Gorgeous columbine, 6/06.

All Locations > Colorado > Alpine Rock > RMNP - Rock > Ypsilon Mountain > Blitzen Ridge (5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c)

Gorgeous columbine, 6/06.

ID 105835612 ·

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Traversing around The Fourth Ace.

Beautiful alpine forget-me-nots found below Donner Ridge. 6/06

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4.6 from 7 votes

Rob Kepley

Jun 22, 2006

“Gorgeous columbine, 6/06.”

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Benjamin Chapman
Small Town, USA

Benjamin Chapman Small Town, USA

Beautiful! Oct 28, 2017

Nearby Photos

Gorgeous columbine, 6/06.

Beautiful alpine forget-me-nots found below Donner Ridge. 6/06

Photo by Avery N.<br>
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The Aces as seen from the Y couloir.<br>
July 3rd, 2004.

Wow! Exposure at its best. 6/06.

Lower Spectacle Lake.

The clouds break over the Aces.

Approaching the First Ace.

Wade Morris on top of the 2nd (?) Ace in Winter.

The full cirque (with most of the traverse we did).

Wade Morris near the top of the 3rd Ace, 2017 Winter.

En route to the summit. Spectacular! 6/06.

From First Ace, killer views!

Easy going so far on Donner.

Meaty part of the Blitzen Ridge.

Donner Ridge (descent we used).

'Aces high' and the final approach ridge of the Blitzen.

Good view of the Aces.

Approach gully from lower Spectacle Lake.

Kepley on the Blitzen's airy final approach.

Just below the summit, on the descent. Blitzen on the left and Donner on the right.

Spectacle Lakes from the approach gully.

Tony M. on Ace 1.

Another view of Spectacle Lakes and Donner Ridge.

Donner Ridge (routefinding was fairly easy; we made a couple of mid-class 5 downclimbing moves).

Progress so far.

The Aces, July '04.

The Four Aces and final headwall - the meat of the route

Beta shot for posing down hard on the summit of Ypsilon, Sam Flournoy and Ryne Greene.

Blitzen meeting the "Y". July '04.

The downclimb on the back of the third Ace.

Fast and light afternoon ascent of Blitzen ridge with Stefan Griebel. Downclimbing one of the aces before continuing up.

Final descent down to the Spectacle Lakes.

Keen traversing around the Fourth Ace.

The Third Ace as seen from the fourth.

Exposure.

Bypassing the tower on the ledge system.

A good 5.5-5.6 option on the 4th ace. Soloists, watch for those loose flakes.

First Ace.

Ryne Greene about done with the thousand feet of 4th class. Photo taken just before he couldn't take the exposure and asked to be short roped by partner, Sam Flournoy.

About to start the 4 Aces.

The Blitz.

Ypsilon from Chipmunk Lake.

Looking down Blitzen Ridge.

Most of the rock on the exposed bits was good (for CO).

Looking across to Blitzen Ridge as we start the descent down Donner Ridge.

Keen Butterworth enjoying the smashing view of the lower Ypsilon cirque from atop the Blitzen Ridge headwall.

Bill Duncan and the Blitzen Ridge.

The upper section of Blitzen Ridge.

Sunrise view of the upper cirque, Blitzen on the right, Donner on the left, and the late season Y Couloir central.

Tony M. with Spectacle Lakes below.

Back to lower Spectacle Lake.

Almost past the Aces.

Blitzen track with Chapin TH descent.

And the ridge goes on.

Ypsilon from the top of the direct approach from Ypsilon Lake.

Looking back at the fouth and third ace from the top of the headwall.

Looking across the cirque.

I took this while belaying a climber down the 4th Ace. In background see a lead climber on the final headwall.

Hard to see the Aces from this angle.

Traversing around The Fourth Ace.