RMNP will begin construction of a new Chasm Meadows Cabin, scheduled to be finished in 90 days.

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will be replacing the Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin, which was destroyed by an avalanche in the spring of 2003. Park staff erected a temporary patrol cabin at the same location in the fall of 2003 so that backcountry management functions would continue without interruption.  The original cabin was constructed in 1931, and was located east and down slope from Chasm Lake, which lies at the base of Longs Peak.  Chasm Meadows is above tree line at an elevation of 11,400 feet.

 

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will begin the building of a new and larger Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin, and the current cabin along with the remains of the original cabin will be incorporated into the new building which was destroyed by a climax avalanche in the spring of 2003.   Park staff erected a temporary patrol cabin at the same location in the fall of 2003 so that backcountry management functions would continue without interruption.  It is currently filled with snow from the penetrating, hurricane force winds that regularly scour this valley between November and May of each year.

       The current NPS patrol cabin, located on the western edge of the Chasm Meadows below the Ship's Prow. 

The original cabin was constructed in 1931, and was located east and downslope from Chasm Lake, which lies at the base of 14,259 ft. Longs Peak.  Chasm Meadows is above tree line at an elevation of 11,400 ft.

The National Park Service (NPS) considers the Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin an essential facility for managing this area of RMNP. The cabin and its environs are located within recommended wilderness.  The Longs Peak area is one of the most popular destinations in the national park.  During the busy summer season, as many as 1,200 visitors can be hiking and climbing in the mountains that surround Chasm Meadows each day.  The east face of Longs Peak, which is known as "The Diamond," is a world class technical rock climbing attraction.

In the past five years, NPS personnel have conducted 367 operations, including medical assists and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, in the Longs Peak area.  The availability of rescue equipment at the Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin reduces the response time and logistical challenges for many of these incidents.  During SAR operations the cabin serves as a central staging area and operations base.

The NPS had prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that examined three alternatives for the Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin and the environmental consequences of each:  The No Action alternative proposed to leave the temporary cabin in place until it was no longer feasible to maintain, at which time it would be removed and the area restored to natural conditions.  The two action alternatives proposed involved replacement of the Chasm Meadows Patrol Cabin in the same vicinity, but outside of known avalanche paths.  

The new NPS patrol cabin will sit on the far southeastern end of the plateau on the opposite side of the toilets from the old cabin site.  The replacement cabin will cover about 280 sq. ft. (not including an outer storage vestibule) and will be constructed of Faswall® blocks, which are an environmentally friendly building system that uses waste wood by-products mixed with cement.  It is hoped that this design can withstand the hurricane force winds that regularly occur in RMNP in the winter months.  Most of the cement and stone remains that are deposited throughout this alpine meadow will be collected and reused in the new building process and the remainder transported out.

The planned "prow-shaped" design for the new building is hoped to mimic the nearby Ship's Prow formation.   This design will hopefully be both graceful in appearance but functional in regard to limiting the lee snow accumulations which are an issue to wintertime functionality of the cabin.

Helicopters and mules will be used to transport building materials to the site and for the removal of construction and demolition debri.  The building and demolition project will be ongoing throughout the summer with completion necessary before the arrival of winter conditions in early October.

The first of many heli-drops taking place in the Chasm Meadows for transport of building materials and tools.  There will be a contingent of trail staff and rangers working at Chasm Meadows for the entire summer.

Wood ash byproduct from RMNP's wood furnace will be spread along the south-facing snow slope which covers the final portion of the trail into Chasm Meadows from the eastern Longs Peak trailhead.  The dark ash will speed-up the melting process on this slope which is currently covered with more than 10' of snow deposited during the winter and spring months.

For questions regarding this project, please contact the NPS at (970) 586-1320.