All Locations > Colorado > CO Ice & Mixed > RMNP - Mixed/Ice

Bear Lake Trailheads Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Bear Lake Trailheads

Bear Lake and Bear's Den 4 / 3 / 5 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 8 / 0 / 9

Chaos Canyon 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 2 / 7 / 7

Emerald Lake / Tyndall Gorge 30 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 14 / 0 / 40 / 44 / 44

Odessa Gorge 7 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 7 / 0 / 2 / 4 / 10

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Elevation:	9,450 ft	2,880 m
GPS:	40.31201, -105.64578 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	187,697 total · 1,567/month
Shared By:	Leo Paik on Feb 4, 2015
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Regulations Details

General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.

Description

From the Bear Lake trailheads, you can access plenty of snow, ice, and mixed climbs that range from cragging to full day adventures. One advantage of this area is the abundant parking in the non-summer months. Additionally, the popularity of snowshoeing tends to stamp down at least the first few miles of the approaches here.

This is a section that includes:

Chaos Canyon
- Hallett Peak - South Side
- Chaos Creek
Bear Lake & vicinity
- Bear Lake Ice
- Bear's Den
Tyndall Gorge/Emerald Lake
- Emerald Lake & vicinity
- Nymph Lake
- Hallett Peak
- South Face of Flattop Peak (including Dragon's Tail)
Odessa Gorge
- North Face of Flattop
- Notchtop)

Getting There

From the Beaver Meadows entrance of RMNP, take a left shortly after passing through the ranger station and drive past Moraine Park, Glacier Basin Campground/winter parking lot, Sprague Lake, Glacier Gorge trailhead, and to Bear Lake (at the end of the road).

70 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Bear Lake Trailheads

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

WI3 14 ● The Hourglass Trad, Ice Odessa Gorge > Flattop Mtn - N side
WI1 M1 Mod. Snow 117 ● Dragon's Tail Couloir Trad, Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine Emerald Lake /… > Flattop Mtn - S side
WI3+ M6 22 ● Bullett Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine Emerald Lake /… > Hallett Peak -… > NE Buttress Hallett P…
WI5 5 ● Hot Doggie Trad, Ice, Alpine Odessa Gorge > Notchtop & vicinity
WI5-6 M6-7 16 ● The Squid Mixed, Ice, Alpine 2 pitches Emerald Lake /… > Emerald Lake & vicinity
WI5+ M5-6 Steep Snow 30 ● Hallett Chimney, AI5 M5 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine Emerald Lake /… > Hallett Peak -… > NE Buttress Hallett P…
M5- 28 ● Great Dihedral to Upper Buttress Mixed, Alpine 5 pitches Emerald Lake /… > Hallett Peak -… > NE Buttress Hallett P…
M5-6 5 ● Englishman's Route Mixed, Alpine 6 pitches Emerald Lake /… > Hallett Peak -… > NE Buttress Hallett P…
M6+ 17 ● Ole No. 2 Mixed Bear Lake & Bea… > Bear's Den
M5+ 14 ● Stem Corner Trad, TR, Mixed Bear Lake & Bea… > Bear's Den
WI2 M2 Mod. Snow 11 ● Smoke and Dragons Couloir Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine Emerald Lake /… > Flattop Mtn - S side
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b WI3 Easy Snow 44 ● North Face (which actually faces… Trad, Ice, Snow, Alpine 5 pitches Odessa Gorge > Notchtop & vicinity
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b M4 Steep Snow 21 ● Enter The Dragon (aka Old Route) Trad, Mixed, Snow, Alpine 6 pitches Emerald Lake /… > Flattop Mtn - S side
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a WI5 M8 PG13 15 ● Furry Thang Sport, Mixed, Ice Bear Lake & Bea… > Bear's Den
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b WI5+ M9+ PG13 5 ● Smokey Sport, TR, Mixed, Ice Bear Lake & Bea… > Bear's Den