The Spearhead

Other routes I've climbed on The Spearhead: 
Age Axe (5.10b, 6p)    •    All Two Obvious (5.11d, 8p)    •    Barb, The (5.10, 9p)    •    East Prow (5.9+/10b, 6p)    •    Kingfisher, The (5.11, 7p)    •    North Ridge (5.6-5.8, 6-8p)    •    Scimitar + Stone Monkey (5.12a, 5p)    •    Spear Me the Details (5.11d, 9p)   •    Sykes' Sickle (5.9+, 7p) 
Category: Colorado (RMNP)Summit Elev: 12,575 ftRock Type: Granite
Date: July 10, 2022 (Sun)Trip Report #: 556Partner: Nate Arganbright

Route: East Prow (5.9+/10b, 6p)

The second of two climbs on a two-night, two-day weekend in the spectacular Upper Glacier Gorge.

Intro

Summer was in full swing, with a splitter forecast and temperatures in the mid-80's in Estes Park and mid-90's in Boulder. So it was time to head to the alpine for the weekend. I secured a bivy permit for Upper Glacier Gorge (need to be climbing a route that is at least four pitches to qualify for a bivy permit), and Nate and I bivied up there for two nights (Friday and Saturday nights) at our favorite bivy location below The Spearhead. On Saturday we climbed Refugium (5.10a, 5p) on Arrowhead and on Sunday we climbed East Prow (5.9+/10b, 6p) on The Spearhead. We also enjoyed a couple of sunny afternoons hanging out in this spectacular area. The sun was out, the wildflowers were peaking, and the elk were grazing.

This page gives a trip report for our climb of East Prow on The Spearhead. The route climbs the beautiful rounded arete at the junction between the southeast and northeast faces of The Spearhead. This is a somewhat obscure route, so we were surprised when we hiked up to the base to discover another party on the East Prow. It was a popular day on The Spearhead, with about 10 parties climbing various routes (namely: Sykes' Sickle, The Barb, The Kingfisher). We decided to just wait an hour and then climb the East Prow as planned. It was worth the wait.

The following page gives an overlay and pitch-by-pitch photos of the climb, and below that a photo smorgasbord from our weekend of hanging out in Upper Glacier Gorge. Enjoy!

Route Overlay

(Also shows Age Axe, which Nate and I climbed together in August 2020.)

Time Stats

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Hike Glacier Gorge trail to Black Lake and continue up into basin below base of Spearhead. The route starts on the east side of spearhead on the prow between the southeast and northeast faces.

(The approach is short enough that the route can easily be done car to car, but the basin below Spearhead is a beautiful spot and there are some awesome bivy caves, so it is worth an overnight if you have the time.) Head to below the junction between the southeast and northeast faces of Spearhead. The route begins to the left of the prow in a right-facing corner.

Pitch 1

5.8, 120'

Work up the dihedral, then exit left to a grassy ledge.

Looking up from the base of the route.

Pitch 2

5.8, 150'

Climb straight up along right-facing flakes, work up and left through a roof, and belay at a stance at the bottom of a left-facing dihedral.

Nate starting up Pitch 2. 
Fun flakes on Pitch 2.
A runnout face on Pitch 2. It may be possible to climb cracks to the right to avoid runnout.
Steph climbing the corner at the top of the pitch. Photo by Nate.

Pitch 3

5.7, 75'

Follow the dihedral to the highest ledge below a long, horizontal fault line where the rock changes color.

Looking up the start of Pitch 3. We climbed left around the roof and up the corner. It may also be possible to continue up a crack system on the face (you can see this crack system to Nate's right in the next photo).
Looking down from the belay.

Pitch 4

5.8, 100'

(shares with Age Axe)

Jam the hand and fist crack to a rubble-strewn ledge with two bolts. This is Pitch 4 of Age Axe. 

Pitch 4 climbs the crack system on the right. A route called Awesome goes up and left from where this photo is taken.
A two-bolt anchor at the ledge at the top of the pitch. This anchor was probably part of a rappel at some point but no longer is in use.

Pitch 5

5.4, 90'

(shares with Age Axe)

From the right end of the lede, climb easy cracks and corners up and right to a long grassy ledge. This is Pitch 5 of Age Axe. This pitch seems more lie 5.6 than the 5.4 given to it in the guidebook.

Looking up Pitch 5.

Pitch 6

5.9+, 130' or 5.10b, 100'

(shares with Obviously Four Believers or Age Axe)

Climb the last pitch of Obviously Four Believers or Age Axe. Obviously Four Believers: Climb a slot to a hand crack. Go left around a roof and continue t the walk-off ledge. Age Axe: From the left end of the ledge, climb a steep crack and right-facing corner to a ledge at the top of the wall.

Looking up the final pitch of Age Axe. We decided to go this way because it is a more direct finish and there was a party on the Obviously Four Believers finish. Plus, this is quite a good pitch. The only detracting factor is a big block midway up that seems like it could detach some day.

Top

The route ends at the walk-off ledge. Scramble to the top of Spearhead, or begin the descent.

Looking towards the summit from the walk-off ledge.

Descent

There are three descent options I know of: (1) Rappel back to the base in 5 raps with double ropes, starting at the anchor at the top of the final pitch of All Two Obvious. (2) Descend the E/SE side (3rd-4th) back down to the NE Side of Spearhead. (3) Scramble down 3rd class slopes on the SW side. We chose to descend the E/SE side, which seemed the quickest way back around to the base of the route and our bivy location below.

We descended the E/SE side. This is a ramp system that is a bit loose at times but pretty good overall and nice and quick.

other photos

We had secured a bivy permit for Upper Glacier Gorge (need to be climbing a route that is at least four pitches to qualify for a bivy permit), and we bivied up there for two nights (Friday and Saturday nights) at our favorite bivy location below The Spearhead. What a marvelous place to hang out for the weekend!

Our bivy

Upper Glacier Gorge has some of the best bivy locations in RMNP. We stayed at one of our favorites, which we have stayed at a few times before. It is sheltered enough to keep one dry in a storm and has a nice flat area for sleeping.

Our bivy location underneath a boulder. Keybaord of the Winds above.
Another photo of our bivy.
Another photo of our bivy.
Magical evening light on the Keyboard of the Winds.
Inside the bivy.
Inside the bivy.
It's nice to keep warm.
Nate's dinner: raman with rehydrated vegetables and pulled pork, topped with sesame sticks and hot sauce.
My dinner: oatmeal. Hey, I am probably weird, but I just really enjoy a big warm bowl of oatmeal in the backcountry.
On my parents' recent visit to see me in Colorado, my mom had given Nate a few Canadian chocolate bars. This was his favorite so far. We agreed it tastes a lot like chocolate-covered raisins. Thanks mom/Sue!
A sunny afternoon at our bivy after a climb. McHenrys and Arrowhead in the distance.
A sunny afternoon at our bivy after a climb. Spearhead above.
I worked a nonogram. I think it is a bird.

Nate's Bouldering Circuit

There are some sizable boulders in the area below The Spearhead. Nate did some bouldering while I took photos.

This was on the biggest boulder near camp. Keyboard of the Winds above.
This was on the biggest boulder near camp.
The other side of the big boulder.
A smaller boulder with featured rock. The Spearhead towers above.
Topping out. The Spearhead towers above.
I found this nice fists to offwidth splitter and told Nate about it.
Climbing the splitter.
Nate climbing the splitter.
A short but powerful overhanging hand to fist crack. This is the other side of the splitter.
Cruising up the arete on the splitter boulder. Keyboard of the Winds above.
Topping out in the evening light. The Spearhead behind.

Flora

The wildflowers were out.

Bracken (ferns). 
Daisy or Asters.
King's crown lining the stream. This was our water source near our bivy.
King's crown.
Primrose.
Primrose.
Elephant's Head.
Not sure what these pretty white flowers are.
Alpine columbine. 

Elk

The Upper Glacier Gorge area often has elk in the summer. We spotted several elk in the area.

A herd of elk (with several young'uns) at the shore of Black Lake.
A herd of elk in Upper Glacier Gorge (this photo was taken from our bivy).
The elk walked right by our bivy. 
This elk seemed more curious than concerned by our presence.
A pair of male elk. The rack on the one on the left is huge - must be exhausting to hold its head up!

Scenery

Upper Glacier Gorge is a picturesque place.

Evening view from our bivy.
Evening alpenglow on the Keyboard of the Winds.
Evening alpenglow on the Keyboard of the Winds.
Green Lake, about 15 minute hike above our bivy. Notice the lone elk hanging out on the lakeshore.
View out of Glacier Gorge.
A cool cloud.
More cool clouds. We had a bit of cloud buildup on our first evening, but for the most part the weekend was splitter sunny weather.
Frozen Lake, on the west side of The Spearhead.

Hiking

It's a pleasant hike from Bear Lake / Glacier Gorge Trailhead to Upper Glacier Gorge. 

A nice gneiss boulder alongside the trail above Mills Lake. This is Nate's favorite rock.
A nice boardwalk through a marshy area just above Mills Lake.
Arriving in Upper Glacier Gorge on Friday evening, in search of a bivy site.
Hiking out on Sunday afternoon. McHenrys Peak and Arrowhead in the distance. Photo by Nate.
Hiking out on Sunday afternoon. Black Lake below. Nate and I both have Hyperlite packs, and love 'em.
I always enjoy this section of trail, which is riddled with polished roots.
A fallen tree. The root structure seems to be quite shallow in the area above Mills Lake, likely because it is just a thin layer of soil on granite bedrock.
A cool root. Photo by Nate.

previous and next adventures