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

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

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

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The Aces, July '04.

Back to lower Spectacle Lake.

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sam flournoy

Mar 29, 2005

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

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Lower Spectacle Lake.

A Google Earth overlay.

Halfway up the last headwall with the prominent 4th Ace behind us.

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

Ally B. at the top of the gully that gets you on Blizen Ridge. Beautiful view, beautiful woman and all with Long's Peak in the background

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

Good view of the Aces.

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Looking down Blitzen Ridge.

Blitzen track with Chapin TH descent.

Donner Ridge (descent we used).

Approach gully from lower Spectacle Lake.

Spectacle Lakes from the approach gully.

Meaty part of the Blitzen Ridge.

Kepley on the Blitzen's airy final approach.

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

Tony M. on Ace 1.

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Progress so far.

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

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

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

Back to lower Spectacle Lake.

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.

That gainer after the Aces is why the beers taste so good afterwards.

The Third Ace as seen from the fourth.

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

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

The downclimb on the back of the third Ace.

Keen traversing around the Fourth Ace.

Narrow ledges around the left/south sides of Aces 1 and 2.

And the ridge goes on.

Almost past the Aces.

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

Bill Duncan and the Blitzen Ridge.