+ ROUTES

Shared Approach from Camp Dick

The approach to Saint Vrain Glaciers is challenging now matter how you cut it. The farther you go, the more challenging the terrain becomes. A high camp is recommended, even if for just one night. If you are traveling on foot, follow the Buchanan Pass trail from Camp Dick to the wilderness boundary and beyond. In June there are campsites alongside Buchanan Pass trail between Middle Saint Vrain Trailhead and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Boundary. An excellent camping spot is in the clearing at the intersection of Buchanan Pass Trail and Saint Vrain Glacier Trail. It is approximately 5.4 miles from Camp Dick to this clearing, and this is a good staging area for Saint Vrain Glaciers, Red Deer and Sawtooth Mountains. Another alternative is to drive Middle Saint Vrain Road from Camp Dick to Middle Saint Vrain Trailhead. This is about 3.5 miles of "intermediate" rated off-roading. The road starts with an impressive rock feature, and if you can't get through this then you shouldn't keep driving. You will need a big rig with sweet mods to get up this road in one piece.

If you are interested in camping further up valley, note that in June and July there is extensive snow melt and flooding. The forest above the previously described clearing contains dark timber, soggy soil, lots of mosquitos, and limited camping options. There are two possible spring locations for a high bivy, and those sites are in the knolls between Middle Saint Vrain Creek and Lake Gibraltar, or a small bivy site above the narrows and below Saint Vrain Glacier #1 and #2.

Shared Approach on Saint Vrain Glacier Trail

From the intersection of Buchanan Pass Trail and Saint Vrain Glacier trail, it is approximately 2.9 miles to a small lake at 10,900'. This lake sits at the outlet of Saint Vrain Glaciers #1 and #2, and directly north of and below Lake Gibraltar. At the starting trail intersection, there is a wood sign pointing the way. The trail follows an old logging road, but becomes challenging to follow if there is a lot of run off. The summer trail crosses the creek multiple times, usually on logs. In the spring these logs may have been washed away or are underwater. Follow the summer trail to where it appears to terminate in a boulder field at approximately 10,400'. Look for a log crossing suspended over the creek here. Once over the creek, the summer trail crosses back over the creek two more times. Stay on the south side and follow the faint trail as best possible to the lake at 10,900' below the "narrows". From the starting trail junction to this lake you will be travelling in ATES 1 (Simple) avalanche terrain.

Routes

1, 2 - Saint Vrain Glaciers #1 & #2

These two permanent snowfields lie to the west of the small lake at 10,900' described on the approach. If you are here in June or July you probably have made it this far in hiking boots, and depending on the conditions, you may be changing over to ski boots soon for uphill booting. Find a way around the south side of the lake, through the boulders at the outlet, and west into the constricted "narrows" below Elk Tooth. There is some brief boulder climbing in here. Then climb up a snow slope to a flat area. This is the aforementioned bivy site in the approach. This is probably under snow until mid-June. Above this flat area the snow approach splits. Climbing south goes to Glacier # 2, and continuing west and up to below Ogallala Peak goes to the moraine and Glacier # 1.

Saint Vrain Glacier #1

• Rating: V D6
• Average Angle, Steepest Angle: 19, 36
• ATES: 3, Complex
• Season: Summer
• Aspect: Northeast
• Vertical: 500'
• Approach Elevations: 8,700' - 12,400'
• Approach Distance: From Camp Dick TH: 9 miles
• Top of the Route Waypoint: 40.163215, -105.669211

Saint Vrain Glacier #1 is the northernmost and largest snowfield, and holds the best snow for skiing into summer. There are numerous aspects and lines to take advantage of up here. You put in the hard yards to get up here, so you might as well do laps! Glacier-like features start to appear on this snow field in the summer, especially where the angle steepens. For example, you may find bergschrund-like crevasses here. The interesting characteristic of this snowfield is that it ends in a depression; the glacial cirque is so deep that you will need to hike or climb out of its basin to reach the snowfield exit to the "narrows". You can easily access Glacier #2 from the south side of the snowfield. Simply hike up, and carefully drop into Glacier #2.

"Ooh La La Express" (1b, V D15 R4 ATES 4) is the mountaineering couloir that exits the snowfield and gains the west side of the range. In the summer, a bergschrund forms at the joint between the snowfield and the couloir. The chute has two aspects, the bottom facing east-northeast, and the north-facing top. The upper reaches of the couloir are steeper, but typically does not have the looming cornice danger that Glacier #2's "Vrain Drain" poses. Ooh La La Express is your best route in the upper glaciers for accessing the ridge and the summit of Ooh La La (12,945'). It averages 45 degrees, and gets much steeper in spots.

Saint Vrain Glacier #2

• Rating: V D6
• Average Angle, Steepest Angle: 19, 34
• ATES: 3, Complex
• Season: Summer
• Aspect: Northeast
• Vertical: 500'
• Approach Elevations: 8,700' - 12,200'
• Approach Distance: From Camp Dick TH: 9 miles
• Top of the Route Waypoint: 40.158190, -105.665820

Saint Vrain Glacier #2 lies just to the south of Glacier #1. The dark and foreboding cliffs of "Ooh La La" Peak appear to create a major barrier between these two snowfields, but they are easy to traverse to each glacier over a small hill. During the spring and summer you can connect the two glaciers via snow routes over this hill. Glacier #2 is not as big as #1, but it is a worthy destination especially if there is connected snow to ski from the glacier to the valley below. After the first steep snowfield above the "narrows", cross the flat area near the bivy and climb steep snow to the south to access the glacier. If this is melted out or the snow is discontinuous, consider continuing to Glacier #1 and then descending into Glacier #2 via the hill separating the snowfields.

There are two chutes above the glacier, and a small rock buttress separates the lines. Both are capped by extremely large cornices. "Vrain Drain" is (2b, V D12 R4 ATES 4) the route on the left. This is typically more a mountaineering route than a ski descent because the cornice prevents a full top-to-bottom descent, and also a massive hazard. The chutes above Glacier #2 are not as steep as Oooh La La Express until you reach the cornice and the cornice's vertical summer remnants. A bergschrund forms in the summer at the intersection of the chutes and the snowfield.

Saint Vrain Glaciers #3, #4, #5

• Season: Summer
• Aspect: Northeast, North
• Vertical: 400' - 1,200'
• Approach Elevations: 8,700' - 12,400'
• Approach Distance: From Camp Dick TH: 8.5 miles
• Top of the Route Waypoint: 40.151828, -105.655718

These three snowfields are easier to access than glaciers #1 and #2. Your goal is to gain Gibraltar Lake, and then climb to your chosen snowfield from there. Follow the previously described "Shared Approach on Saint Vrain Glacier Trail" to the small lake at 10,900'. The summer trail to Gibraltar Lake turns prior to this small lake, and then climbs directly south. If snow covered, follow this approximate trail line. The snowfields are visible above you, and are in full view from Gibraltar Lake.

The massive cirque above Gibraltar Lake is a destination unto itself. The main attraction is Glacier #4 and the stunning colouir that splits the cirque into two. This is one of the premier chutes of the Indian Peaks region (4, V D11 R4 ATES 4). It averages 32 degrees, but has steep bulges up to 50 degrees. Similar to the chutes in the northern Saint Vrain Glaciers, there is a cornice that hangs above this line. How and where the cornice falls down the is chute often dictates the route quality. Glaciers #3 and #5 are more obscure. Glacier #3 (3, V D9 ATES 3) is moderate and slope angles average 25, but pitch up to 45 in several areas. This route leads to broken snowfields in the cliffs above. Glacier #5 (5, V D5 ATES 3) dead ends in the dark, north-facing confines above Gibraltar Lake. The angle of this snowfield is relatively mellow, but it is very short. The middle of Glaciers #3 and #5 melt out quickly in the spring.

Saint Vrain Glacier #6

• Season: Summer
• Aspect: North
• Vertical: 700'
• Approach Elevations: 8,700' - 12,000'
• Approach Distance: From Camp Dick TH: 8 miles
• Top of the Route Waypoint: 40.148028, -105.643265

Saint Vrain Glacier #6 is the darkhorse of the group, and worthy of its own day trip to soak all of the options that are available. The snowfield lies in isolation from the other glaciers, and is in a north-facing cirque above Envy Lake. This lake creates a barrier for the approach as you will be bogged down bushwhacking through krumholtz and willows on either shoreline. Between Envy Lake and Glacier #6 is a broad tundra slope that helps expedite access to the snowfield. Late May or early June is a good time to access this area as there may be connected snow from Middle Saint Vrain Creek to Envy Lake, and then from Envy Lake to the glacier.

The snowfield continues to a saddle via a north-facing couloir that is an extension of the glacier (6, V D9) . The angle of the snowfield averages 30 degrees, and the couloir to the saddle has several bulges in the mid to high 40s. To the looker's right of this is a second is a second and handsome chute facing northeast that terminates in the crags above the glacier.

There are two ways to approach Glacier #6. The direct approach is to break off of the Saint Vrain Glacier Trail at approximately 1.35 miles from the Buchanan Pass trail junction. In this spring you can hear the creek outlet from Envy Lake running under the snow. Climb south to Envy Lake, and then up to the glacier. An alternative is to follow the approach to Gibraltar Lake. Climb directly east from Gibraltar Lake, and then ski down the east-facing snow slope above Envy Lake.

+ TRAILHEAD

Camp Dick (8,700')

The Camp Dick Trailhead is accessed off of the Peak to Peak Highway (72) at the big curve at Peaceful Valley. Drive west on this road (92) about one mile to the Camp Dick Campground. If you don't have a high clearance rig and the patience for a slow and bumpy drive, leave your car here. Hike, bike, or off road this rough road 3.6 miles to the Middle Saint Vrain Trailhead. [40.129824, -105.523779]

+ MAPS & PICTURES

Below we have included a link to Front Range Skimo's master map. The routes on the map are approximations, and are not intended for use as a GPX track. To the right are a curated list of photos of the mountain.