Pagoda, Spearhead, and Chiefshead Peaks reflect the new snow on Aug.19th, 2008.

As viewed from Mills Lake at the entrance to the Glacier Gorge, the high peaks in this part of Rocky Mountain National Park received from 5-12 inches of fresh snow on the weekend of Aug. 17th, 2008.  Much of this new snow has melted off of the west and south faces of Longs Peak and only some isolated patches in the Trough Couloir remain of this substantial late summer snowfall on the popular Keyhole Route.  However the north faces of Pagoda, Longs, Spearhead and Chiefshead are still holding their snowy mantle and the ice climbing season is quickly shaping up.  Similar conditions in early September of 1999 brought the multi-pitch mixed line "Chickens on Ice"  aka "Warbonnet" on Chiefshead into shape for the FA by Donahue, Helmuth, and Fryer.  (photo credit to Jim Matt)