Spearhead Rock Climbing
Elevation: | 12,575 ft |
GPS: |
40.2567, -105.63834 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
Page Views: | 226,010 total · 829/month |
Shared By: | Charles Vernon on Dec 31, 2000 · Updates |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.
General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.
Description
A beautiful, white northeast-facing wall which starts as a slab and steadily rises to vertical, Spearhead is surrounded and dwarfed by taller mountains in the center of the Glacier Gorge Cirque-- one of the most beautiful spots on earth. Expect clean, sharp flakes and cracks, as well as some brilliant face climbing on the harder routes. Sykes' Sickle is possibly the best 5.9 in the Park (and the Sickle itself, a huge dihedral/roof on the upper part of the face, is a good route-finding landmark), the North Ridge (5.6) is a classic moderate alpine ridge climb, and there are numerous excellent climbs in the 5.10-5.12 range, including the Barb (III 5.10). Spear Me The Details and All Two Obvious are sought-after face-climbing test-pieces in the 11+/12- range, and Stone Monkey (5.12a) is a stunning crack that apparently does not get attempted often.
Spearhead's summit is as wild as it gets in the Park, especially considering it can be reached by non-technical climbing. It's composed of giant stacked blocks that overhang the center of the fact. It's worth the ~5 minutes it takes from the top of most routes to scramble up and check out.
Descent: from the summit, or from routes that end west of it, descend third class to the SW, down scree and slabs, taking care to go far enough left so as not to be cliffed-out. Some routes on the left half of the face end on a ledge which provides access to a fourth class descent on the mountain's east flank. This is the best descent for any route that starts on the left side of the wall. Again, take care not to get cliffed-out. If you do it right it ends on a ramp system which spits you out near the northeast corner of the cliff.
There is also a mostly-bolted rappel route (two ropes) that starts from the top of the route All Two Obvious. The first anchors are just below a ledge where the east-side fourth class descent route begins, and they would be hard to spot unless you know where to look. I am unfamiliar with the condition of the anchors, aside from the top three anchors, which are on the last three pitches of All Two Obvious and are in good shape. There is a topo for this rappel route in Richard Rossiter's guidebook to The Park.
Spearhead's summit is as wild as it gets in the Park, especially considering it can be reached by non-technical climbing. It's composed of giant stacked blocks that overhang the center of the fact. It's worth the ~5 minutes it takes from the top of most routes to scramble up and check out.
Descent: from the summit, or from routes that end west of it, descend third class to the SW, down scree and slabs, taking care to go far enough left so as not to be cliffed-out. Some routes on the left half of the face end on a ledge which provides access to a fourth class descent on the mountain's east flank. This is the best descent for any route that starts on the left side of the wall. Again, take care not to get cliffed-out. If you do it right it ends on a ramp system which spits you out near the northeast corner of the cliff.
There is also a mostly-bolted rappel route (two ropes) that starts from the top of the route All Two Obvious. The first anchors are just below a ledge where the east-side fourth class descent route begins, and they would be hard to spot unless you know where to look. I am unfamiliar with the condition of the anchors, aside from the top three anchors, which are on the last three pitches of All Two Obvious and are in good shape. There is a topo for this rappel route in Richard Rossiter's guidebook to The Park.
Getting There
Park at the Glacier Gorger Junction trailhead (a mile below Bear Lake), and follow signs to cliff-ringed Black Lake at 5 miles. Head east above the Lake on a faint trail until you reach tree-line, then cut back south to the base of the now-obvious cliff across slabs and meadows.
Per Daniel Kay: as of 2021, bivy permits are a flat $30 cost, regardless of party size or number of nights. Max party size of 4, max stay of 3 consecutive nights in the Spearhead zone.
Classic Climbing Routes at Spearhead
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
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