Ice and avalanche conditions for the more popular ice routes in Rocky Mountain National Park are updated regularly by Eli Helmuth;  Estes Park resident, IFMGA licensed mountain guide and AIARE trained avalanche educator and forecaster.

May 15th Conditions:

This last week has been another one of tumultuous weather and substantial new snow which has meant an increase in avalanche danger and more difficulty in moving easily throughout the high country of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Jason Mines on the Spiral Route in heavy, all-day snowfall at the Loch Vale Ice Area on 5/10/08

Last Friday the 9th, saw more than a foot of new snow being deposited above 10,000' in the alpine zone of RMNP and combined with another 4-6 inches on Saturday the 10th plus another 6 inches on the evening of the 12th has meant almost two feet of new snow throughout the high country.  Strong winds in the evening before and morning of the 14th has created wind-loaded easterly aspects and the current avalanche danger below treeline is MODERATE while above treeline avalanche danger is currently rated CONSIDERABLE, especially on steep and lee aspects, mostly southeast through east through northeast-facing slopes.

The north buttress of Hallett with the ultra-classic Hallett's Chimney coming into shape on 5/14/08

Yesterday we accidentally released a small but heavy slab of new snow while skiing nearby the Dragontail Couloir and the old snow surface, although not frozen due to the cloudy nights preceding all of this new snow, provided a smooth enough bed surface for this soft slab/sluff to make it much of the way down to Emerald Lake.  Climbers should be aware that similar conditions likely exist on Broadway, Lambslide, the Notch Couloir, the Loft and potentially the North Face of Longs Peak at the moment and it will take some time for this certain danger to decrease.  Terrain traps such as cliffs and talus fields make the consequences of being caught in even a small slide much more serious and although we walked away mostly unscathed, I envisioned what it would have been like to be caught in a similar slide on Broadway and being launched over the lower east slabs, even with a solid belay, would be pant-soiling experience at minimum.

  The Squid falling down while the Calamari ice route forms in the Tyndall Gorge on May 12th.

The continued cloudy nights in the high country have limited the long-wave radiation release from the snowpack and as a result,  boot penetration on non-beaten trails is more than two feet and if we receive the predicted heat-wave forecast for this weekend and beyond, the heat-caused avalanche cycle could be widespread, likely deep (up to a meter) and involve potentially all aspects above treeline where the substantial new snow is waiting to be released from its minimal bond with the old snow surface.   Although the sun will be bright and the sky an inviting blue, that doesn't mean that the avi danger will be any less as a result.  (Blue-sky syndrome...how could we get hurt on such a beautiful day?)

                    The remains of the Ramp Route at the Loch Vale Ice Area on May 10th, 2008

Alpine routes like the east face of Notchtop Spire, the Notch Couloir on Longs, and the Loft ascent/descent on the east side currently have HIGH avalanche danger due to the heavy snow load added this week on what is already avalanche-prone (unsupported)  terrain.  If travel in these locations is chosen, all avalanche rescue gear and conservative route-finding would be recommended to minimize the risk in this currently high-risk terrain.

Looking across the Loch Vale Ice Area on May 10th with more than a foot of new snow on the ground and avalanche debris below the popular Mo Flo than Go route.

Some of the "safer" multi-pitch mixed and ice routes in the high country have been forming in this cold and wet weather regime, and it looks like the Hallett Chimney could be coming into decent shape and the winter-classic Martha has been in a positive melt-freeze cycle which will be aided by some clear nights to come.  Martha stays in the shade until about 10am and so an early start this weekend would be recommended to minimize the risk of heat-caused falling debris.

      Jason Mines clinging to the remnants of the Loch Lusting ice route at the Loch Vale Ice Area

With the current weather forecast predicting clear skies and warm days, the north-facing ice routes like Dreamweaver on Mount Meeker and Vanquished on Powell Peak could be coming into ice shape in the weeks to come.  But please remember that the great weather in the Front Range does not equate to great conditions in the mountains as it is currently snowing again at the house (noon on Thursday at 9,000') and so likely more snow and avalanche danger are piling up in the peaks, just waiting for a trigger (you) to make it happen.  Please learn from our scary experience this week (more info in this week's conditions report) and play it cautious in avalanche terrain as we are not yet at our "summer snowpack".  In fact, the snowpack is more treacherous now than it was for much of this last winter in RMNP and it will take some time for this danger to decrease in many locations.  Warm weather and clear nights could solidify things in a week or two, but in the meantime, BEWARE!

              An ice cave formation on the edge of the Dead Elk Couloir in the Tyndall Gorge

Please contact me at:   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   if you would like to discuss training in ice or mixed climbing, avalanche education, or any type of rock climbing, ski mountaineering or guide training programs.  

Routes are sorted by current Avalanche Danger Level:

LOW Avalanche Danger          

MODERATE Avalanche Danger                                                            

Necrophilia WI 5, M5	Deep Freeze   WI5, M5	Black Lake Slabs  WI 2
OUT	OUT	IN mostly buried

CONSIDERABLE Avalanche Danger

HIGH Avalanche Danger  

The Window WI 5,  M4	Vanquished WI 5,  M4	Hot Doggie WI 5+
OUT	OUT	OUT

East Face of Notchtop WI 3+,  M1

IN  (heat-related and new snow sluffs  plus cornice collapses a potential hazard)