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Glacier Gorge Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Glacier Gorge

A Walk in The Park 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Arrowhead 27 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 27 / 27

Chiefshead 15 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 16 / 16

Half Mountain 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

McHenry's Peak 9 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 9 / 9

Pagoda Mountain 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 7

Rain Delay Crag 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Shameless Tower 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5 / 5

Shelf Cirque 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Spearhead 15 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 15 / 15

Stoneman Pass 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1

Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	10,638 ft	3,242 m
GPS:	40.2655, -105.64137 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	444,309 total · 2,222/month
Shared By:	Richard Rossiter on Oct 19, 2009
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Closures Details

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.

Description

The 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 There

Begin 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.

There is also a steep path that leads to Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake. This trail (never built) breaks right from the Glacier Gorge Trail after about 4 miles in some old avalanche debris. Cross Glacier Creek on large flat boulders and the find the start to the trail in the trees. This is less than obvious.

84 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Glacier Gorge

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

Easy 5th 1+ 3 I 5 M 1c 15 ● Shelf Cirque Traverse Trad, Alpine Shelf Cirque
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a 26 ● A Walk In The Park Trad, Alpine A Walk in The Park
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b 384 ● North Ridge Trad, Alpine 7 pitches Spearhead
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 35 ● Crescent Ridge Trad, Alpine 4 pitches Pagoda Mountain
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 25 ● Glacier Gorge Traverse Trad, Alpine Arrowhead
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a 254 ● Sykes' Sickle Trad, Alpine 7 pitches Spearhead
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b 365 ● The Barb Trad, Alpine 9 pitches Spearhead
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c R 87 ● Birds of Fire Trad, Alpine 9 pitches Chiefshead > Chiefshead Northwest…
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c 67 ● Arrowplane Trad, Alpine 6 pitches Arrowhead
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c 25 ● Cowboys and Indians Trad, Alpine Chiefshead > Chiefshead Northeast…
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a PG13 77 ● The Kingfisher Trad, Alpine 7 pitches Spearhead
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a 30 ● Airhead Trad, Alpine 5 pitches Arrowhead
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a 72 ● Spear Me the Details Trad, Alpine 8 pitches Spearhead
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 8 ● Stone Monkey Trad, Alpine Spearhead
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R 40 ● All Two Obvious Trad, Alpine 8 pitches Spearhead