RMNP mountain running advice

Update from original. Will be in Denver 6/23-68. Just looking for snow line/trail conditions. Thanks.

Meeker and Longs via the loft. I know some folks that have tacked on Pagoda and Storm as well. Your biggest issue will be the early afternoon thunderstorms.

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Not sure where you're coming from, but that's a pretty rapid altitude ascent. If you've got some free time in Steamboat and the lifts running, head up to the summit (10.5k I think?) for a couple hours and jog around. You'll be happy you did when you're sucking wind on Longs the next day at 14k.

Afternoon thunderstorms are no joke in RMNP. They kill someone (or a couple people) pretty much every year. Most people are at the trailhead by 2am for Longs. Aim to be back below treeline by about 12. 12:30 if you're a daredevil.

Run to Lone Eagle Peak in the Indian Peaks if you want some great scenery and solitude. It is 8 miles there over some gentle and steep terrain. It wouldn't be an easy run. No particular summit, but still a fantastic cirque. You can scramble to the top (11.9).

Top of Steamboat would be great as well and I forgot the altitude thing so 14k will take the wind out of you fir sure if you live at sea level

I am going to assume that you know what you are getting yourself into. Some of my favorites are Mummy Mania for the lack of crowds, scenery, and runnable terrain (relative). You will want a shuttle or it is well over 20 miles.

Going over Flattop then doing the Powell-Thatchtop traverse (class 4 if you find the easy way) is spectacular. I don't usually recommend this since the traverse could have some serious consequences, but one of my favorites.

The Grand Slam or Radical Slam (Meeker, Longs, Pagoda, Storm, Mt. Lady Washington for Grand and tack on Estes Cone and one more whose name escapes me for the Radical) is a fabulous outing, but it is relatively tough.

Send me a personal message if you want more details or other suggestions.

Cheers,
Elijah

too many to list. just look up hikes in RMNP and the surrounding area and go run 'em!

Just southeast of Steamboat is the Devils Causeway. It might fill the bill for just before the rehearsal or to aid in your post wedding recovery......
colorado-lifestyle.blogspot…

Do a Google search of "Glacier Gorge Traverse", aka "A walk in the Park" (it's also listed in MP with both names, although they're slightly different routes). Be warned that it's a serious outing, requiring scrambling up to 5.7 in high alpine terrain and tricky route-finding. Definitely weather dependent, as you will spend a lot of time on ridgelines along the Continental Divide, so check the forecast and have a few back-up plans in case you need to bail at some point during the traverse. Familiarity with the Park's peaks/features/valleys is highly recommended! If you meet all those requirements then you're set for a great adventure :)

mountainproject.com/v/shelf…

Shelf Cirque Traverse isn't quite as demanding as A Walk in the Park or the Glacier Gorge Traverse, but it's still a fun day out.

^^This! The Shelf Cirque traverse is beautiful, not too long, requires less scrambling, and involves pretty easy route finding. Good way to see the park and the amazing Solitude lake basin. Crux may very well be finding the trail up to Solitude lake.

Some pics from my outing to get you stoked.

The traverse circles this basin.

Arrowhead-McHenrys section.

Thanks for info! Lots of good looking stuff.

Colorado trip 2016! Funny, another good friend will be getting married in CO again this summer, so I'll be in Denver the last weekend of June. I know its still early, but generally in that time frame are there any accessible 14'er or what ranges near Denver melt out first? Thanks.

And as an update from my last trip, I did Longs my first day in 4 hr 20 min RT and did a traverse in the Mummy Range as well. Appreciate all the info!

5.7 is scrambling? I must be doing it wrong :)

Jon H wrote:Not sure where you're coming from, but that's a pretty rapid altitude ascent.

First thing I thought of. Not to tell you your business as you maybe climb 20k peaks for fun, but people get really jacked up doing pushing it at altitude. Like call in SAR/die kind of jacked up.

Best of luck and be safe with the thunderstorms!!

Glacier Gorge Traverse

The Glacier Gorge Traverse is a fantastic tour of the park (=15 miles or so) Starts. Hike to black lake, scramble up arrowhead, traverse to mchenry's, chiefshead, pagoda, long's, and back down to glacier gorge trail head. Epic!

We did the Pawnee-Buchanan Loop as a trail run a few years ago, and it was fantastic. Crosses the continental divide twice. Super fun with diverse scenery.

Check out trailrunproject.com/ for more ideas and beta. It's actually a pretty cool site and it's given me some ideas in the past for new runs in the Indian Peaks or the park.

Have fun!!

Hit up the "Front Range Ultra Runners" group on Facebook.

kevino wrote:I'll be in Denver the last weekend of June. I know its still early, but generally in that time frame are there any accessible 14'er or what ranges near Denver melt out first?

End of June can be hit and miss. Just keep an eye on Colorado weather over the next few months. If we don't get any more major storms (unlikely) you should be good on most peaks and passes. If we do get another good dump of snow, you'll likely encounter snow at higher elevations throughout the state.

kevino wrote:I did Longs my first day in 4 hr 20 min RT and did a traverse in the Mummy Range as well.

Impressive for an out-of-state runner! Nice job!

TBrumme wrote: Impressive for an out-of-state runner! Nice job!

Mind boggling actually. Holy shit that's fast.