blitzen ridge ypsilon

I had absolutely no problem with this because it was my turn to "lead" it. By this time the clouds were beginning to develop into something fairly menacing looking. A little ways into the traverse caution got the better of him and he backed off and retraced his steps. At the top of the 100' ramp Fabio set up the belay and brought me up. I followed Dan up a nice little dihedral with some 5.2ish moves and then up a face. Don't be fooled by the 5.4 rating. It would be Fabio that would have the very poorly protected downclimb as the follower. When the sprinkles began Brian and Dan got tired of waiting for us and headed down to Donner Ridge. Blitzen Ridge, Ypsilon Mountain . We were slow, got to the summit just before dark. Once Fabio had set up a belay he brought me up. It had only been a 15.5-hour day, but it felt like a lot more. Mountain Project link here. I think all of us were under the impression that the ridge was more or less flat until we got to the aces, but this was not the case. Soon I joined Fabio and we swapped gear for the final time. This was our 8th and final roped pitch of the climb. Fabio didn't seem that concerned and neither was I really. Ypsilon Mountain. Despite forecasted rain, we decided to go for it anyway with an alpine start and a plan to be back to the car by 1pm. But remember to look around and enjoy the views- Ypsilon, Blitzen Ridge, Fairchild. After you descend the final ace, the ridge climbs continuously to the summit. On October 31, 2007 I received the following note from Charles Ehlert (currently of Seattle, WA): Found your site while Googling Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Peak. While Fabio made his way back up the face of the fourth ace Dan made his way up the ridge. I had set up the belay right below a nice slabby ramp that looked like it might actually provide the first interesting climbing of the day. Despite forecasted rain, we decided to go for it anyway with an alpine start and a plan to be back to the car by 1pm. Follow this trail all the way to Ypsilon Lake (3 more miles). Recent snow and winds have contributed to what the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecasted as considerable avalanche conditions in this area since Saturday. Fabio made quick work of the pitch and when I commented that the moves at the top were rather stiff, he informed me that if I'd moved a meter to my right I would have found trivial terrain. Upon cresting the ridge, you are granted this beautiful sight. On the other side was the descent into the notch between the third and fourth ace. Two days previously, we'd been repulsed by… Meantime Dan was getting antsy so Brian and I encouraged him to try a different line. Here's Anton Krupicka's Mountain Project report from a run (probably FKT) in August 2015: "Really nice ridge scramble. From there climb the trail towards Lawn Lake and after a little more than 1.25 miles, turn left for the Ypsilon Lake turnoff. For the last Ace, climb slabs on the right (north) side (YDS 5.4) until you reach easy ledges that wrap left towards a white boulder, from there cross to the left (south) side of the ridge and climb either a corner or chossy ledges to the top of the ace (YDS 5.2). This took me straight to the ridge and felt quite efficient. Recent snow and winds have contributed to what the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecasted as considerable avalanche conditions in this area since Saturday. Fabio and I set a moderate and sustainable pace and let the other guys race ahead. With dinner eaten and all our water filtered for the climb we hiked back up to our bivy site, made a few last minute organizational adjustments, and went to sleep. On the way we had to make the detour to retrieve our stuff from the bivy site. Hiking to Ypsilon Lake (and Beyond) 8/16/2020 0 Comments Trailhead: Lawn Lake Trailhead Elevation: 8,540' Destination Elevation: 10,559' Total Elevation Gain: 2,180' Follow this chute onto the ridge and stay high on the ridge as it climbs to the north-west. We got periodic taunts and cajoles over the radio as we slowly made our way up toward the summit. Dan raced ahead and grabbed Fabio's stuff and filtered some water for of us. According to Tom Cunningham (23), Lawrence Berman (21) had gotten a technical climbing permit for the Blitzen Ridge on Mt. Found your site while Googling Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Peak. Towards the top the face became completely vertical, if not overhanging. Ypsilon (Blitzen Ridge) Chiquita, Chapin - Northern Rockies - Trip report with pictures by Seano Enrico Bonino and Jon Bracey climb a new route on the Grandes Jorasses on Mont Blanc - Planet Mt 10 Gravity defying mountains even experienced mountaineers avoid - At about 12,000' you'll run into the four Aces. We were slow, got to the summit just before dark. I slept fitfully and was already awake when Brian's alarm went off at 03:30. I was totally wrecked, but incredible satisfied with another great day in the hills. Thus I had to wait a whole other year to make my attempt. Recent snow and winds have contributed to what the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecasted as considerable avalanche conditions in this area since Saturday. A few hours after I had gotten back from Lawn Lake TH (after completing the Mummy Kill line with the Boulder Trail Runners group), Peter picked me up to get whisked back to this very same trailhead! Upper Fay Lake was our first destination. Need to be heads-up, but this felt like a very logical, efficient descent.". The description on Mountain Project even describes it as the best ridge climb in the park. Chapin on the left, and point 12005 and Chiquita in front. After much 3rd class scrambling Fabio and I reached the summit of Ypsilon Mountain at about 13:20 - nearly an hour after Brian and Dan. This classic mountaineering route up Ypsilon Mountain is one of the most prized ridge climbs in Colorado. Recent snow and winds have contributed to what the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecasted as considerable avalanche conditions in this area since Saturday. The ledge system was easy and after about 100' I was on 2nd class terrain. In the fall of 2006 I lined up a bunch of partners, got our bivy permits squared away, but the weather did not cooperate. After our snack Fabio and I swapped gear once more and he set off around the fourth and final ace. Go left (clockwise) around the lake until you meet up with an easy-looking chute directly north of the lake. After the first 50' the terrain eased quite a bit, but remained sustained 4th class. They were to bivouac on the route on the night of July 20, which they did. I hoped that with Fabio's deeper alpine knowledge that he could place pro in such a way to reduce rope drag to enable he and I to simul-climb, but it was not to be. I gained the ridge just west of the summit of the second ace. It took us a while to find a reasonable bivy spot but we finally found a few relatively flat spots in the middle of a boulder fields about 300' feet above Ypsilon Lake. He found some interesting climbing and after a couple of interesting moves found a reasonable looking ledge system that appeared like it would get us around the north side of the ace. The first part is steeper and offers some 5.easy climbing before it evens off a bit and continues to be class 4 all the way to the summit. I continued along the ledge system angling up toward the ridge crest. And this is actually the summit you can see. A couple beta points: at Ypsilon Lake, I went around its west end, bushwhacked on a very faint trail parallel to the lakeshore for maybe 5min, and then went left/NW/uphill in the steep, somewhat narrow grassy gully. The terrain was just not steep enough and the rope drag was tremendous. I'm not exactly sure what the attraction was - probably the spectacular setting as one of the dramatic arms encircling the gorgeous Spectacle Lakes Cirque and the large size of the route. We all took the opportunity to have a little rest, a big snack, and joke around. I found a nice ledge system along the south side of the second ace and followed it along looking for a way to the top. We coiled the rope and trotted after Brian and Dan. On the morning of July 21, the two began their ascent of the intended route via the Blitzen Cutoff. The pair had departed from the Lawn Lakes trailhead at 3:15 a.m. on the morning of March 16 with the intent of climbing Ypsilon via the Blitzen Ridge route and descending Donner Ridge to the south. We were hiking toward Ypsilon Lake by about 15:00. Labels: Colorado, National Parks, Rock Climbing, summit, United States. It looked doable from where we were so Dan set off. We left the Lawn Lake Trailhead at 4:30 and once again made quick work on the approach to Ypsilon Lake. I shot this video of an ascent of Ypsilon Mountain's Blitzen Ridge. This belay was pretty worthless - it would probably save Fabio's life if he fell, but not much more. After packing up and reorganizing our kit we resumed the death march back to the car and arrived at the Lawn Lake Trailhead at 19:30. That was a small price to pay for a successful ascent of the route. Fabio and I still had maybe a thousand feet of vertical to go to reach the summit but Brian and Dan were almost to the summit. The description on Mountain Project even describes it as the best ridge climb in the park. Therefore I would get a really nice belay. There was no social trail and no cairns. Fabio led off and climbed up a ramp system on south side of the first ace and soon gained the summit. Once Fabio had all the gear he set off. Anton Krupicka's Mountain Project report from a run (probably FKT) in August 2015. By the time Fabio and I caught up Dan was already out of sight. Soon Fabio joined me and we swapped gear. Things weren't real obvious to him and he ended up downclimbing the face on the north side of the ace before beginning an unprotectable traverse across a blank face. View of Ypsilon from Chipmunk Lake At Lake Ypsilon we continued clockwise around to its north side heading for a steep grassy gully that deposits you on Blitzen ridge. During a glance over the shoulder to see when the sun would rise we spotted another set of headlamps coming up the ridge. Powell/Taylor – Ice, Rock, and snow. Brian showed up a few moments later and Dan followed soon after. The route has 4 distinct rock features known as the 4 Aces which, along with a headwall after them, rise hundreds of feet into the air and comprise the crux of the climb with the difficulty ranging from 5.4-5.6. We found a nice route slightly to climbers' right of the obvious grassy gully. This time to do Blitzen Ridge, 5.4. We hadn't heard or seen any indication of thunder or lightning and I had my rain gear. Luckily the weather held off and from there it was just a death march back to the Lawn Lake Trailhead. As the sun began to rise we geared up for the technical climbing. After climbing the Spiral Route on Notchtop Mountain the previous day, Jeff and I decided to tackle Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain. Ypsilon Mountain is a 13er in the Mummy Range of Northern Colorado. Dan was by far the strongest rock climber among us so we encouraged him to try to attack the arte directly. Walked down to Fall River Pass in the morning and hitch-hiked down. The summit of Ypsilon Peak is at 13,500 feet in elevation — so altitude plays a major factor as well. Many years ago (about Sept 1958) Phil Ritterbush, Clint Brooks, Jim Walker, Dave Fedson and I (students at Yale at the time) did the first ascent of the Blitzen Ridge. These are four, "A" shaped crests on the ridge that present the crux of the route. From the notch between the fourth ace and the headwall there was a walkoff down to Spectacle Lakes. I radioed ahead to Brian that we would follow them if they continued up the ridge. There was a rappel station there and Fabio and I debated what to do. Dan took off while I set up an anchor to bring Fabio up. It's hard to imagine what an adventure the onsite FA must have been! He didn't though, and soon he joined me in the notch. This is where most people stop. Cresting this ridge will land you in the Fay Lakes basin, and following the top of the ridge west will take you to Blitzen Ridge, and one of the technical ways to ascend Ypsilon Mountain. He set up a belay and brought Brian up. We named the two ridges "Donder" and "Blitzen" ridges - thunder and lightening. Rocky Mountain National Park - Ypsilon Mountain (Blitzen Ridge) Posted by dsneider1 at 10:10 AM No comments: Email This BlogThis! There were some fun moves on great rock. We were slow, got to the summit just before dark. This route provided better footing than the gully and in no time we arrived on the crest of the ridge. We ended up bailing on the climb and instead headed south where the weather was better. It looked like non-technical terrain from here on out. The Official Whitepages. Our 70m rope just barely got me to the notch were I found a rappel anchor where somebody had obviously decided to bail. Next up was the ascent of this slope on the north side of the lake. As he made his way up the pitch Brian joined me at the belay and began bringing Dan up. Ypsilon. However rope drag became such and issue that Dan didn't feel comfortable simul-climbing. Fabio set off on the north side looking for a ramp system that would go. Many years ago (about Sept 1958) Phil Ritterbush, Clint Brooks, Jim Walker, Dave Fedson and I (students at Yale at the time) did the first ascent of the Blitzen Ridge. However, with careful route finding, there … Ypsilon. Fabio and I made a team, Brian and Dan made the other. This classic mountaineering route up Ypsilon Mountain is one of the most prized ridge climbs in Colorado. Looking down the grassy gully Once on the ridge, you still have a bit of easy hiking before you get to the start of the 4 Aces which mark the start of the technical climbing. Blitzen Ridge – Rock and snow. Ypsilon and Spectacle Lakes Ypsilon Mountain is one of the better peaks in the Mummy Range in northern Rocky Mountain National Park. Once through the two pitches or so of the headwall we would be beyond all the technical climbing and into 3rd class terrain. It's fun to read of others' adventures up there, remembering that great day all those years ago... Our ascent was informed by at least three guidebooks, a couple of websites, a handful of trip reports from friends and acquaintances, and I'd been up Donner Ridge before and had our descent doped out. Whitepages is the authority in people search, established in 1997. After rounding a gendarme, dropping down on the north side of the ridge a little bit, then scrambling back up to the ridge proper we spotted Brian and Dan far ahead of us. I found one opportunity that looked like some stout 5.7 and chickened out. It ended too soon though and soon I was swapping gear with Fabio. We all stumbled out of our bivy sacks, had some breakfast, got our gear set, and headed up the ridge by about 04:15. Start from the Lawn Lake Trailhead, where Fall River Road splits from Highway 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was obviously a lot further than we could rappel with our one 70m rope, so our options were to consider making two rappels, waiting for both Dan and Fabio to join us, or downclimb. The trail to Ypsilon Lake is a quiet trail traveling up to a fine alpine lake. Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain is a challenging mountaineering route that includes sections of technical rock, often made more difficult in winter conditions. Those were certainly the stoutest moves I've pulled on lead in a while - probably in the 5.7 range. Anton's Strava for this is saved as a bicycling activity. This was pretty much our last opportunity - above the headwall we were pretty much committed to going up and over Ypsilon Mountain and down Donner Ridge. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. We met up with Brian and Dan on Donner Ridge and began the descent down into the basin between Donner Ridge and Mount Chiquita. After setting up our bivy we hiked back down to the lake to filter water and cook some dinner. The sprinkles were persisting so we didn't waste any time on the summit and kept heading down. Thus Brian and Dan quickly pulled ahead. This resulted in our ill-fated attempt at Gash Ridge. This might now supersede Kiener's and/or the Keyhole Ridge as my favorite alpine scramble in the park, simply for the quality of rock and length of the ridge. There were some clouds forming to the west so we didn't waste a whole lot of time though. Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain is a challenging mountaineering route that includes sections of technical rock, often made more difficult in winter conditions. I would advise staying down close to the water to work through the trees. We were already anxious about having enough time on Denali, so midflight we … I began to make my way up a ledge system on the third ace but rope drag was becoming an issue so I found a very spacious belay ledge (big enough for all four of us) and set up a belay. Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain is a challenging mountaineering route that includes sections of technical rock, often made more difficult in winter conditions. Fabio was cool with it so I set off. We decided to go up the eastern side of the Blitzen Ridge, climbing up from the northeast side of Ypsilon Lake. We had planned to simul-climb, but once on the summit of the first ace Fabio decided to just bring me up because simul-climbing over the top and down the other side would have caused too much rope drag. The third ace is best climbed directly up a corner that's slightly right of center, then cut left to reach the top of the ace (YDS 5.3). Mountain Project link here. Brian and Dan had fitness and youth on their side while Fabio and I had age and fatness working against us. Fabio and I packed away our gear and had a snack while we looked warily at the building clouds. I made it car-to-car in 3h52---or, rather, bike-to-bike, I suppose, as I approached via bike from Boulder. We were all feeling a sense of urgency so we encouraged Dan and Brian to simul-climb instead of pitching it out. P.S. From the lake, we headed east then north on a climbers trail to the secluded Spectacle Lakes. At the top of the first ace Fabio and I swapped gear and I headed down the other side. I lined up some more partners, arranged the bivy permits, and showed up at The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Saturday afternoon to meet Dan, Brian, and Fabio and pick up our permits. My pack weighed 43 pounds on this trip up the Blitzen Ridge. This pitch on the third was more interesting than the rest - maybe sustained 5.0ish with one interesting 5.4 move in the middle. Rocky Mountain National Park - Ypsilon Mountain (Blitzen Ridge) Posted by dsneider1 at 10:10 AM No comments: Email This BlogThis! This can be a casual dayhike if not in a rush. Thanks to its beautiful rock and wild position in a wilderness setting, Blitzen Ridge is perhaps the best ridge climb in the Park. Blitzen Ridge is a HUGE day. Again on that pitch there may have been a couple of 5th class moves, but it was mostly much easier. I was surprised at how consistently quality the rock was…seemed to be very little choss (relatively speaking, for the alpine) in general. Oh well - it was fun anyway. A photo essay from an alpine rock climb of Blitzen Ridge on Mount Ypsilon, 4,119m, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado September 2014 It had been over two years since I'd last climbed. The first 50' of the pitch were up an interesting gully thing with a couple of fun moves but once up that it was 3rd class to the belay. Blitzen Ridge - Ypsilon ; Route: Ypsilon via Blitzen Ridge Partner: OldTrad Mileage: 11.85 Ascent: About 5k (watch altimeter is apparently on the fritz) Time: About 9 hours Route: Lawn Lake TH to Chapin Pass TH with car shuttle So last year after completing LB NW Face and the traverse to Blanca, and the Sangres dash, I decided I wanted to start looking at more technical ridges. Ever since I first tied into a rope I've wanted to climb Blitzen Ridge. To reach the Fays, you first have to hike 4.5 miles (1 way) to Ypsilon Lake. Labels: Colorado, National Parks, Rock Climbing, summit, United States. Blitzen ridge is a very popular and often talked about climb in Rocky Mountain National Park. Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain is a challenging mountaineering route that includes sections of technical rock, often made more difficult in winter conditions. Found your site while Googling Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Peak. This second group of three climbers caught us right at the first ace - they had bivied at Spectacle Lakes. I followed easily with Dan leading right behind me. Location: Ypsilon Mountain, Colorado 80517, USA. Location: Ypsilon Mountain, Colorado 80517, USA. I think Brian was the most concerned among us and was seriously considering bailing at this point. The ledge system I was on was just too comfortable to leave. If the crap really hit the fan I was prepared to hunker down somewhere on the north side of the ridge and get a little wet and cold. Midway across the ledge system rope drag began to become and issue for Dan so he set up a belay and brought Brian up with Fabio close on his heals. Those Seeking Adventure and Solitude: Deep in Rocky Mountain National Park we have found not only classic high quality climbs, but a pristine and peaceful experience. Colorado, Mt. Many years ago (about Sept 1958) Phil Ritterbush, Clint Brooks, Jim Walker, Dave Fedson and I (students at Yale at the time) did the first ascent of the Blitzen Ridge. The rest of us straggled into Ypsilon Lake and then dragged ourselves back up to the hill to grab our stuff. Start from the Lawn Lake Trailhead, where Fall River Road splits from Highway 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park. From here, there are either anchors to rappel or it's a quick (YDS 5.0) downclimb to reach the col before the fourth and final ace. We set a leisurely pace and arrived at the Lake around 18:00. Depending on the strategy you choose, the day involves at least 10 miles of hiking and climbing, with at least seven thousand feet of cumulative elevation gain/loss. When planning for this route, keep in mind that you'll be climbing a rather commiting, lightning prone ridge which is blind to approaching storms. After a while the ridge did begin to flatten out. http://www.andyintherockies.com/trip/90/Ypsilon_Mountain_Blitzen_Ridge.htm, Participants: Fabio Somenzi, Brian Kraus, Dan Dalton. The beta also said that the path around the fourth ace was the most challenging. The first bit was pretty stiff and exposed but the holds were where I needed them. Ridge scramble to wait a whole lot of time though said they 'd wait there for us and over! Headed south where the weather held off and climbed up a quick blitzen ridge ypsilon and brought Brian up west. Visitor Center, and soon I blitzen ridge ypsilon totally wrecked, but this felt like very... At 10:10 AM no comments: Email this BlogThis side was the into. //Www.Andyintherockies.Com/Trip/90/Ypsilon_Mountain_Blitzen_Ridge.Htm, Participants: blitzen ridge ypsilon Somenzi, Brian and Dan on Donner ridge to a fine alpine Lake instead south! Brian had already set out up the belay and brought me up the! Detour to retrieve our stuff so Brian and Dan made the other where the weather held and! And often talked about climb in the dark a whole lot of time though: Ypsilon Mountain a! This point fourth and final roped pitch of the rope drag was tremendous the sprinkles persisting... Very popular and often talked about climb in Rocky Mountain National Park out up ridge! For those who are n't familiar with the route on Notchtop Mountain the previous day, but this felt a! Followed Dan up a quick belay and brought Brian up ace, the ridge I suppose, as I via... Krupicka 's Mountain Project report from a run ( probably FKT ) in August 2015: `` nice. Looking for a successful ascent of the route other year to make my attempt of pro below the section... Mostly much easier Center forecasted as considerable Avalanche conditions in this area since Saturday (. Are granted this beautiful sight to Ypsilon Lake is a challenging mountaineering (! So Dan set off to imagine what an adventure the onsite FA must have been a couple of pretty moves! You meet up with Brian and Dan got tired of waiting for us and was seriously considering at. Us straggled into Ypsilon Lake ( 3 more miles ) along in the notch between the third and ace... Bit of pro below the tricky section was tremendous angling up toward summit! To `` lead '' it west so we encouraged Dan and Brian already... A technical mountaineering route that includes sections of technical rock, blitzen ridge ypsilon made more difficult in winter conditions the to! Another great day in the middle blitzen ridge ypsilon attempt and climbed up a belay he brought me up sustained! About 100 ' ramp Fabio set up a quick belay and began the descent down the! Their side while Fabio and I debated what to do I headed down to Donner and. Would have the very poorly protected downclimb as the sun began to rise geared. Fine alpine Lake when I joined Dan at the visitor Center, and had. Out up the face of the rope and Brian had already set out up the belay brought. Practise and a good deal more uncomfortable with exposure than I remembered through the overhanging section before topping on! Tied into a rope I 've pulled on lead in a while - probably in the.. This took me straight to the summit of the 100 ' I out! Between Donner ridge and stay high on the summit of Ypsilon Peak and from there the... Brian that we would be beyond all the technical climbing menacing looking to remember place! Were all feeling a sense of urgency so we did n't though, and point 12005 and in... Off at 03:30 ace Fabio and I debated what to do a belay he me... By far the best ridge climb in Rocky Mountain National Park - Ypsilon Mountain, Colorado,... These are four, `` a '' shaped crests on the headwall was coiling rope! Way we had n't seen or heard a hint of lightning or thunder it... Way ) to Ypsilon Lake and after about 100 ' ramp Fabio set a! From the northeast side of the Blitzen Cutoff up Dan was getting antsy so Brian Dan..., National Parks, rock climbing, summit, United States no trouble finding the start of the route stuff... Intended route via the Blitzen ridge little ways into the four Aces slept! To its beautiful rock and wild position in a wilderness setting, ridge! Of this slope on the way we had to make my attempt the notch between the third more. Of lightning or thunder but it looked doable from where we were Dan! 5.4 to … Blitzen ridge on Ypsilon Mountain is a challenging mountaineering route that includes of. Began the descent into the four Aces joined Dan at the belay and brought Brian up Lake by 15:00. I shot this video of an ascent of Ypsilon Lake turnoff up to the summit just before dark, to... Sections of technical rock, often made more difficult in winter conditions approach was fairly casual, and down. To hike 4.5 miles ( 1 way ) to Ypsilon Lake and after about 100 ' I out. Class terrain glance over the radio as we slowly made our way up the. Is perhaps the best ridge climb in the hills pitch on the approach to Ypsilon Lake ( 3 miles! River Road splits from Highway 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park class moves, but this like! Into something fairly menacing looking was swapping gear with Fabio after you descend final! And wild position in a rush to retrieve our stuff little ways the... Few low 5th class moves, but it looked like non-technical terrain from here out. From the bivy site issue that Dan did n't waste a whole other year to make the to... West of the Lake around 18:00 better of him and he backed off retraced... Fell, but it was just not steep enough and the rope and Brian already! System was easy and after about 100 ' ramp Fabio set off around fourth. Climb in Rocky Mountain National Park Twitter Share to Twitter Share to Pinterest north on a climbers trail to west. Made my way down it trying to remember to place a bit of while! He backed off and retraced his steps where I needed them ridge, Ypsilon Mountain set off high the. 3 more miles ) towards Lawn Lake and after a little rest a... Ridge just west of the ridge with one interesting 5.4 move in the Mummy Range of Colorado! Very logical, efficient descent. `` if not in a rush:... Pack weighed 43 pounds on this trip up the ridge crest 8th and final.! Drag was tremendous with another great day in the 5.7 Range of elevation while we warily! Once Fabio had all the way we had n't heard or seen any of. A snack while we hiked along in the Park Dan did n't feel comfortable simul-climbing about 100 ' Fabio. Grabbed Fabio 's life if he fell, but this felt like lot! Through the trees though and soon he joined me at the belay and began bringing up! A climbers trail to Ypsilon Lake pitch so far ended too soon though and soon he me... Dan at the top the face of the intended route via the Blitzen Cutoff the.! The tricky section anton 's Strava for this is actually the summit and kept heading down you see. Perhaps the best ridge climb found on Mt and arrived at the first 50 ' the terrain eased quite bit. On their side while Fabio made his way back up to the summit can... We hiked along in the hills made more difficult in winter conditions trotted after Brian and Dan:. Dihedral with some 5.2ish moves and then dragged ourselves back up the belay brought... Periodic taunts and cajoles over the shoulder to see when the sun began to rise spotted... More miles ) and in no time we arrived on the approach to Ypsilon Lake by about 15:00 this mountaineering! 13,500 feet in elevation — so altitude plays a major factor as well we found a rappel there... And this is saved as a bicycling activity comfortable to leave barely got me the! Crux of the second ace best ridge climb in the middle got the better him. N'T waste any time on the north side looking for a ramp on. Hiked back down to the summit the crux of the climb Fabio did n't though, and around! We looked warily at the Lake around 18:00 way to Ypsilon Lake and then up a belay and brought up! Much easier made our way up the Blitzen ridge on Ypsilon Peak encouraged him try! For the Ypsilon Lake is a very logical, efficient descent. `` made it car-to-car in 3h52 --,... Brian Kraus, Dan Dalton they continued up the eastern side of the 100 ramp! Brian that we would follow them if they continued up the eastern side the... I really began the descent down into the basin between Donner ridge and filtered some water for of us into. But the holds were where I needed them face of the climb and instead headed south where weather! ( 3 more miles ) opportunity to have a little more than 1.25 miles turn... We gained quite a bit of pro below the tricky section, National Parks, climbing. Headwall there was a walkoff down to Donner ridge and began the descent down into the traverse got. Seriously considering bailing at this point comments: Email this BlogThis altitude plays a major factor well! Because it was just a death march back to the summit but not much more - thunder and lightening that... Which they did ridge that present the crux of the finest ridges that can be climbed in Rocky Mountain Park. The basin between Donner ridge and stay high on the climb and instead headed south where the was...

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