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Elevation: 14,255 ft
GPS: 40.25446, -105.61575
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 248,057 total · 838/month
Shared By: Malcolm Daly on Nov 29, 1999 · Updates
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC
Warning Access Issue: Regulations DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

This is the wonderful cirque that sits below the summits of Mt. Meeker and Long's Peak. A ton of ice forms up here during 9 months of the year, but most agree that the best time to climb is in the fall, when the days are warm enough to form the drips, yet they freeze at night. These drips are ephemeral: what is in one day may be gone by the time you hear about it. The best condition reports are word of mouth (or right here), or visually from the Front Range. The best conditions are found for a few days after Fall snow storms, when it's in the 70s down low. Look for fresh snow up high and sunny skies. Often the ice dries up in the middle of winter. It's just too cold up there to keep ice forming. It tends to come back in in early April. In a good year, the ice routes back in the chimneys on the North Face of Meeker (Dark Star, etc.) stay in until early July.

Hint: this is a huge area, and the climbs are farther away than you think. From the observation points at the shelter cabin or Chasm Lake, climbs may not look like they're in. To really tell, though, you've got to make the whole approach.

Getting There Suggest change

Approach from the Long's Peak ranger station. Follow the signs to Chasm Lake: for most people it takes about 2 hours. After you go over Chasm Cut-off and the trails heads downhill, look for Peacock Pool below you on the left along with Columbine Falls dropping into the pool. There are some great practice thin smears there as well as the low-angle slabs of Columbine. Above the trail, on the right flank of Mt. Lady Washington, several good 3-pitch falls form up in good years. These are nice because they catch the sun all day. For Long's and Meeker, keep going to the shelter cabin. If you're heading to Mt. Meeker, head left here, for the Long's Peak climbs, hike up the slabs directly behind the cabin. Once at the lake, you'll be able to see just about everything that's in, so make your choice there.

27 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirque Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirque

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
WI5 M6 R
 13
Smear of Fear
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
WI3
 19
Columbine Falls
Trad, Ice, Alpine
WI3+ M5-
 10
Dark Star (probably not Right Ch…
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
WI4 M4
 89
Alexander's Chimney
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
Easy Snow
 60
Lamb's Slide
Trad, Snow, Alpine
WI5
 4
Crazy Train
Trad, Ice, Alpine
WI3 M3
 4
Zumie's Chimney
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 2 pitches
WI5-6 M5 R
 4
Conditional Love
Mixed, Ice, Alpine 2 pitches
Easy 5th 1+ 3 I 5 M 1c WI2-3 Mod. Snow
 58
The Flying Dutchman
Trad, Ice, Snow, Alpine
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c M2
 182
Dreamweaver
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c AI2-3 M3 Mod. Snow
 99
The Notch Couloir
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c M2 Easy Snow
 203
Kiener's Route
Trad, Mixed, Snow, Alpine
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a M2-3
 52
North Face / Cables Route
Trad, Mixed, Alpine
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a WI2+ M2-3
 124
Martha
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b WI5 M6+
 16
Field's Chimney
Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Smear of Fear
 13
WI5 M6 R Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
Columbine Falls
 19
WI3 Trad, Ice, Alpine
Dark Star (probably not Rig…
 10
WI3+ M5- Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
Alexander's Chimney
 89
WI4 M4 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine
Lamb's Slide
 60
Easy Snow Trad, Snow, Alpine
Crazy Train
 4
WI5 Trad, Ice, Alpine
Zumie's Chimney
 4
WI3 M3 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 2 pitches
Conditional Love
 4
WI5-6 M5 R Mixed, Ice, Alpine 2 pitches
The Flying Dutchman
 58
Easy 5th 1+ 3 I 5 M 1c WI2-3 Mod. Snow Trad, Ice, Snow, Alpine
Dreamweaver
 182
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c M2 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
The Notch Couloir
 99
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c AI2-3 M3 Mod. Snow Trad, Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine
Kiener's Route
 203
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c M2 Easy Snow Trad, Mixed, Snow, Alpine
North Face / Cables Route
 52
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a M2-3 Trad, Mixed, Alpine
Martha
 124
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a WI2+ M2-3 Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 5 pitches
Field's Chimney
 16
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b WI5 M6+ Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine 4 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Long's Peak/Mt. Meeker Cirque »

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