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Astro Tower & Group Half Mt., Glacier Gorge, RMNP Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map This is our best guess at this area's location.
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Routes in Astro Tower & Group Half Mt., Glacier Gorge, RMNP

Secret Garden, The T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a

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Elevation:	11,482 ft
GPS:	40.2655, -105.64137 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	2,390 total · 16/month
Shared By:	s.kimball on Jan 22, 2012
Admins:	Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Closures Details

Seasonal closures Feb. 15-July 31. Per the Denver Post:, the Cathedral Wall and all areas above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond Trail are closed to off-trail travel! Per this RMNP website, "Initial closures now occur in Feb. 15 and April, when raptors return to the region and scout for nesting sites. Areas containing general habitat preferred by raptors are closed during this time. Once raptors have selected nesting spots, the initial closures are lifted or adjusted. The specific areas which raptors choose for nesting sites are closed."

For additional information about raptor closures, please visit the Rocky Mountain National Parks area closures website.

General NPS climbing regulations for RMNP posted here.

Description

As a summit, Half Mt. is but a bump along the crest of Long's Peak/Glacier Gorge's NW ridge. Previously this was known only for the Astro Tower, the tallest of five formations seen to the east above popular Mill's Lake. Left of the Astro Tower is the Darkberry Buttress and to the tower's right is the Chronic Buttress. Astro Tower has only two recorded routes, Snively and Westbay's 1983 line and the Rossiter's Space Walk, of the same year. At least a half dozen have been added since then. The Darkberry has several FAs. The Chronic Buttress, is a 400 foot high, truncated rock of fine, glaciated granite. Three routes, including this chronicler's Secret Garden, a three pitch, pleasant 5.9+ a line up the buttress's left shoulder.

Getting There

Gillett's 2001 RMNP Climber's Guide suggests a 1000 foot elevation gain from Mill's Lake. I would double down on that once quoted as the worst approach hike ever: this daunting bushwack angling around slabs and talus then through Krummholz forests took this party from the lake over three hours.