Up-to-date information by Eli Helmuth on climbing route and trail conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park and throughout the Estes Valley.  Avalanche forecasts and skiing conditions in the alpine region are also reviewed.  

Warning:  Route conditions change constantly, especially in the mountains.  Climbing is dangerous.  Be flexible in your climbing plans and always prepare for the worst.  Be experienced enough for what you are doing. Seek qualified instruction and use proper equipment.  We accept no liability for your decisions in the peaks.  

January 17th, 2008   

Yesterday's cold snap was a chilly one and temperatures here at 9,000' are still only 15F at almost mid-day on Thursday.  Little new snow has fallen in the high country of RMNP over the last few days with accumulations of less than an inch since the weekend.  Fresh snow on Friday deposited up to 6 inches of new in the deepest spots and we turned around early Friday morning on our way up to the alpine route Martha, due to heavy loading from the wind (more than two feet) and steeply angled slopes that were impassable due to the HIGH avalanche danger just before Chasm meadows on the traverse of the south slopes of Mt. Lady Washington into the Longs Peak cirque. 

                                   Fresh ski tracks on the west face of Longs Peak on Jan. 16th, 2008

I decided to brave the cold yesterday and despite the forecast for strong winds, I skied up the Glacier Gorge to check conditions on the west flanks of Longs Peak.   Departing the trailhead at 6am, I skied up solid-packed trails all the way to Black Lake by 8am and with not a breeze overhead and big patches of blue sky around, I continued up the Trough Couloir to the summit of Longs. 

                          The Trough and Keyhole Route junction with the upper Trough Couloir above  

Leaving my skis at the junction where the Trough and the Keyhole Route intersect (13,300') as there was not skiable snow above this point,  I recorded temperatures at (minus) -17F here, but with still no wind it seemed reasonable to continue and I was on top by noon.  The summit register showed three other individuals on top since the New Year, with two being there the day before via the North Face which looks to be in solid enough condition at the moment.

                                      At the base of the Trough Couloir on the west face of Longs Peak

Climbing conditions in the Trough Couloir were very good although the shin-deep step kicking took its toll and I was glad to drop-off the skis and make a lightweight push to the summit for the last 900' before the wind could start-up to make this sweet day turn sour.  But complete calm met me on top and for the duration of my descent and it is a rare day, let alone a winter one, to have no wind in this usually windiest of locations.  Despite the thick cloud cover above, the views down to the west were mostly clear and other than a few passing jets, it was as peaceful as possible in an eerie sort of way.  The descent was dreamy with powder conditions on a firm base and I was back down at Black Lake within an hour of reaching the top of Longs Peak.

                     Looking west across the upper Glacier Gorge at McHenry's (13, 327') and Arrowhead Peaks

                             A close-up of the southeast face of the Spearhead in the upper Glacier Gorge

The traverse from the Keyhole to the Trough on the Keyhole Route looked to be a little too filled-in on these slick slabs and so it seems the North Face and Trough are the two safest ways to reach the summit in these typically tricky winter conditions.

                              The Keyhole Route traverse of the west face of Longs Peak on Jan. 16th, 2008

The summit slopes on the south face were snow covered just enough to make it slick but with little to no avalanche danger on this and the Narrows, there was only some avalanche danger in one small pocket of snow in the Trough near the top where an obviously loaded snow pillow that is steeper than the rest of the gully can be traversed around easy enough to avoid this danger.  Crampons were helpful for climbing the snow covered rock as well as the firmer patches of snow on the ascent.

The "homestretch" section which is the current crux of the route to the summit of Longs via the Trough Couloir

Where there has been considerable snowshoe traffic in the high country, trails are compact and the route to Black Lake, which in the winter follows the streambed all the way up valley, is in "sidewalk shape" at the moment although snowshoes or skis would make it easier.  Avalanche danger on the ice route West Gully looked HIGH whereas the Black Lake Slabs had LOW avalanche danger and the All Mixed Up cirque looked to be somewhere in between with the bulk of the problem just below and above the last pitch of this still "phat" multi-pitch route.

The route West Gully with highest avalanche danger areas marked in red, ideal approach paths in yellow, and the rappel descent in blue.

Avalanche danger in the high country is all across the map with such a variable snowpack.  There are many dry spots with no danger, and the most loaded areas with up to 3 meters of accumulation containing HIGH risk.  These danger spots can change day-to-day due to the wind stripping and moving snow quickly from one spot to another.  But be aware that if an open slope exceeds 30 degrees and contains ample snow, there is at least CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger likely in this location and there are many of these spots in the high country of RMNP.   The good news is that  there is now sufficient snow coverage to make for some good skiing and the Hidden Valley and east face of Flattop Mountain have been seeing lots of sliding action in the last week.

In the meantime, enjoy! 

                     Ptarmigan looking for lunch below the west face of Longs Peak at approx. 11,500'.

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