Up-to-date information by Eli Helmuth on climbing route and trail conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park and throughout the Estes Valley of Colorado.  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, prepared for the worst and experienced enough for what you are doing. Seek qualified instruction and use proper equipment.  We accept no liability for your decisions in the peaks.   

Friday, June 20th, 2008

This is my fifth alpine start of the week today and so I will be short on words and mostly offer some visual images of what is currently happening in the alpine zone of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Avalanche danger is currently LOW on all aspects above treeline before noon when it will become MODERATE on warmer south and southwest facing aspects.  Beware of cornice and snow mushroom collapses as they have been widespread in recent weeks.

                           Sunrise on the east face of Taylor Peak which we climbed via the east ridge on June 18th.

Trail conditions into the Skypond Cirque are currently dry until almost the Loch after which mostly thick snow covered the trails the remainder of the way up to this highest lake below the Taylor snowfields.  The Cathedral Wall, the south-facing Otis Peak escarpment along with the Petit and Saber were all completely dry and there was almost no snow left in any of the chimney systems along the Cathedral massif which can make for quality mixed climbs- just not at the moment.  Crampons would be helpful for ascending the slopes just below the Timberline Falls which are steep enough snow to make for a bad slipping spot- by afternoon these snowslopes are soft enough for plunge-stepping in sneakers.

                                          The Petit and Saber to the right, catching the morning light.

Snow conditions throughout the high country have been stabilizing and gaining strength this last week.  Clear nights have meant mostly firm, neve snow in the early morning which has been quickly going to "corn" on sunny aspects by 10am.  The few nights that have been a bit more cloudy have meant less freeze at night and so more quickly turning to post-hole snow, mostly in the ankle to shin-deep range of softness.

                        Thor starting up the southeast face of Taylor Peak on 6/18 during an AMGA alpine guides course.

On Tuesday the 17th we made an ascent of the Love Route on Hallett Peak and found great conditions overall except for a bit of water dripping onto some of the crux pitch handholds.  Other than this short section of wetness, the rest of the wall was dry and the Culp-Bossier and Jackson-Johnson routes looked completely dry as did almost every inch of this imposing North Buttress.  There was still some snow and ice sitting in Hallett Chimney, but with t-shirt weather up on the cliff, it would not be the ideal time to be attempting an ice route unless one is looking for trouble (aren't most mixed climbers?).

                      Looking down on the Sharkstooth, Petit, and Saber from the east ridge of Taylor Peak on June 18th, 2008.

             Mike and Thor following one of many pitches of steep snow on the east face of Taylor Peak.

Trail conditions into the base of Hallett's North Buttress are mostly dry trail or firm snow up to Emerald Lake.  The talus approach is mostly dry until below the Chimney at which point, crampons were necessary to climb the final 500' of snow up to 35 degrees which was very firm the other morning and made for good frontpointing and flat-footing.

                                                            Notchtop Spire on the morning of June 16th.

                                         The Diamond Face of Longs Peak in the morning light on June 11th, 2008.

Today (6/20)in the Dragontail Couloir, we found great neve and very solid cramponing from 7am until 10am in the main couloir and although it felt very hot in a short-sleeve shirt, the firm surface made it more "real" and we pitched out the top left constriction in 5 full 60m pitches.  The snow was good for skiing up until the chockstone where there was a long section of 4th and 3rd class rubble for 30m then snow to the top.  The trail down/up Flattop to Bear Lake is 90% dry above treeline but below treeline it is a mess of off-trail wacking, soft and deep spots but mostly firm snow and dry ground meandering through the forest nearby, but not on the summertime trail.   

               The west face of Longs Peak on Tuesday the 17th, with the Trough Couloir and Keyhole routes mostly snow covered. 

The same is true for trail conditions into Black Lake and above this week:   Once you are above treeline, the snow is stronger and there is more bare ground.  In the forest at treeline, it can be a mess of wet snow, poor trail conditions, off-route trails and treacherous creek crossings.  Beware and be prepared with good boots, gaitors, and enough group equipment to get through an unplanned bivy or medical emergency.   And a headlamp, map, compass, altimeter and other navigation equipment should be considered when trails are still snow covered so as to avoid getting caught-out in the dark.

                                             Sunrise on the Longs / Meeker Cirque on June 10th, 2008.

                                  The Flying Dutchman and Lambslide Couloirs (L-R) below the east face of Longs Peak on 6/10/08.

The south facing rock spires and walls are dry and ready for action including the Petit, Saber, Zowie, Wowie, Notchtop, and the Chasm View Wall.  Lumpy Ridge is in prime season and with the larger capacity of the new parking lot and maybe a rejuvination of traditional climbing, the crags and slabs of Lumpy have been getting their share of traffic so far this season.

                          Eli beginning up the "thin right start" on Martha, Mt. Lady Washington 6/10/08.

Martha was in great shape even last weekend (6/15), but it seems unlikely that this Patagonia-like cleft will be still holding ice after the warmer temperatures this last week, but I could be wrong and the ice could still be going strong up in this very ice conducive cleft.  Dreamweaver is in prime spring condition with water ice in the cruxes and firm neve from top to bottom on these clear nights.

                                                  Eli in the crux ice section (WI-2) of Martha on June 10th, 2008.

Broadway is still the crux of either the Notch Couloir or Kieners on Longs Peak until the remaining steep snow of winter and spring deposits melts down a bit more.  Below, Chris Hunley demonstrates the downward- traversing method necessary on (south) Broadway in early June.  Photo courtesy of Jonathan Novak.

For those fanatics on boards, the skiing is still good on a few of the classic couloirs including the Dragontail, Notchtop Couloir, Ptarmigan Headwall and Taylor Headwall.  Elsewhere in RMNP, the east face of Flattop still has great skiing for those interested in a sunny destination and the Sundance ski descent off of Trailridge road is in peak shape and has been getting lots of action all the way down to the Fall River Road.

                                     The Notchtop Couloir is the furthest left in this photo with the Notchtop Spire on the far right.

I will be in Estes for the summer training with guides and guests alike in alpine and rock climbing techniques as well as leading ascents of some of my favorite routes in the high country including the North Buttress of Hallett, the Petit Grepon and Saber, the Spearhead, Chiefshead, and one of the greatest alpine rock walls in North America:  The Diamond.  Please feel free to 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 arrange a private or small group training session in any of the climbing arts or to do a special ascent at Lumpy Ridge or in  the high country of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Eli guides exclusively through the Colorado Mountain School Concession in Rocky Mountain National Park.