RMNP Rock Climbing Conditions

Has anybody been up into the park recently to go rock climbing? What are the conditions like.

I was thinking about the South Face of Petit Grepon or something on the Sharkstooth. Or anything that is dry and in the sun...

I have never been up there so I have no idea what conditions could be like with the current weather this time of year.

Thanks for your help.

not sure on conditions, but the best way to start the park season is with Days of Heaven... it's low, sunny, and most certainly good to go

people are already climbing the south faces in the park.
(petit, etc...)

S Denny wrote:not sure on conditions, but the best way to start the park season is with Days of Heaven... it's low, sunny, and most certainly good to go

Trad: Leads 5.10a Follows 5.11c

I forgot about that feature... well I say, time to step it up!!

Be aware:
The National Park Service has begun a two year reconstruction project along 5.1 miles of Bear Lake Road. Access to Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Trailheads is effected. Details of the closure can be found here. CMS was notified this morning that "beginning Sunday night, April 8, through May 18, the road will be closed from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. nightly Sunday nights through Friday mornings from the junction of Trail Ridge Road/US 36 & Bear Lake Road to the Big Thompson River Bridge".

Here is a blog post the Colorado Mountain School recently put out that has info on conditions: coloradomountainschool.blog…

climbed Sharkstooth ~4 weeks ago, barehanded climbing in boots, very nice. approach will still require some flotation though.

Thanks for all the info. Is this road closure thing for real? If we get out after 8pm tomorrow night are they really not going to allow us to leave?

The road closure is for real. On Thursday, after a long alpine mission, my partners and I didn't get down until 12:30 AM. We nearly had to bivy (sans gear) because the road had closed at 10:30 PM. Only through extreme measures (i.e. off-roading around a giant pit in the road in a Ford Focus) were we able to escape. The road workers had given us permission to attempt this maneuver but were nonetheless displeased with our ignorance.

Sounds like starting tomorrow the road closure will move up to 8 PM from 10:30 PM. Get out by then or expect to sleep in the Park. If you think you might be late, bring bivy gear or better yet pick something you know you can do in time. Do not expect to get out after hours. We were very lucky.

Headed up to the park this morning to climb the Petit Grepon. The trail was packed all the way up to sky pond. We made quick work of the hike up to the base of the climb, but the weather was unbearable. The wind was bone chilling. All the south facing routes above sky pond are clear and good to go if the wind dies down. Check the forecast and get after it!

Does anyone know the status of Chasm Lake? Can it still be walked across or has it started melting?

Kris Holub wrote:Does anyone know the status of Chasm Lake? Can it still be walked across or has it started melting?