Tag Archives: Glacier Gorge

Shake It Off – Sunday on The Sharkstooth

Explosions in the distance were going off as I rolled out of bed at 1:00 AM on a Sunday. That might be the only time in my entire life I have been annoyed by the 4th of July. Much as I do not usually mind a bunch of high-schoolers lighting off fireworks in the middle of the night, it was an annoyance when trying to catch some sleep before a big day. The concert and midnight bedtime the night before were not helping either. Oops. I guess that one is on me. I silently reminded myself that if Andrew Hamilton can climb 58 peaks in 10 days on basically zero sleep (a record which was in progress during our climb), I could slog up Glacier Gorge for some rock fun on 1 hour of it. Keep Reading…

An Island Among Giants: The Spearhead

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Way back in 2011 I made my first trip into Glacier Gorge and like most folks who exit their vehicles at the trailhead, I was there to see something called Alberta Falls. Don’t get me wrong, Alberta Falls is great. Heck, I even took my Grams there later that summer, but let’s be serious now. Some risk takers may even get a little crazy and go as far as the Loch or Mills Lake, also pretty spectacular in their own right. But for those willing to make the 5 mile trek deep into the heart of Glacier Gorge to where the upper plateau begins, that’s where the crown jewel of the park gets real. Keep reading…

A Walk in the Clouds: Pagoda Mountain from Glacier Gorge

Pagoda Mountain sits at the southern end of Glacier Gorge in between two of Rocky Mountain National Park’s beasts: Longs Peak and Chiefs Head Peak. With an elevation of 13,497′, Pagoda Mountain is the 7th highest ranked peak in The Park. It’s been said that Pagoda’s summit register may receive on average about 75 signatures a year, while its neighbor may receive that many visitors in one summer day. Keep reading…

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…