No longer hidden away in the Wild Basin valley of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Hidden Falls are the most accessible and popular ice climbing destination in the park. The biggest risk might be the crowds on this one so weekdays and early/late in the day can be the best time to hit this classic.
Hidden Falls
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FA:
Unknown
Style:
Pure
Ice with numerous nearby mixed routes
Difficulty:
WI 3 to 3+
Length:
25m
Season:
Dec. to March
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Hidden
Falls in typical mid-winter conditions.
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Numerous
variations exist on this single water ice flow. The problem
is often too many people and too little ice in this closest to the road
location in RMNP.
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Description
Hidden
Falls is a pretty piece of ice and with
its easily accessible location
on the south side of Longs Peak, it is the closest
park ice to the
Front Range south of Lyons.
It is likely the most popular ice climb in
Rocky Mountain National Park as well and for good reason as it is a
steep and classic flow which rises to a narrow pillar of ice
for a
sustained pitch of climbing.
The crowds that this route draws and it's
limited size are the biggest drawbacks to this location and so timing
can be the key to a safe and enjoyable experience on this WI 3 classic.
Weekdays, very early morning and late afternoon are often quiet and
safe enough to be enjoyable. |
Lars Lofgren on
the left-hand mixed (M-3) variation at Hidden Falls.
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Falling Ice Danger
Warning: Falling
ice can be a major concern on this climb due to the shelf at 1/3 height
which deflects falling ice and with multiple parties often on this
small
flow, this risk multiplies exponentially on busy days. Being
hit by these brick sized chunks
could put you in the hospital or worse. Safely positioning
belayers
and non-climbers behind big trees and far from the base of the route
are good solutions. The ice cave at the bottom-left of the
route also
provides safe haven for a belayer or two.
Avalanche Danger:
This is perhaps one of the few areas of RMNP that will almost
never have avalanche danger. The rating would need to be in
the EXTREME range for there to much chance of danger from slab
avalanches in this location.
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Location
This
climb in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the
closest to Boulder and Denver when
accessed via highway 7 from Lyons.
After turning west into the Wild Basin entrance of
RMNP (payment booth
closed in winter so access is free), drive to the end of the park road
that is gated in winter approx. 1 mile east of it's terminus at the
Copeland Falls trailhead.
Hike an additional mile on the trail which stays
on the south side of the river and starts
just before the last bridge
that the road crosses near the final trailhead.
The
Wild Basin Lodge, located near the turn-off into the
National Park has
the nearest phone and amenities. Cell service is non-existent
in this
valley.
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A
Google Earth image of the hike on the closed road and trail to Hidden
Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO.
Click
image to enlarge.
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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.
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Route
Beta
There
is an easier and shorter flow just left of the main falls as well as a
sometimes forming WI5 route 40' to the right that can both provide
options for the beginner's and experts alike.
There is a
well-maintained two-bolt anchor in the cave to the left of the final
pillar that offers a stopping point when the upper pillar is
not yet
formed and another top-rope point for routes on the left side of the
main fall.
P1-
25m up a fat WI-3 flow to a 10m WI 3+
crux pillar to a flat top-out and multiple tree anchors.
When the route is 'hooked-out', the difficulty can lessen
quite a bit.
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Lars
Lofgren getting some good sticks at the base of Hidden Falls.
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Descent
Rappel
off of slung tree's with one rope for 30m down the
route to the base or
(ideally) walk 75' east to a 3rd class icy gully which is also
a fun
beginner's variation to the top.
There is a two
bolt anchor with
chains on the left side of the cave just below the final pillar that
works well for a descent from the left-hand variations of the falls.
It is also easy enough to
walk and scramble off about 100' to the east of the Falls down an ice
filled WI-1 gully or walk further east to avoid all technical
difficulties.
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The easier,
10m high flow to the left of Hidden Falls that is a great spot for
beginners or warming-up.
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