![]() ![]() ![]() The Chasm Lake hike takes you above tree line for an extended time. Download my tip sheet on how to survive the summer crowds at Rocky Mountain National Park. Also, the Longs Peak Trailhead parking lot fills up fast in summer and on weekends. Get a super-early start! Afternoon thunderstorms represent one of the biggest dangers in the park, especially in spring and summer. Camp only in designated areas and leave your pets at home. The entire hike is located in Rocky Mountain National Park. The peak's popularity and accessibility contribute to its relatively high fatality rate. Many ascents involve an overnight stay.Īn average of two people die climbing Longs Peak every year, most of them on the Keyhole route. Yes, people climb it! The routes are for experts only, requiring a thousand feet of Class 5.10–5.13 climbing. Another scrambling route that ascends a couloir (gully) near Chasm Lake. round trip distance, over 5,000' of elevation gain, and a class 3 scramble near the top, it's actually one of the harder 14er routes! From Chasm Lake, you'll have a perfect view of The Diamond, the peak's elegant summit block.Ībout 30,000 people attempt the climb Longs Peak ever year. Rising to an elevation of 14,259', Longs Peak is the northernmost of the Colorado 14ers and the only one located in RMNP. One reason to hike Chasm Lake hike is to get up close and personal with the monarch of Rocky Mountain National Park. The tallest, Columbine Falls, plunges for over 200 feet into colorful Peacock Poolīonus: Click the button below to download a free, printable topo map of the Chasm Lake hike. Pause to enjoy the gorgeous ribbons of snowmelt cascading down the mountain into this gash. As you approach Chasm Lake, you'll be hiking above, well, a chasm. Talk about a pee with a view!Ĭolumbine Falls and Peacock Pool. Just before the turnoff to Chasm Lake, pause for a bathroom break at this open air toilet. But the ones on the popular East Longs Peak Trial are massive. On some trails, it's tough to follow these rocky trail markers. "Flagging" of the branches indicates the prevalent wind direction.Ĭairns. These poor guys have been warped by a lifetime of screaming wind, frozen soil, and scant rainfall. As you emerge above tree line, look for forests of twisted dwarf trees. The hike to Chasm Lake is bursting with superlatives. Winter Skill Level: Advanced (ice ax recommended) More on the timed-entry system (scroll down). The situation is evolving rapidly, so visit the Rocky Mountain National Park website for the latest info. Your ticket allows you to enter the park at a designated time. To enter the park, you must make a reservation by purchasing a ticket at. 2020 Coronavirus updateĪs of this writing (June 7, 2020), Rocky Mountain National Park was open to a limited number of visitors. (I'll share some tips for this part in a minute.) And truth be told, it's under snow for much of the year. But I removed it at the last minute, because the final approach can be quite hazardous under snow. I almost included Chasm Lake in my last post about the best all-season hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. And when you finally reach your destination, you might just find the diamond-shaped summit of Longs Peak reflected in the water. To start with, picture ribbon-like waterfalls flowing down hundreds of feet. It's hard to describe how beautiful this day hike is. The first time I hiked Chasm Lake, I was convinced I'd fallen into the eponymous chasm beside the trail, died, and gone to heaven. ![]()
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