Find up-to-date information written weekly by Eli Helmuth on the ice, snow and rock conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Estes Valley.

Eli Helmuth, an Estes local since 1999, has logged more than 1,400 days of climbing and skiing in RMNP as both a professional mountain guide and a consumate alpinist.  As an avalanche instructor and forecaster, in addition to being an accomplished skier, ice and mixed climber;  Eli has the professional experience and local knowledge to help make the most accurate and timely forecasts for climbing route conditions throughout the year in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Conditions are now pretty prime in Rocky Mountain National Park both in the Estes Valley and in the high peaks.  The snowpack is at it's biggest for the year and the peaks have a great covering of white for now.

Despite the new snow of last week, approximately 10 inches of new between 11,000' and 14,000' from last week, the snowpack is quickly consolidating and avalanche danger is mostly low to moderate with the primary danger being heat related sluffing in the afternoons on sunny aspects.

Views of the north faces of Longs and Mt. Meeker

I am currently teaching an AMGA alpine guide's course in the park at the moment, and today we enjoyed stellar conditions for rockclimbing as we did two of the most classic Lumpy Ridge rock routes, "Mainliner" and "Kor's Flake" on the Sundance Buttress.

Yesterday we were climbing excellent mixed routes in the Tyndall Gorge nearby Hallet's and tomorrow we are heading over to the Ptarmagin side of Flattop to do some more moderate mixed routes as conditions are pretty ideal.

Friday we are off to cliimb "Dreamweaver" on Mt. Meeker and "Martha" on Mt. Lady Washington and I will post info on these routes as of Friday night.  I expect conditions on these alpine classics to be also very good for at least the next month.

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