Access Issue: Closures
Details
Sharkstooth located in Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado is one of the Cathedral Spires located near it’s famous sisters, the Petit Grepon and the Saber.
On the approach the trail splits at a marker for Andrew’s Glacier at the lowest point near the Loch. Make sure to stay low in the valley following the glacial run off and do not follow the trail inadvertently up towards Andrew’s Glacier, the lower route will avoid the worst of the boulder field on the approach to the Gash.
The descent from the summit is bolted as of 2020 for a 1 70 meter rope. Doubles are not needed to descend. Cairns mark the way from the summit to the rappel. Three rappels get you to the class 3 down climb to the Gash. If your last rap is on pitons and a chalkstone, you missed the last set of bolted anchors, but this rap is also secure as of 8/22/2020.
Great routes and views about on this impressive spire and it’s well worth the famously difficult approach.
Start at the Glacier Gorge trail head in RMNP. To get there, enter RMNP from Estes, take your first left and it's about 10-15 minutes from there.
From the trailhead, head towards Loch Vale. You'll go about 2 miles and then split off to the right and up some switchbacks to Loch Vale (0.7 miles). Then about another half a mile past Loch Vale, you see a sign for Andrew's Glacier where you split off right. Some miss this the first time, because the trail split isn't obvious, and it's actually about 10 meters before the sign (right after the creek crossing). Take the Andrew's Glacier trail for about half a mile, at which you will come to sign labeled "Andrew's Campground". The trail to The Gash takes a hard left and goes uphill directly before this sign. The trail is hard to see in the dark. After hiking a bit on this trail, you will see the Sharkstooth on your left. You'll also see The Gash which is a big boulder field that goes up to the base of the Sharkstooth. It's about half a mile to the rock from there. Exit the same way you came.
You can get to the south side of the Sharkstooth by skipping the split onto Andrew's Glacier trail. I'm not sure what routes are over here, but this is also the way to the Petit Grepon.
Per Gregger Man:
Rap 1: rap from 2 bolts ~35m to grassy ledge. A 60m will get you to an easy short 5.1 downclimb if you wish.
Rap 2: go ~40' below and rappeller's left of landing from rap 1 (3rd Class); and rap from 2 bolts ~35m down gully to another ledge.
Rap 3: rap from 2 bolts 60m to the top of East Col (or 35m to rap station 4).
(optional) Rap 4: rap off a good BD angle, a hammered stopper, a chockstone, and a soft iron ring pin in the right wall of the gully ~25m to top of East Col.
(See the topo.)
Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Vanlife
"When you get to the Gash, keep going almost like you are going to continue up the valley. Stop about halfway through the entrance to the Gash, then looking up the Gash you will see a steep talus gulley to the left heading up into the Gash. On the right will be jumbles of rocks that if climbed over, also head up into the Gash. In the center of these is a small cliff band. The good bivy is above this cliff, and slightly left as you head up the Gash towards Sharkstooth. If for some reason you miss it, just keep heading up the Gash, turn around, and you will be able to see the largest boulder no problem. Great bivy spot there. Another good one up and to the right if facing the big bivy. And another good cave about another five minutes up the Gash on the right in some larger boulders. " Aug 5, 2010
anywhere
Longmont, CO
Fayetteville, WV
Greg's topo linked in the descent beta is accurate and makes sense after seeing the rock, but I thought that last double rap was required and expected the worse from the midpoint anchor made of pins. Not so. The last rap shown in blue is to avoid a class 3 downclimb. I would maybe recommend this rap if the rock is wet, since you are on somewhat steep slabs, but it is very chill otherwise.
Descent beta in my words:
Rap 1: from the summit, you can downclimb the first 40 feet of the East Gully on Class 3 terrain to rap anchors on skier's right as you look down the gully. The anchors are on the hidden side of a rock on probably the last ledge before it turns 5th Class. You won't see them from above. The first rap ends gradually on 3rd Class terrain above a grassy ledge.
Rap 2: walk downhill on the ledge, and look down the next gully. The anchors are again on skier's right on the last ledge before it turns considerably steeper. You can't see the anchors from above, you can see these anchors if you traverse the grassy ledge skier's left.
Rap 3: about 35m (this is where I don't know if a 60m would go, it would be an exposed and likely 5th Class downclimb if your rope didn't make it) below rap 2 anchors, look to climber's right for some rap anchors. Directions thus far have been skier's orientation since you're scrambling down a gully to find anchors, but you're likely rappelling or downclimbing to find these. No huge ledge for these anchors. Anchors are on the left side of a pretty clean section of left-facing dihedral. Rap as far as you can, and downclimb Class 3 terrain towards The Saber. This will put you at the very top of the Gash boulderfield and an unpleasant but fine descent.
Thank you to whoever put in these anchors. Aug 6, 2021