Up-to-date information by Eli Helmuth on climbing route and trail conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park and throughout the Estes Valley of Colorado.  Avalanche forecasts and skiing conditions in the alpine region are also reviewed.

Warning:  Route conditions change constantly, especially in the mountains.  Climbing is dangerous.  Be flexible in your climbing plans, prepared for the worst and experienced enough for what you are doing. Seek qualified instruction and use proper equipment.  We accept no liability for your decisions in the peaks.  

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

The alpine weather has turned treacherous this last week with afternoon thundershowers rocking the high terrain and the biggest storms of the year hit RMNP on Sunday and Wednesday this week as related in Dan's Rocky Mountain Forecast.  Significant trail damage and loose-rocks on routes caused by torrential rain and hail downpours has changed the landscape enough that all senses should be alert to this potential.

                          Bernie Niznik on the FA of Add Nauseum (III 5.9+), Third Buttress of Hallett Peak, 7/08.

Early starts have been the mandate ever since the unbelievably great weather of the last month turned wet this last week and a bit of the summer monsoon pattern has kicked into high gear at the moment.  This new moisture along with a forecast for continued heat in the Front Range will likely feed a thunderstorm pattern that will be an objective alpine threat for some weeks to come and early starts are the best way to reach one's summit as well as better achieving the goal of surviving the experience or at least avoiding an epic.  Lightning danger and potentially hypothermia from rain during August are some of the greatest threats that a Lumpy Ridge or Diamond climber will face during this stormy season.

                                      Dave catching some shade in the Inside Straight (5.9+) on a hot August Lumpy day.

The "crowded classics" have been busy even during the weekdays this time of year and the Culp-Bossier on Hallett Peak, the South Face of the Petit Grepon, the Casual Route on the Diamond are the biggest hits (and enduring ones). If it weren't for the thunderous waterfalls which have been scouring the cliffs clean, there would be a proud line of chalk up most of these deservedly coveted routes.

                            Looking up the upper North Chimney on Longs Peak at the Diamond in sunrise on Aug. 6th, 2008.

                                Looking down at the Mills Glacier from half-way up the North Chimney on Longs East Face.

Today (8/8) on the Love Route  (III 5.9-) on Hallett's North Buttress, it was wet for the entire length of the 50m headwall pitch (P5) but a short detour up and left into the small right-facing corner system above the 4th pitch belay ledge (1/4" buttonhead w/leeper hanger) is likely the original line although it lacks the pitons that are scattered across the wall 25' to the right.  There are two buttonheads with pop-top hangers where this crack system ends at the grassy terrace below the final roof, but  I belayed another 50' up and right at a ledge with a piton 40' below the final crux pitch.

                        Quentin Lauradunn near the end of the "5.7 traverse" pitch on the Casual Route, (IV 5.10a), Longs Peak.

           Quentin catching his breath at the top of the squeeze chimney and just below the crux section of the pitch (and route).

The rappel anchors down the Yellow Wall (D7 raps) were as hard to find as usual in their camouflage of steel-grey on grey rock and at least once I had an anchor at my knee while looking everywhere for it!  Good luck finding them and if there was ever a place for a bulls-eye, in my opinion it would be 6 inches above each of these hidden life-lines to the valley floor.  That's what one gets for rappelling when there are safer options like walking down the Keyhole Route.

                     Pitch 5 of the Casual Route in the still-morning light with a climber at the top of the "5.8 Enduro Corner" pitch.

The Casual Route on the Diamond was all-dry on August 6th in the morning when we made a quick ascent and descent just in time before an intense storm rocked the Longs / Meeker Cirque with lightning and hail for nearly an hour.  During this time, most of the lower east face was a waterfall with rockfall coming down from Broadway and rock slides came out of Alexander's, Fields, and the North Chimney while we watched in awe from the glacier below.  it was a sight to behold as this steep granite landscape was being changed in a quick burst of energy from the passing clouds.

                                                                     Mount Lady Washington and Chasm Lake on August 6th, 2008.

We wore crampons over our approach shoes up the Mills Glacier and for about 60m up the North Chimney where snow angles were approaching 50 degrees before we stepped off onto a flat rock ledge for a belay. From there, we did two more pitches up to Broadway, taking the left-traverse about 30m below Broadway that brought us directly to the base of The Casual where we hung a pack of supplies high enough to successfully evade the marmots and hopefully confuse the ravens long enough for us to return and claim our stuff.  It worked this time or maybe they sensed the oncoming storm and had already evacuated the premises that day...

                   Quentin dialing in on another variation of the crux sequence (10a at almost 14K) on the Casual Route.

                       Glorious sun illuminating the slab between the Casual Route and Eroica (V+ 12b)  on the Diamond. 

                      The aftermath of the August 6th storm that deposited inches of hail and rain on Longs Peak in under an hour.