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A Walk in The Park 
Arrowhead 
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Chiefshead Northwest Face 
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Spearhead 

Glacier Gorge

Submitted By: Richard Rossiter on Oct 19, 2009
Administrators: Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac
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Description 

The west slope of Long's Peak drops 3000 feet into a rugged basin at the head of Glacier Gorge known as the Black Lake Cirque. Some of the most impressive walls and spires in Rocky Mountain National Park are found here towering above fields of wild flowers, ice-scoured slabs and jewel-like lakes comprising an alpine paradise of exceptional beauty (except for the mosquitoes). The rim of Glacier Gorge is formed 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 McHenry's Peak, Powell Peak and Thatchtop Mountain on the west. Spearhead and Arrowhead are satellite or island peaks within the rim of the gorge.


Getting There 

Begin from the Glacier Gorge Bus Stop (Trailhead) and follow the Glacier Gorge Trail to 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. This great trail continues to Mills Lake, Jewel Lake and eventually to Black Lake. From Black Lake the trail climbs along a beautiful cascade SE into the basin above Black Lake. From here, cairns indicate the line of least resistance into the upper cirque.

There is also a steep path that leads to Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake. This trail (never built) breaks right from the Glacier Gorge Trail after about 4 miles in some old avalanche debris. Cross Glacier Creek on large flat boulders and the find the start to the trail in the trees. This is less than obvious.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Glacier Gorge:
North Ridge   5.6     Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, Grade II   Spearhead
North Buttress   5.7     Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade III   Pagoda Mountain
East Prow   5.9     Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, Grade III   Spearhead
Syke's Sickle   5.9+     Trad, Alpine, 7 pitches, 900 feet, Grade III   Spearhead
The Barb   5.10-     Trad, Alpine, 9 pitches, Grade III   Spearhead
Arrowplane   5.11a     Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 800 feet, Grade III   Arrowhead
Birds of Fire   5.11a R     Trad, Sport, Alpine, Grade IV   Chiefshead Northwest Face
Obviously Four Believers   5.11a     Trad, Alpine, Grade IV   Spearhead
All Two Obvious   5.11d R     Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 800 feet   Spearhead
Airhead   5.11d     Trad, Alpine, 5 pitches, 600 feet   Arrowhead
Spear Me the Details   5.11d     Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 700 feet, Grade III   Spearhead
Ithaca   5.12a     Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 800 feet, Grade IV   Arrowhead
Browse More Classics in Glacier Gorge

Featured Route For Glacier Gorge
Pope on a wet 1st pitch.

Syke's Sickle 5.9+  CO : Alpine Rock : ... : Spearhead
Amazing- Spearhead is located in Rocky Mountain National Park and is perched above Glacier Gorge. Spearhead is an 800-ft granite spire that rises to a sharp point above the upper basin (past Black Lake). In the middle of the immense vertical wall is a right arcing crescent roof dubbed the "Sickle". [Syke's] Sickle is a wonderful route that ascends several crack systems before arriving at the "Sickle". P1 ascends a 5.5, left-arcing, wide crack (ea...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO