole guide to the RMNP high country how Yvon Chouinard had described the Petit as "one of the more amazing positions" he had been in. If it's okay for Yvon, it's okay for me; one of the best moderates I've ever done.

Along with the usual dangers of Alpine climbing,(weather ,altitude ,lightning, rockfall) make sure you include marmots !! My first bad encounter was with one at Chasm Meadows 30 yrs. ago. I'd gotten a long ways ahead of my partner on the descent from the Loft so I decided to take a nap in the sun and grass using my pack as a pillow. My nap got interupted when my head hit the ground after a marmot pulled my pack out from under me! That was 30 yrs. ago and they've gotten a lot smarter in the mean time. EVERY major backcountry cliff especially Long's/Meeker, Spearhead, The Petit, and Notchtop are home to roving hordes of outlaw marmots. You might laugh but it's a real bummmer after wasting yourself on a climb to get back to your pack/bivy and find EVERYTHING eaten or torn to shreds. I string my gear up as if I was in bear country with a piece of cord thrown over any overhanging boulder to get my stuff up of the ground and out of their reach. Be carefull out there!

Who is this mysterious Pat "Hook" Vernon you ask? And what is the location of his standard-shattering testpiece the "Pathook"? Why, that is one of the best kept secrets in RMNP and Sheffield, never to be revealed!

The marmots are just as bad in the Chicago Basin in the San Juans beneath Sunlight, Windom, and Eolus. When I was there a few years ago in June, there was only one other guy and a marmot ate through his Bibler and thermarest while he was climbing. He didn't have a scrap of food in the tent either. On his advice, we hung everything like you would for bears, but they still got to some things. It makes you mad that you have to take down your tent and hang everything at the crack of dawn before you go out to climb...

The area around Mummy Pass (just inside th RMNP boundary), has an abundance of unclimbed boulders, some of which will easiy go V6 or 7. The Mummy Pass trail is off Pingree road near Rustic on hwy 14. If you don't mind a long hike (7mi), and a little altitude 11,500 ft, you will find piles of quality rock. Prepare for cool nights when camping, often below 49F even in summer.

Per the RMNP website: Bear Lake Road Construction

A two-year road reconstruction project on the Bear Lake Road will begin in the spring of 2003. Beginning on May 1, 2003, the road from Sprague Lake to Bear Lake will be accessible by shuttle bus only. Buses will begin running May 1st and will operate through October 31st. The shuttle bus route for this section of Bear Lake Road will run daily every 30 minutes from 5:00am to 10:00pm. The construction will recommence May 1, 2004, and will conclude, weather permitting, October 31, 2004. Again, during this time the road beyond Sprague Lake will be shuttle access only.

Winter travel from November 1, 2003, through april 30, 2004, will be allowed for private vehicles to Bear Lake. The road surface will be gravel. The Sprague Lake road will be closed during the winter of 2003 - 2004 for bridge construction.

For questions, call the park information office at 970-586-1206.

To update Brad's comment above regarding the Bear Lake Road construction, the road will now be closed to private vehicles starting June 1, 2003 (rather than May 1, 2003). See the link below for more info:

www.nps.gov/romo/visit/weather/bearlake.html

Attention Long's Peak enthusiasts!!! 2 years ago, in what some call a foolish effort, but my friend, Stuart, and I call an epic rock climbing experience, we attempted the Casual Route of Long's Peak's Diamond on August 21st, 2001. Upon incliment weather we retreated on the final pitch of this impressive line. I being 15 years old at the time, and he 16, we believe we are among, if not, THE youngest combined age to attempt and nearly complete the East Face. We would appreciate anyone with information concerning the validity of our statement, or else some record should be made and massive bragging rights are rightfully ours. If you have any questions, or think we're full of it, please contact myself, Justin at __justinmig@yahoo.com__ or Stuart at __stusiff85@hotmail.com__

Two young people did it a long time ago, maybe 1996? I cant remember they were both sixteen, ones name was Austin. Nice going, get back up there and complete it. Oh yeah Tommy caldwell did it really young too, I cant remember but I think it was something crazy like 8?

=bye

Latest update from the Park service (as of 5/12) is construction will begin sometime in the second or third week of June. The road will stay open until then. They said the construction may start rather abruptly, so be aware the road may close quickly. Once construction begins, the road will be closed from Sprague Lake to ALL personal travel (no bikes in construction zone). The shuttle bus will run from 5am-10pm, every 30 minutes. It will run all the way to the Bear Lake parking lot, stopping at all the currently designated spots (including Glacier Gorge Junction, don't know about future plans for this lot...).

The rangers are concerned about people that miss the last bus, but will not have any other transportation after 10pm - you'll be hiking if you miss that last bus. It's ~4mi. back to the parking lot at Sprague Lk.

There's tons of snow in the Park right now; NW face of Cheifshead had ice/snow plastering the top 1/3 on Sunday. Snow coverage on the peaks is impressive. Potential for lots of ice if we get the right freeze/thaw going.

RMNP - Bouldering problem called 'Get Over It,' I heard about it through a friend but have been unable to find??? I suppose since it is a "newer" bouldering problem few have yet to hear of it, but if anyone has any information on it's whereabouts please e-mail me! Thanks! Care :) OoOooMilieuooOoO@aol.com

What is the best guidebook to get for RMNP...The Gillet guide or the Rossiter guide? ...either High peaks or Crags...I'd love to hear comments on both.

I see the Gillet guides is "fresher" 2001 vs. 1996, but has it been updated?

Thanks

Bernard Gillet's guide is far superior to Rossiter's.Rossiter's topos look like they were drawn by a two year old, and I find them confusing.I have never seen a more precise and clearly drawn topo as Bernard's.Only problem is, in his Lumpy book , there's all these pictures of Chris Hill.

I disagree with Justin. I find Rossiter's topos to be better than anyones. They're very detailed and usually quite accurate. Bernard's are pretty good, but more basic, with not as much detail of surrounding features. Both Guidebooks are worth owning, IMO. Bernards descriptions coupled with Rossiter's topos would make an ideal guidebook. Compare either of these to Don Reid's Yosemite guidebook and you'll realize that we've got it pretty good.

As far as High Peaks vs. Crag Areas, it depends on what areas you're more interested in.

For guidebooks, both are pretty darn good - it's pretty much a matter of personal preference. Check 'em both out at a bookstore and buy the one you like best (or both). I agree with Scott, Rossiter's topos are excellent while Gillett's guide has more routes and is more up-to-date. The topos in the first edition of Gillett were really poor, but he has improved them a lot in the current version (he removed the cartoons, though, this is a major minus!). The "Crags" guides I'm not so familiar with, but I believe they do not cover exactly the same areas. There are a bunch of obscure areas in the Gillett crags guide that are not in the Rossiter crag guide. They both cover Lumpy but if you want to go to any of these obscure areas this may matter to you.

The first RMNP guide I bought was by Richard DuMais. This was a very minimalist guide with no topos at all. So rejoice in the guidebook glut, either of the latest versions is a lot better than that.

Can anyone provide me with the current conditions on the lower east face of Longs? (Kor route/ Stettners) I'm hoping to get up there soon, and wondering what mills glacier and upper kieners are like these days, and if the lower east face is still seeing much runoff.Thanks in advance!

I was wondering where some snow was in the front range for skiing. The San Juans are getting a little thin by now. I am hoping to ski some lines this next week somewhere. If anyone has any information it would be appreciated as I haven't been North for a few months. (quality lines are a plus, but July is a tough month to be picky!)Thanks, Scott

I'm looking for any information that anyone has on the Pfiffner Traverse, which is an 80+ mile traverse of the continental divide from Berthoud Pass to Milner Pass. Roach took 16 days to do this and I heard about someone doing it in under 24 hours. That's a big difference. Any beta would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Dana Ernst

Dana Ernst, The Pfiffner traverse is roughly from Longs Peak to Arapahoe Peak, but it could be longer like Gerry Roach's version. It is very hard to carry a pack on some of it. Yesterday I traversed from Longs to Pagoda and descended the West Ridge of Pagoda and headed toward Chiefshead, I only had a short piece of rope (60 feet) and used it once for a short rappel on the west ridge. The west ridge of Pagoda is the only 5th class climbing that I know of that isn't on a north ridge and it may contain the hardest climbing, although there are sections I haven't done but I don't think they are difficult. The north ridge of Paiute is also difficult and it isn't written upin Roach's books. We did a rappel there also but I think it could be avoided by stayinglower on the west side of the ridge going toward the big notch. The climbing beyond the big notch is easy enjoyable 5th class climbing. Travelling southward makes sense for the whole traverse except for the west ridge of Pagoda. Gerry Roach's books cover almost all of the terrain.

The phone number for getting backcountry permits is(970) 586 1242. The general information number is(970) 586 1206.

Not fascinating information, but possibly useful.

The first guide book to RMNP was not written by Dick DuMais. Walter Fricke wrote and published A CLIMBER'S GUIDE TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AREA in 1971. The book covered features in the Estes Park valley, to include The Crags and Lumpy Ridge, as well as the High Peaks. The book contained textual descriptions as well as some excellent black and white photographs. The book was humorously nicknamed "Fricke's Follies," and has been out of print since the mid-1970s.

Anybody have any information on [Chaos] Canyon. I hear it's totally ill, and I was looking for approach info and any other beta y'all have...

Thanks.

Thanks to everyone that offered feedback to my question about Culp-Bossier. I appreciate it!

We knew Walt Fricke's guidebook as Fricke's Fables, not Fricke's Follies.Sykes Sickle on Spearhead was named after Brit Richars Sykes. Let's not go changing the name to "psyches" Sickle.Gary Neptune

Hi, My name is Grant Ortman. I was just posting to see if anyone will be climbing on Spearhead in the next few days. Today, Aug 21st, myself and a partner had to bail off The Barb because of shitty weather. I'm basically looking to see if someone is doing this route in the [coming] days if they could pluck the gear. We only had one rope so its kind of spread everywhere. Anyway [I can't] get up there until [Friday] so if someone could pluck the gear that would kick ass. I'm willing to give you one of the cams I left if anyone could contact me with the goods. So, if anyone out there plucks my gear and wants to earn karma points along with a free cam give me a call at 970-222-6469 or email me at grantortman@hotmail.com. Cheers grant

Here's a link to the Long's Peak "web cam". 'Word on the street, however, is that it is truly a Long's Peak JPG, and infrequently updated. This is to say it's not too useful in its current incarnation/state of upkeep. Here it is, anyway:
mms.nps.gov/romo/netcam.jpg

Perhaps it'd be helpful if this section was filed as:

All Locations > Colorado > RMNP?

Pfiffner Traverse - LA Freeway. I just saw the query/post from '03. I did Long's Peak to Arapaho, all on the divide, on July 8 & 9, 2002. I named it the "LA Freeway". ("Longs" to "Arapaho", and because it's not much of a freeway; there's some stout sections in there). I did it fairly casually, 16 hrs both days, car - car. Very highly recommended.

I need to know where swissco is. If anyone has any info on swissco, send me something any info will help, thank you.

Snow conditions in the Park? Anyone with info on the approach to the Spearhead? What about up to the Petit?

If the climbers on Broadway (June 13) that were enduring the barrage of avalanches read this I have some pictures of you guys. We were on Flying Dutchman and were watching.

I have to say that after the slides we heard the climbers and they seemed incredibly composed for what just happened, unlike what I would have been like!

Does anyone have a good report for the conditions on the Diamond as of yesterday or today?

9th Annual Lumpy Trails Day at Lumpy Ridge,
Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado.
The Front Range Section of the American Alpine Club will be hosting a trail improvement day at Lumpy Ridge in Estes Park, Colorado. This project is in conjunction with the Access Fund ‘Adopt-A-Crag’ program. A full day is scheduled on Sunday, October 18th. Interested persons should register early by emailing event organizer Greg Sievers at g_sievers57@q.com, or calling 970-586-4075. Only those registered will receive a free lunch at the work site and T-shirt.
The group will meet at 7:30am at the Estes Park Town Hall parking lot on MacGregor Ave (downtown next to the Police Dept. and behind the library) where coffee and donuts will be provided. National park staff will supply tools and transportation to the trailhead. Volunteers should bring gloves, plenty of water, dress appropriately and are encouraged to stay for the full day (but part day help is very welcome). All volunteers in attendance at 4pm will be eligible for gifts and raffle items that are sure to please and thrill.
A good turnout will prove that ‘climbers’ are good stewards of the land and considerate users but also proactive about our interaction with one of this countries largest land management agencies. This year’s goals include work on the badly eroded “Sundance Buttress” approach trail.
In 2005 this event won the Access Fund’s “Adopt-a-Crag of the year award”. Be part of this energetic proactive event and the beauty of splitter Lumpy granite.

I climbed the Southwest Corner with my brother a couple years back. It was my first time in the park climbing. We had a great time. Remember get there early the routes get stacked with climbers in mid am. You may not get a chance on a route if you get there after 12 noon.

Obviously it depends on how big of a snow year it was, but how are the routes in the park around Memorial Day weekend? Trying to plan a trip and were in between sweating to death in Zion or needing crampons and axes in the park...advice?

South facing routes could be good. Diamond won't be in by most people's standards. A major late spring snowstorm is always a possibility at this time too. Great climbing on nearby Lumpy Ridge if there's too much snow in the Park, though.

Sounds like you may be looking for long adventure routes...consider the Black Canyon, which is usually about perfect in late May. Possibly a tad warm, but much less so than Zion.

Either looking for a ton of aid and walls or long, awesome, alpine free climbs...The Diamond would be on the list along with a few others, so I may need to bump our trip back a little to get us a better chance of nice weather.... Thanks, CV!

ALERT: for access to Spearhead, Chiefshead, Arrowhead, Loch Vale area, Sky Pond, Taylor, Petit Grepon, Cathedral Wall, Zowie, Andrews, Flattop, Otis, NotchTop, etc. etc.
BEAR LAKE ROAD reconstruction & road closures
www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/bearlakeroad_reconstruction.h>>>