Mountain Project: Climbing Alpine Rock

This "area" is for alpine rock climbing in Colorado. Alpine is probably the true "Mountain" Project terrain. These routes truly lie in the mountains. This is the terrain of the alpinist, the all-arounder. Generally here, you must be comfortable in whatever the environment will throw at you.

Alpine is the home of the marmots and pikas in the warmer months. In the colder months, this is the land of the frozen. Scattered here is the terrain in which weather, exposure, season, loose rock, ice, snow, route-finding, lightning, precipitation, and altitude can dramatically affect one's experience. All these climbs involve heights of at least 8,000 ft. With these factors comes increased risks but potential for increased rewards and memories that can last a lifetime.

Getting There

These climbs cover the state from the Crestones, the Sangre de Cristos, the Mosquito Range, the Collegiates, the Sawatch, the San Juans, the Gores, the Front Range, the Elks, the Indian Peaks, the Mummy Range, the Never Summer Mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park or whatever range you wish to include. Look high and you will find them. You will drive but then you will hike, since most all of these will require some extended approaches. Some will require overnight trips. Nearly all will have season considerations for the majority of climbers.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Alpine Rock:

The Notch Couloir Mod. Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine, Grade III Long's Peak : Upper East Face

Little Bear-Blanca Traverse 5.0 Trad, Alpine Blanca Peak

Kiener's Route 5.3 Easy Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine, Grade II Long's Peak : Upper East Face

Wham Ridge 5.4 R Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, 2000 feet, Grade III Vestal Peak

North Ridge 5.6 Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, Grade II Glacier Gorge : Spearhead

Ellingwood Ledges 5.7 Trad, Alpine, Grade III The Crestones

South Face 5.8 Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, Grade III RMNP - Rock : Petit Grepon

Culp-Bossier 5.8+ Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, Grade III RMNP - Rock : Hallett Peak

The Flying Buttress 5.9 Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, Grade III RMNP - Rock : Mt. Meeker

Syke's Sickle 5.9+ Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 900 feet, Grade III Glacier Gorge : Spearhead

Casual Route 5.10a Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, Grade IV Long's Peak : The Diamond

The Barb 5.10- Trad, Alpine, 9 pitches, Grade III Glacier Gorge : Spearhead

Directissima 5.10b Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, Grade III Long's Peak : Chasm View Wall

Days of Heaven 5.10d Trad, Grade II Fern Canyon Rocks : Rock Of Ages

Birds of Fire 5.11a R Trad, Sport, Alpine, Grade IV Glacier Gorge : Chiefshead Northwest Face

Pervertical Sanctuary 5.11a Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, Grade IV Long's Peak : The Diamond

Yellow Wall 5.11b R Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 1000 feet Long's Peak : The Diamond

D7 5.11 Trad, Alpine, Grade IV Long's Peak : The Diamond

Ariana 5.12a Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, Grade IV Long's Peak : The Diamond

The Wasp 5.13a Trad, 1 pitch, 95 feet Fern Canyon Rocks : Rock Of Ages

Featured Route For Alpine Rock

Kirk Miller starting the face in early August, 150' below Torreys summit. A short step, 40 degrees maybe, separates him from the wide open snow. Then another choke, partly hidden, guards the junction with the left (west) fork and more steep turns. Like the North Pole at A-Basin for 2,000+ feet. You can see where the snow just ends, with no safe run out of snow. <br />

North Face Ski Descent Mod. Snow R CO : Alpine Rock : Torrey's Peak

Torrey's "Big Ol' Strip of Snow" is visible from Interstate 70 at the Bakersville exit. The Tuning Fork is another name that gets used. About 1,000 meters of ski descent are possible. Hike or skin the road from the Grizzly Creek road up to the Grays Peak Trailhead. If there is enough snow, leave the trail at the footbridge and skin up the creek (see map photo). After getting back on the trail at the wilderness sign, it's best to take off ...[more] Browse More Classics in CO

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Alpine Rock

Description

Getting There

The Classics