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augus2010 conditions
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Up-to-date information on alpine routes, backcountry skiing, and trail conditions for Longs Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Snow conditions and avalanche danger are forecast by Eli Helmuth, an AMGA certified rock, alpine, and ski mountaineering guide and owner of ClimbingLife Guides; a year-round guide service based in Estes Park offering worldwide mountain trips and local seminars in the climbing and skiing arts.
Warning: Ice and avalanche conditions change constantly and the information provided here should not be the final say in making the best decisions in regard to your risk management in the mountains. ClimbingLife, LLC and its contributors accept no liability for your decisions based on this information. Ice and mixed climbing are very dangerous sports and one can easily die or be seriously injured engaging in these activities. Proceed at your own risk, plan for the best outcome and be prepared for the worst.
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August 23rd, 2010
Conditions Report
Rocky Mountain National Park
Summer is coming to an end already at the higher elevations and just last week on Longs it was snowing intermittently throughout the day.
This quick cool down following the monsoon weather at the beginning of the month have resulted in full aquifers and a green landscape with fire danger in the valleys relatively low for the 'heat of summer'.
There is only a slight snow cover left on all of the permanent snowfields in the park including the Lambslide Couloir and Ptarmigan, Taylor, and Tyndall Glaciers.
Firm neve snow requiring crampons is the general snow condition and soon we may see ice forming in the colder clefts of RMNP- ice season is just around the corner!
The bears and marmots have been on the prowl and with numerous incidents in RMNP and other nearby national parks this summer, the camper would be well advised to keep food well above bear or marmot terrain which goes up to 5.8 on the human rock climbing scale.
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A sunrise sky outlines the Camel formation on the northeast ridge of Longs Peak. The 'camel descent' down to the bivy rocks above Chasm Lake starts on the south side of this valley dividing ridge.
Click on photos to enlarge
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Looking up the very dry Glacier Gorge on August 16th with the Spearhead illuminated in the mid-morning sun and the massive granite walls of the north faces of Chiefshead reflecting the summer light.
Soon these valleys and peaks will be snow covered and the realm of mixed climbers and winter mountaineers, but in the meantime the sweet summer days are coming to an end. Pictured from L-R are the summits of Meeker, Longs, Pagoda and Chiefshead with the top of Thatchtop in the foreground of Chiefshead's northwest (right) face.
(Above) There is still a small patch of snow below the homestretch along the west face of Longs Peak pictured above in the left- middle. The route Clark's Arrow joins the Keyhole's homestretch finish just a few hundred feet above the snow and the trail traverses just a few feet below the snow that was still there on Aug. 16th from last winter's snows.. Keplinger's Couloir comes down from the west side of the Notch Couloir, shown from right to left as a talus slope in the center of this photo.
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(Above) The east face of Longs Peak on August 16th is devoid of snow and mostly dry except immediately following some of the larger rainstorms that have ravaged these faces in the last few weeks. Hopefully a dry September will extend the Diamond season for a few more weeks as it was slow to start and with the monsoon pattern in early August, significantly sh0rtened as a result.
(Above) Sunrise on the north face of Longs Peak casts a day hiker in silhouette against the remaining snowpatches of 'The Dove' that connect to the remnant glacier that sits below the rock of the boulderfield. The Cables Route climbs next to the left-hand skyline on the edge of the Diamond.
 
(Above left) The steep west faces of the Palisades sit just below 14k on Longs Peak and have a few established routes and plenty of potential for more steep crack routes and aretes on some of the highest quality granite in RMNP.
(Above right) A wet Diamond drips on an early August morning following one of the bigger rainstorms of the summer.
(Above) The south face of the Ship's Prow is another spectacular rock wall with some of the highest potential for new route development on featured gneiss with numerous cracks and corner systems. There are a few routes on the east end of these walls but plenty of adventure awaits those willing to walk the few hours to this spectacular location at 12.5k opposite the north face of Mt. Meeker (13,995').
Where there is snow remaining, the Avalanche Danger is generally LOW each morning, then rising to MODERATE on the warm afternoons with most of the danger being in the form of D1 sized loose snow avalanches (point release) in the upper 6" of the snowpack. Although any avalanche activity other than cornice collapses (think Y-Couloir) will likely be small enough not to bury an individual, if you are unroped or unanchored on exposed terrain, a D1 sized avalanche could launch you over the edge, push you into a rocky landing, or pummel you with rock debris carried within a moving mass of material.
 
(Left above) Looking down on the summits of the Keyboards of the Wind on the west ridge of Longs Peak with the northeast face of Chiefshead catching some early morning rays.
(Right above) The Keyhole (north ridge) of Longs Peak glowing at sunrise as viewed from the Boulderfield.
 
(Above left) Greg Colchin and Chris resting the quads below the Flying Buttress on Mt. Meeker after a descent of Longs Peak via Clark's Arrow and the Loft. The ice/mixed route shining with water above their heads is the route Duncan's Drip WI5, M5 which leaks from below the southeast edge of the Loft and can make for an exciting autumn mixed ascent.
(Above right) Eli trying out the new MadRock approach shoes after a 15 mile day on Longs Peak- will they still stick? The answer was YES! on these fun boulder problems just west of the Chasm Lake junction on the Longs Peak Trail.
(Above) The east faces of McHenry's and Taylor Peak's (L-R) with the Petit Grepon and Saber profiled in the center of the photo. Early morning storms to the west of the Continental Divide are an ominous sign when you are above treeline and we watched the clouds closely while they gave us squalls of snow and rain but no lightning on this cooler day in mid-August.
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(Above) Greg and Chris on the homestretch to the summit of Longs Peak on a ClimbingLife Guides outing to Rocky Mountain National Park's highest peak.
Climbing Life Guides has space available on our weekend clinics and seminars in September including:
Climbing Skills Clinic-
Sept. 10th: Movement and techniques coaching every Friday in crack, face, chimney, and slab climbing techniques in Eldorado Canyon, CO.
Crack Climbing Clinic-
Sept. 5th: Master the art of jamming with crack afficianado Eli Helmuth in Eldorado Canyon, CO.
Rock Rescue Clinic-
Sept. 4th: Learn and practice the essential self-rescue skills for a leader or follower in the vertical environment in Boulder Canyon, CO.
Rock Guiding Seminar
Sept. 11-12th: Increase your multi-pitch techniques and abilities in leading others in technical rock terrain with AMGA Guide Trainer, Eli Helmuth. Course takes place in Eldorado Canyon, CO.
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A lead climber on the final pitch of the Yellow Spur (III 10b) on the Redgarden Wall of Eldorado Canyon, Colorado.
Learn and practice the advanced skills on our clinics and seminars to make your Diamond, Petit Grepon, Yellow Spur, Spearhead, or El Capitan routes a safer, more efficient, and smoother experience.
Summer /Autumn trainings and outings in rock climbing include one-day clinics, private coaching, and guiding at all levels of climbing in Alaska, Eldorado Canyon, the Flatirons and in Boulder Canyon throughout the autumn months until we head to the Andes in September and November for more great climbing trips to Peru and Ecuador.
Contact ClimbingLife Guides owner and South American expedition leader, Eli Helmuth:
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or phone 970.744.4898 for more information or to sign-up for these exciting high altitude trips.
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Sunrise over the Front Range of Colorado on August 16th, 2010.
 Eli Helmuth is an AMGA Certified Rock, Alpine, and Ski Guide. 
Contact us at:
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for more information or to register for one of our Friday Rock Skills Clinics, a Guiding Skills Seminar, Rock Rescue Clinics, Crack Climbing Clinics, and Trad Leading Seminars that are held regularly in Eldorado and Boulder Canyons. Or arrange a private outing to fit your schedule and specific training goals
Now in his 22nd year of full-time rock and mountain guiding, Eli also has 11-years of experience as an AMGA guide trainer in rock and alpine guiding.
Eli is equally adept at working with beginners along with climbers of all abilities and experience levels. Eli enjoys climbing the many classics in Eldorado and Boulder Canyons- please join him for a day or weekend to increase your abilities on rock and safety skills on rock and mountain terrain.
The west face of the Redgarden Wall in Eldorado Canyon, Colorado. The Yellow Spur (III 5.10) follows the right-hand skyline of these cliffs, finishing on the pointed summit at far right.
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North American Avalanche Danger Scale
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Danger Level
(& Color)
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Avalanche Probability and Avalanche Trigge
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Degree and Distribution of Avalanche Danger
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Recommended Action
in the Backcountry
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| What |
Why |
Where |
What to Do |
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LOW
(GREEN)
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Natural avalanches very unlikely. Human triggered avalanches unlikely.
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Generally stable snow. Isolated areas of instability. |
Travel is generally safe. Normal caution is advised. |
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(YELLOW)
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Natural avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible.
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Unstable slabs possible on steep terrain.
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Use caution in steeper terrain and on certain aspects.
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CONSIDERABLE
(ORANGE)
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Natural avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable.
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Unstable slabs probable on steep terrain. |
Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. |
HIGH
(RED)
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Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
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Unstable slabs likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles.
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Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Safest travel on windward ridges and lower angle slopes without steeper terrain above.
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EXTREME
(BLACK)
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Widespread natural or human triggered avalanches certain.
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Extremely unstable slabs certain on most aspects and slope angles. Large, destructive avalanches possible. Large, destructive avalanches possible.
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Travel in avalanche terrain should be avoided and travel confined to low angle terrain well away from avalanche path run-outs.
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