Looking down the direct finish to Brain Freeze, with the summit of Zowie far below.

All Locations > Colorado > CO Ice & Mixed > RMNP - Mixed/Ice > Glacier Gorge T… > Andrews Creek &… > Brain Freeze (M5+ Steep Snow)

Looking down the direct finish to Brain Freeze, with the summit of Zowie far below.

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Experiencing the Brain Freeze at the top of the crux pitch.

Evan M. pulls the chockstone roof on P5 - note the purple #11 Hex placement in the roof. It felt like "summer," and we could climb barehanded.
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Photo taken on 12/5/2020.

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4.8 from 8 votes

Dougald MacDonald

Mar 21, 2008

“Looking down the direct finish to Brain Freeze, with the summit of Zowie far below.”

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Nearby Photos

GS moving out of the cave. Starting P5.

Kelly Cordes exiting pitch 6.

Experiencing the Brain Freeze at the top of the crux pitch.

Looking down the direct finish to Brain Freeze, with the summit of Zowie far below.

Evan M. pulls the chockstone roof on P5 - note the purple #11 Hex placement in the roof. It felt like "summer," and we could climb barehanded.
<br>

<br>
Photo taken on 12/5/2020.

Andy Grauch about to top out into the first of two belay caves on Brain Freeze. Photo taken on 2/24/08.

Closer view of Brain Freeze, on March 29, 2008.

Andy Grauch on the surprise Changing Gullies pitch of Brain Freeze. Equally strong spindrift avalanches and updrafts caused the snow to circulate in a stationary cloud surrounding the crux of this pitch. Photo taken on 2/24/08.

Leading the first pitch of Brain Freeze on 2/24/08. Photo by Andy Grauch.

Setting up to pull the crux roof of Brain Freeze on 2/24/08. Photo by Andy Grauch

Chris gives victory stance and then thinks,<br>
yikes, we've been rapping off of this Jenga game?!?<br>
The scary part isn't even in the picture, look at the other side of this pile when you top out. New anchor is straight up from ropes.

View looking up at Mount Otis from Andrews Creek.

Our first pitch, about 50 feet to the right of the original.

Early morning sun on the south face of Otis Peak showing the route Brain Freeze, with sections hidden by Zowie.

Matt Jerousek pulling 6th pitch chockstone.

Andy Grauch starting up the Changing Gullies pitch on Brain Freeze. Photo taken on 2/24/08.

Climbing out of the alcove.

Matt Jerousek moving up the 5th pitch following the crux chockstone.

Matt Jerousek pulling the 6th pitch chockstone on a splitter November day.

Upper route as seen from Andrews Creek, well beyond Zowie (sorry 'bout zoom blur).

We were hanging out at the top of pitch 2 on a warm (too warm) April day when two predator birds dropped a dead bird on me. We took it as a sign to get out of there and watched the pillar on pitch 3 collapse on our ski out.

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