RMNP Alpine Winter Wind Beta

I would like to do some winter alpine (above tree line) climbing in RMNP, even on days when strong winds are blasting the high peaks, exposed ridges, and open valleys.  I would appreciate it if the MP community could share the following info:

1. Experience with using local surface wind speed prediction models for alpine climbing.
2. Areas/routes in RMNP that tend to be well-sheltered from predominant winter winds.  

I did a little research on my own, but I haven't been able to much useful info on the subject.  For what it is worth, I did find one relevant research study from 1973-1974.  

I'd recommend the Windy app, or Windy.com. This is a resource used pretty widely by front range paraglider pilots to get a basic forecast for wind speeds. The Euro model, ECMF, seems to be the most accurate to me. Various altitudes can be selected for forecasting, along with a bunch of other options. FL100 and FL140 will probably be what you're looking for, corresponding to 10,000 and 14,000 respectively.

But it's the park, so you can just expect it to be pretty brutally windy and you'll be correct 95% of the time!

Below is a screenshot from the app, showing the current forecast (at 10k') along with on the ground reported wind. Pretty cool to see the wind hit the divide and come crashing down way stronger on the other side! 

Eric Klammer wrote: I'd recommend the Windy app, or Windy.com. This is a resource used pretty widely by front range paraglider pilots to get a basic forecast for wind speeds. The Euro model, ECMF, seems to be the most accurate to me. Various altitudes can be selected for forecasting, along with a bunch of other options. FL100 and FL140 will probably be what you're looking for, corresponding to 10,000 and 14,000 respectively.

But it's the park, so you can just expect it to be pretty brutally windy and you'll be correct 95% of the time!

Below is a screenshot from the app, showing the current forecast (at 10k') along with on the ground reported wind. Pretty cool to see the wind hit the divide and come crashing down way stronger on the other side! 

Thanks!