PRINT: Rock Climb Artemis, RMNP

Artemis

5.9+, Trad, Alpine, 300 ft (91 m), 4 pitches, Grade II,

Avg: 2.2 from 6 votes
FA: Tom Gries and Larry Hamilton, July 1975
Colorado > Alpine Rock > RMNP - Rock > Glacier Gorge > Arrowhead

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.

Protection

Well protected with a standard trad rack.

Description

Two easy slab pitches lead to a clean, steep corner about 100 feet right of the low point of the McHenry's-Arrowhead ridge. Two more pitches up this corner, passing several overhangs, gain the ridge itself.

Artemis is too short to be a destination route, but is worth doing if you happen to be in the cirque without the time, weather or energy for a major climb. If this route were in Eldo, it would see heavy traffic.

Artemis was named in memory of onetime Boulder climber Diane Hunter.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking up pitch 4.

Route overlays for Artemis, Warhead, and Raindance.

Looking up pitch 3.

Looking up the route from the base of pitch 1.

Artemis: two easy slab pitches lead to the main corner, which is followed to the top.

Artemis in yellow<br>
Clyde Frog splitters in red

Artemis in yellow Clyde Frog splitters in red

Larry Hamilton near the top of Artemis (FA).

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

justin dubois
Estes Park

Jason Seaver and I climbed the splitters out right on 7/21/02, stellar fingers and hands with feet stemmed off the arete. Shown in red on the photo below. May 4, 2003

jason seaver
Estes Park, CO

On our way up to the Clyde Frog splitters, we also did a new pitch of good 5.10 off the ground. It starts 100 feet or so right of Artemis' normal start, follows a set of two rt. facing corners/flakes, then traverses left to a rt. angling RP seam. This ends on a ledge. The next pitch went left to join Artemis for its crux pitch, then the third pitch took the unbelievable splitters that Justin described. I cannot say enough about that pitch. It's incredibly exposed, it's on perfect rock, and the cracks define that word we all love......SPLITTER. These cracks are actually mentioned in Gillett's guidebook in his Artemis description. May 13, 2003

Danika

Clyde Frog Splitters variation pitch is excellent. Great finger locks with an unbeatable view. Wish we had done the lower variation Jason and Justin took - the opening pitches of Artemis lack the excitement of the upper wall. I thought the move past the roof on the 3rd pitch (lower part of the main corner) was pretty exciting, although my partners had no problem following it. Maybe it was just the gravel and lichen, or maybe my poor roof climbing skills..., it can be protected fine with small stoppers though. The first three pitches can easily be combined into two, leaving a short final pitch up the splitter.

Jul 14, 2003

Tony B
Around Boulder, CO

5.10a

The 3rd pitch, with the corner to the overhang, has some crumbly rock and is insecure climbing. Put your stronger leader on that pitch. Jul 29, 2019

Joseffa Meir
Boulder, CO

Small Aliens and stoppers were key for the dihedral roof crux. I'm definitely claiming the "harder if you're short" excuse on that one. Tough to reach the good holds to mantle past the lip. The last pitch of Clyde Frog, 5.10, was easier than this 9+ pitch for me anyway. Jul 30, 2019