In previous columns I’ve talked about the enjoyable climbing to be found on Colorado’s drift glaciers once the seasonal snow has melted off, leaving the permanent ice and hard snow exposed. I’ve also talked about some of the objective hazards associated with these climbs, especially when that layer of hard ice/snow is covered by new snowfall. This situation occurred recently when an early-season snowfall left several inches of snow in the high country.
Headed up early on the morning of Sept. 14 to check out two of the glaciers near Rollins Pass, we knew that there was a chance we’d enjoy nothing more than a pleasant hike. We left the vehicle just before the Needles Eye tunnel and headed toward Rollins Pass, walking on the snow that had fallen two days earlier. In places the snow had drifted to a depth of almost 2 feet. We passed skiers heading up to ski the slopes above King Lake, a very scenic spot that morning with clear blue skies and the fresh coating of snow.
Skyscraper Glacier is the permanent snowfield located to the north of Rollins Pass, above Bob Lake. As we approached we could see that some of the old snow and ice layer was exposed. We followed footprints from the previous day as we headed past Betty and Bob lakes. As we neared the start of the glacier it became obvious that several fresh sloughs had occurred, producing quite a bit of avalanche debris at the base. We also could see that ski tracks entering at the top of the slides must have triggered them. It appeared that none of the skiers had been injured, because we could see exit footprints at the lake. (I later found an account on the Web of one skier’s ride on the slide; it was obviously pretty scary but had turned out OK. For an account of that ride, check out /dv 8/200 8/09/slide.html.)
Because the new snow had been inadvertently cleared off by the skier, we evaluated conditions and decided that we could safely climb that line, which we did. We would not have climbed if the new snow layer was still intact. Some of the debris consisted of quite sizable blocks that would definitely have knocked us off if we had been the ones triggering the slide.
On reaching the top after a short but fun climb, including an exit over the old cornice that was quite steep, we walked over to check out the neighboring glacier just north of Skyscraper. With its steeper grade and usually harder ice underneath, we concluded that this climb was out of shape (it was primed to slide). Will these climbs be safe later this season? It all depends on weather, how well the snow bonds to the old layers and a host of other factors.
The bottom line is that you must have the skills to evaluate conditions and be willing to back off if conditions are marginal. Be conservative, climb within your ability, and you should enjoy a long and rewarding climbing career.
Approach
Skyscraper Glacier is located above Bob and Betty lakes and can best be approached either by a trail starting at the old town of Hessie, or by driving the Rollins Pass Road to the closure at the Needle’s Eye Tunnel. The latter involves a long drive on a rough road but has a shorter hiking distance and is the approach described here.
From the road closure, walk through the rock cut and along the road toward the tunnel. Just before reaching the tunnel, leave the road on your left, following an obvious but unsigned trail that climbs the hill. Follow the trail, indistinct at times, as it curves around to the west, eventually meeting the old stagecoach road. Follow the road west as it parallels the railroad grade, staying approximately 100 feet above the railroad grade until dropping down to join it at Rollins Pass (Mile 1.6).
At the pass, continue north on the Corona Trail (also called the High Lonesome Trail) to the start of the King Lake Trail (Mile 2). Drop down to King Lake and continue to the trail junction for Bob and Betty lakes (Mile 2.6). Take the left fork at this junction and try to stay on the trail as it heads toward Betty Lake (snow on the trail can make this difficult). Contour around the left side of Betty Lake and continue to Bob Lake (Mile 3.5). Skirt around the right side of Bob Lake and reach the base of Skyscraper Glacier at mile 3.7. Now the fun begins.
The climb
The glacier is wide enough to allow several lines of ascent. Most offer climbing at an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees after climbing the initial low-angle apron, though the headwall can be quite steep. We chose a finish that was probably 70 degrees for 20 feet, providing a nice exit to a flat spot just below the Continental Divide.
Depending on snow conditions and the experience level of the group, a rope, ice screws and even a snow picket will be used. Crampons, two ice tools and helmet are also needed. We’ve climbed this route several times in September and October and found conditions to vary between hard snow and ice, sometimes even with a thin layer of water streaming over the surface.
The descent
The climb deposits you on the Continental Divide. Just head south on the High Lonesome Trail back to Rollins Pass and rejoin your approach tracks. A short detour allows you to check out conditions on Challenger Glacier, though to climb this second route requires a bit of work. Expect this to add at least 2 to 3 hours to your outing.
Dave Cooper is the author of “Colorado Snow Climbs: A Guide for All Seasons.”
