The Flying Dutchman is one of the more overlooked couloirs in Rocky Mountain National Park due to it's location beneath the soaring east face of Longs Peak.  Were it in another location, it would likely be one of the more popular snow and ice routes due to it's length, quality of climbing, and high-altitude scenic position.  As a more interesting way to reach the Loft than the neighboring Lambslide or avalanche prone Loft traverse, this tight couloir offers great cramponing and an excellent section of water ice when the conditions are right.

                              The Flying Dutchman and Lambslide Couloirs in June 2008 conditions

Description 

The Flying Dutchman has long been overlooked as one of the more classic couloirs in Rocky Mountain National Park and in ideal spring conditions, it's five long pitches of moderate snow along with a pitch of ice climbing combine to make for a route of classic proportions.  Add the climbing onto a 4.5 mile approach and overall 4000' of vertical gain (1100' in the couloir) and this is one of the more interesting ways to reach the Loft saddle.  From the Loft, one can proceed easily and directly to the summit of Mt. Meeker (13,911') or drop-down a short distance onto Clark's Arrow for a 3rd class route to the summit of RMNP's highest point:  Longs Peak (14,225'). This is a worthy challenge for the experienced mountaineer and ice climber who wants to explore the sweeping north face of the Ship's Prow and this snow and ice filled gash which provides another classic RMNP ascent.

This route can be done most of the year as there is typically less avalanche danger in the couloir itself and an alternative descent of the Iron Gates can keep one out of the more serious avalanche zone which encompasses the east side of the Loft, which is the most common descent path for this and most climbs on this side of Longs and Mt. Meeker.  That said, The Flying Dutchman couloir is in most ideal shape and in its most moderate conditions in the early summer when the soft snows of winter finally consolidate into a solid form which is best ascended with crampons and tools.  Otherwise, climbing up to 5.4 (M0) can be found when the couloir is not fully snow filled, (Jul.-Nov.) or when the snow is too loose (Dec- April) to be solid enough for ice climbing.  When the couloir is dry in the late summer it would mostly be a scramble up loose rock and perhaps the least aesthetic way to reach the Loft.

                            The route The Flying Dutchman outlined in yellow, framed against a glowing red sunrise.

Avalanche Danger 

The route itself is in very tight terrain and only the bottom and first pitch have much risk of slab avalanche danger; often the snow here is firm due to wind hammering but the couloir itself can be full of bottomless fluff which is less than pleasant to climb through and often prone to sluffing on these down-sloping slabs.  In the early fall and winter, when there is little snow except in this somewhat lee/cross-loaded chasm, the danger would be confined primarily to the bottom of the The Flying Dutchman couloir and typically in the Lambslide and Loft areas which are the most common descents from this climb.

                                                     A view of The Flying Dutchman couloir as seen from the east end of Chasm Lake.

That said, the approach to this climb involves hiking the summertime trail to Chasm Lake which as one descends to Chasm Meadows from the Chasm Junction, there is a large slope that is crossed which would be the most likely spot to encounter unstable slabs in the mid-winter.  The Loft area between Mt. Meeker and Longs Peak is typically an area of considerable avalanche danger due to it's lee aspect and moderate angle below and above the cliffs through which the climber's path traverses.

           A bottom view of the initial slopes which lead up into the The Flying Dutchman.

Location 

The approach to The Flying Dutchman is a high-altitude trudge of approximately 4.5 miles from the Longs Peak trailhead.  Winter snows can obscure the trail for much of the way to the base of the route at Chasm Lake and GPS and/or advanced map and compass skills could be necessary to follow the path and more importantly, to find one's way back to the car.

From the Longs Peak trailhead at approx. 9,400' follow the summertime trail to Chasm Junction at 11,540' and then traverse down to the meadows where the ranger cabin sits and where the permanent bathrooms are located.  Gain the bench on the east side of Chasm Lake to either cross the ice-covered lake, or walk around either shoreline to reach the broad base of what eventually narrows down into a constricted, north-facing couloir.  This is the last couloir on the left just before the Mills Glacier and the obvious Lambslide Couloir rise up along the base of the lower east face of Longs Peak.  The top of the couloir joins the Lambslide for another 200' horizontal of scrambling up to the wide expanse of the Loft.

               Looking down on the initial couloir with the west end of Chasm Lake below.

Rescue services will take a while here and contacting "911" resources could be the crux of an adventure gone bad.  Winter conditions can quickly kill an exposed and immobile person, especially one who is bleeding or broken.  Emergency and bivy gear should be considered along with communications equipment in any alpine winter backcountry adventure.  Tell a responsible person where you are going and when you plan to return so that they might initiate a search for you and contact the National Park Service who coordinate all rescues in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This route can be done in 5 to 6 pitches or just one if the crux ice/mixed section is all that requires a belay.  For the final ice flow, belay on the left in solid cracks down 40' from the ice under a small headwall.  A long pitch with an anchor on the left in solid rock will make for an easy transition into mellower snow where this route meets the Lambslide Couloir.

                        In the upper pitches of The Flying Dutchman.

                        The belay stance just below the crux ice pitch.

Descent

From the Loft saddle, descend to the east down a sandy path toward the eastern edge of the Loft then head southeast to find cairns approximately 200 yards to the south of the lowest point of the Loft where it funnels into a steep snow slope.  The cairned path stays southeast of this funnel snowslope, then east then back north to link into the "traverse ledges" which can be the crux of the day. 

The traverse of these slopes when they are snow covered can be very precarious as the snow is often steep, unconsolidated, and contains a deadly "terrain trap" as a 400' cliff sits at the bottom of these slopes and more than one skilled climber has taken the last ride of their life over this big drop.  Once past the exposure and into the gulley central, glissade or plunge step down to the valley bottom and at the Ranger Cabin pick-up the trail back to the trailhead.

                              The final pitch up to the Lambslide connection.       

Warning:  In addition to avalanche risks which can be high at certain times, ravens are always an issue and they will easily ransack a pack for food. 

                                           Where The Flying Dutchman and Lambslide Couloirs join together to reach the Loft.

Protection 

A small rock rack that might include a single set of cams from .3 C3 to #2 camalot plus stoppers should be sufficient,  along with one to two medium-length screws.   Bringing nuts that you don't mind "pick-heading" might be nice.   Many shoulder-length slings and some doubles (48") will be helpful. 

(Most of the photos on this page are courtesy of Dan "the weather man" Gottas.)

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