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Looking up the North Face of Longs Peak on June 30th with the little bit of snow/ice in the first rockband being the 'Cables Route'. The snow on these initial slopes was well frozen at 9am and ankle deep postholing by noon on this almost cloudless final day of June.
The debris in the lower slopes is evidence of D1 sized sloughing and the entire width of the lower north facing slopes in this cirque had multiple avalanche tracks such as these. I found no snow on this day that was this unstable but with a cloudy night and a hot day, avalanche activity in the D1-2 range could be happening on these and similar snow covered slopes.
The technical crux of the North Face of Longs on June 30th, 2009. This snow/ice mixture was somewhat detaching and breaking away from this rock slab on this cold morning and until this section is ice-free in another week or so, the potential for this layer to collapse and seperate under foot is significant and this area should be carefully assessed for ice strength and belayers should be well positioned to avoid falling ice injury.
 
(Above left) The Lambslide Couloir and southern edge of the Mills Glacier on June 30th. (Above right) Close-up of a climber in the upper Lambslide Couloir around noon on the same day which didn't see corn formation in the Lambslide until after 12pm in the day. Very firm cramponing or skiing would be present on these clear and dry-air mornings that we are currently enjoying.
(Above) The north face of Mt. Meeker as viewed from the summit of Longs Peak. Reports on Dreamweaver have it quickly melting-out with little snow and ice left in the crux sections. The lower slopes of this classic climb are reportedly firm and make for great cramponing. Typically rock protection is most helpful on this route and in current conditions, a set of cams would likely be much more helpful then ice screws or pickets. The Flying Buttress rock route, which follows the prominent prow in the lower center of the photo is dry and ready for some chalk and sticky shoes to return for a while.
Current avalanche danger overall for the high country of RMNP is starting 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. (Broadway, Kieners, North Face of Longs, etc.)
Cornice collapses become a more serious threat in this hot weather and route selection should take into account this mostly avoidable and rarely survivable mountain hazards.
 
(Above left) The still snow covered Homestretch leading to the summit of Longs via the Keyhole Route . Current snow cover on this route is thick enough to require crampons (and skill) for a likely safe ascent and descent. Early starts should be considered to avoid heat-related avalanche issues and as has been the case for the last month, afternoon thunderstorms have started early and are already a constant part of the daily weather patterns. The snow at these elevations on Longs will likely remain through the middle of July.
(Above right) The south and east faces (L-R) of Mt. Alice (13,310'), one of the more technical and rarely climbed peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. The south face is one of the bigger rock faces in the park and laced with high quality free routes and un-freed aid routes that are waiting for some attention.
Lumpy Ridge with the Needles (10,068') at far left and Sheep Mountain at center rear of this rocky terrain that is much beloved by climbers. Early starts will help beat the heat on these now warm south-facing hillsides as well as to hopefully avoid the unfortunate lightning consequences that are now a constant threat each early afternoon (2-3pm).
Higher altitude climbing venues in the high country including the south-facing: Petit Grepon, Saber, Notchtop, Zowie, Wham, Arrowhead, and the Chasm View Wall have been dry for more than a month and only somewhat waterproof approach shoes are necessary for the limited snow encountered on these approaches. The North Buttress of Hallett is dry enough for climbing as is the Spearhead, although both may be wet or in spots. The Chiefshead(13,579') north faces are still drying out and it may be a few weeks until the 'Birds of Fire' (IV 5.11-) will no longer be weeping.
The Keyhole provides easy passage through the otherwise steep north ridge of Longs Peak. An ascent of the Keyhole Ridge (III 5.7) is a highly recommended route to the summit of RMNP's highest peak. This precipitous ridge crest makes for a very interesting climb that has many different variations of difficulty depending on one's desires and route-finding ability.
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Eli Helmuth is an AMGA Certified Rock, Alpine, and Ski Guide. 
