OTIS Peak (&Andrews GLACIER&TARN) (WINTER & early summer)

Other times I've been on Andrews Glacier and passed by Andrews Tarn: 
Category: Colorado (RMNP)Glacier Gorge Trailhead Elev: 9,180 ftAndrews Tarn Elev: 11,380 ftAndrews Pass Elev: 11,980 ftOtis Peak Elev: 12,486 ft
This page contains two trip reports:

Otis Peak, Andrews Glacier, Andrews TarnDate: February 26, 2023 (Sun)Trip Report #: 609Partner: solo

2.

Andrews Tarn onlyDate: June 22, 2024 (Sat)Trip Report #: 702Partner: Sue Abegg

Route (Otis Peak): Snow-covered trail and glacier and cross-country (~11.2 miles round trip, ~3300 ft gain/loss, snowy)

Route (Andrews Tarn): Trail (~9.2 miles round trip, ~2200 ft gain/loss)

Feb 2023: A snowshoe past a high mountain tarn, up a glacier, and to a summit. June 2024: An early summer hike with my mom.

Trip Report #1 (February 2023)

(solo winter hike up to Andrews Tarn, Andrews Glaicer, and Otis Peak) 

The forecast for Rocky Mountain National Park was for a clear and mild morning with snow moving in midday. I had been enjoying winter adventures to frozen lakes in RMNP. The snow conditions were stable, so Andrews Tarn sounded like a good destination (this area has some potential for avalanche slopes in the winter). 

It took me just a couple of hours to reach Andrews Tarn. I was quite stuck with the aquamarine color of the ice. I took a snack break here. I had planned for Andrews Tarn to be my turn-around point, but it was not even 10am and the skies were bluebird and the snow conditions were ideal. The gleaming white Andrews Glacier beckoned me onwards. Up I headed to Andrews Pass. From the pass I soaked in the view of snowy mountains to the west. I looked over towards Otis Peak. It looked pretty close. I had not ever been to the top of Otis. I decided it would be nice to get in a summit (especially a new one). So I left my pack and snowshoes at Andrews Pass and scrambled up to the top of Otis Peak. I soaked in the views from the top. It looked like the weather was finally starting to move it, so I romped back out to the car. What a fun day.

My round trip time was 5.5 hours. Some time stats:

Below is a sampling of photos from my goregous morning of exercise in RMNP.

Trip Report #2 (June 2024)

(early summer hike up to Andrews Tarn with my mom) 

My 74-year-old parents were visiting from British Columbia, Canada. My dad was dealing with a bad back and unfortunately could not hike, but my mom was rearing to go. I took her on a hike to Andrews Tarn, supplying her with a spare ice axe and pair of crampons. I poined out the climbs I had done on the nearby Sharkstooth and Zowie Tower. I was impressed with her stamina too, especially at 11,000 feet, about 11,000 feet higher than the sea level they live at in British Columbia. What a great day with my mom! The next day my dad and I had a great day building a bike enclosure and a bench on my patio.

Summer Photos

A couple of summer photos of Andrews Glacier and Andrews Tarn for comparison!

Descending Andrews Glacier to Andrews Tarn, June 23, 2020.
Andrews Tarn and Andrews Glacier.

previous and next adventures

(February 2023)
(June 2024)