Category Archives: Rocky Mountain NP

Thatchtop to Powell: A Classic Ridge Run in RMNP

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The last time Rick, Mike and I got together in Rocky Mountain National Park before this trip was a 17 hour epic on the Kiener’s Route on Longs. The climb was “as advertised” and for me, one of the better days I’ve ever experienced in the hills. I remember the bacon bleu burger from Southern Sun like it was yesterday. Fast forward to the summer of 2012 and we found ourselves plotting another masochistic stroll through the park. Ben and I had done 80 to 90% of the “Glacier Gorge Traverse” (depending on who you are talking to) from Chief’s Head to Taylor the summer before. Keep reading…

The Giants of Glacier Gorge

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Rocky Mountain National Park is a region of contrasts. Its boundary is home to many ridge runs, including, but not limited to, the Mummy Mania, Cloud Traverse in the Never Summers, the frighteningly loose Mahler to Nokhu Crags, a 12er fest along the Continental Divide from Ida to Terrah Tomah, Elk Tooth to Ogallala and the Grand Slam around the Longs Massif. Each of these have their own unique characteristic and they all make life feasible for those insatiable peak baggers who find solace on narrow knife edges, deep in the heart of the range. Keep reading…

A Great Day on an Alpine Classic: Kieners Route

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Tom Pierce and I got out Saturday and climbed what I would consider to be the most fun route I‘ve been on to date.  I‘ve been thinking about Kieners for a few years now and the opportunity came up for me this past March to try a winter ascent (pretty ambitious for my first time up the route).  Tom, a friend of his, and I made our way up to the base of Lambslide and elected to save it for another day due to a large cornice overhanging the Notch, as well as a rather slow approach time.  Although somewhat disappointed, I think we all felt the right decision was made in the end. Keep reading…

Longs Peak Summit Ski Descent

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For a few weeks now Carl and I have been discussing a ski of Longs‘ infamous Keplinger‘s Couloir, the original ascent route used on Longs by John Wesley Powell in 1868. One of the most solidified goals I maintained throughout the spring was a summit ski of this great peak, well we got it on Saturday. Initially, conditions hunting was frustrating. Posts at 14ers.com and over at TGR yielded little helpful information and, as Carl found out in March, Longs is not a peak to carry skis to the top of without a just payoff. Keep reading…