A Walk in The Park  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  4,182. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Richard Rossiter on Oct 6, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 55° | 32° 50° | 32° 61° | 36° 64° | 45° 64° | 45°

BETA PHOTO: This is upper Glacier Gorge as seen from Arrowhead...

Description 

A Walk in the Park traverses the entire rim of Glacier Gorge. The rim is formed (clockwise) by Half Mountain, Storm Peak and Long's Peak on the east; Keyboard of the Winds, Pagoda Mountain and Chief's Head Peak on the south; and by McHenrys Peak, Powell Peak and Thatchtop Mountain on the west. Spearhead and Arrowhead are satellite or island peaks within the rim of the gorge.

See Route A Walk In The Park for details.

Getting There 

Begin from the Glacier Gorge Bus Stop (Trailhead) and follow the Glacier Gorge Trail toward Black Lake. A useful shortcut branches right from the main trail just after the 4th stream crossing (about .55 mile) and regains the main trail just east of the Loch Vale Junction. As soon as you cross the log bridge over Icy Brook, you are in Glacier Gorge, and you have gone too far. It is possible to hike along the south side of Icy Brook from here and find the path that leads to the Regular Route on Thatchtop Mountain. It is easier, however, to hike the Loch Vale Trail to a point where it draws near Icy Brook, descend a footpath, and cross the stream on a big log. Hike south through the woods and pick up a path that leads up and around the east side of the buttress with the winter ice climb Mixed Emotions. The path ends in a talus field. Angle up and right into a gully that leads through the upper cliff band, and arrive on the upper northeast ridge of Thatchtop.

The Classics

Featured Route For A Walk in The Park

A Walk In The Park 5.6  CO : Alpine Rock : ... : A Walk in The Park

This ultra marathon spans (counter clockwise) the entire rim of Glacier Gorge traversing 8 summits in perhaps 13 miles. The 7 towers along the Keyboard of the Winds are not climbed. Begin at the Glacier Gorge Bus Stop. Take the Glacier Gorge Trail and ascend the Regular Route on Thatchtop. Traverse the summit and gain the Continental Divide via the Northeast Ridge of Powell Peak. Traverse Powell Peak and descend into McHenrys Notch. Climb east out of the notch (5.5, 300 feet) and traverse M...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO