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.  

May 29th, 2008   

This has been a long week of alpine starts and snow- filled days, but who's complaining?  As I've got my second 3am start in a row this evening, I'm going to keep this week's conditions report brief on words but instead offer a collection of photos from some of this last week's adventures. 

  Early morning sun on Longs Peak on 5/27 while Estes Park and the Front Range sit under this sea of clouds.

The avalanche danger rating is currently LOW in most locations above treeline before noon, changing to CONSIDERABLE after noon due to minimal freezing, still unconsolidated snow, and warm enough daytime temperatures to quickly melt-off the previous night's freeze.

Clouds clearing on Hallett after the second consecutive night in a row of a thick sky that made it almost up to the Divide.

The trail up to Chasm Lake is mostly snow covered below treeline and mostly dry above- the last portion into Chasm Meadows is thick snow and it was well frozen this morning at 6am when we crossed it with crampons on and ice axes in hand.  The snow is quickly transforming from sweet neve to horrible mush by 11am and so early starts are recommended to avoid potential avalanche danger and to have solid climbing conditions.

  Eric Sparks rounding the shoulder on Flattop Mountain on his way to the Corral Couloir down the south face.

Until today, skiing conditions were relatively sloppy and a bit treacherous in the popular spots like the Dragontail Couloir.  Clear nights which facilitate the release of long-wave radiation are happening finally and with warm days, the snowpack is quickly transforming into a more solid substance, but it is not fully there yet.  The ice (neve) crust that made for great cramponing this morning, quickly melted away to reveal more than a foot of wet snow near the surface which made for a quick transformation from LOW to CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger in our descent of the Loft and in other east to south aspects on the east side of RMNP.

The east face of Notchtop Mountain, looking good but warm on 5/27.  With a very early start and quick ascent, this climb is in ice shape and will likely have strong-enough snow until around 9am in the morning- a good one to climb with headlamps and watch the sun rise from the summit.

Dreamweaver, Martha, Kieners, the North Face and the Trough Couloir are all in excellent cramponing form and with the low winds we've had these last few days, this weekend could be crowded but otherwise perfect conditions for an alpine ascent of any of these classics on Longs and Mt. Meeker.  

Hallett's Chimney has been seeing a lot of action this last week but clear nights and early starts are imperative for ideal conditions in this classic mixed testpiece.  There is ice in many of the necessary spots, but I would personally want to be most of the way up this before the sun came up and on my way to Lumpy or Ed's Cantina by 8am after a successful ascent.

Enjoy the snow and alpine ice while it's good and hopefully we'll see you out there!  I'm heading back up to climb the Notch Couloir this evening and will post the photos from another of Longs Peak's many classic alpine routes this next week.

                         Making some turns in fresh snow in the upper Tyndall Gorge on May 27th, 2008.

                           Eric dropping into the lower Tyndall and Emerald Lake just above the clouds.

                                 Hallett Chimney soaking up the rays on the morning of May 28th, 2008.

       Sunrise on the Ship's Prow, Chasm Lake and the south face of Mount Lady Washington on May 29th, 2008.

                            Cramponing up firm neve at 7:00am below the north face of Mount Meeker.

                                         The setting moon above the north face of Mount Meeker.

                                     The Flying Buttress on the north face of Mount Meeker on 5/29/08.          

   The east side of the Loft at 11am and the snow was already becoming very unstable with calf-deep penetration.

            Jason Mines taking a more interesting variation to the Dreamweaver Couloir on May 29th, 2008.

          Looking up at the second half of the Dreamweaver Couloir from the notch in the Flying Buttress.

 The upper pitches of Dreamweaver on an ideal day.  Some ice was in all of the cruxes which with rock to (M1).

       The south face of Longs Peak above the Boulderfield with the homestretch visible on the upper left.

                         The North Face of Mount Meeker in the noontime sun on May 29th, 2008.

                                             Jason Mines taking the easy way down from the Loft.