(12,575’) is the striking spire in the center of the cirque above Black Lake. It is steep on three sides and has a dramatic, pointed summit that is visible during most of the approach up Glacier Gorge. The serrated south ridge is continuous with the north rib of Chiefs Head Peak, such that Spearhead can be seen as a satellite of Chiefs Head, in the same way that Arrowhead is a satellite of McHenrys Peak. The 800-foot northeast face has many fine routes, and the North Ridge is one of the best moderate climbs in Rocky Mountain National Park. The junction between the southeast and northeast faces forms a rounded prow or “nose” known as the East Prow, with more very good climbing on it. A long horizontal bench called Middle Earth Ledge runs across most of the northeast face, about 160 feet above the talus. Don’t expect to be the only one on the peak. Approach: Hike the Glacier Gorge Trail to Black Lake and continue around the east side of the lake. Pick up a good trail that climbs east along a beautiful cascade, and gain the tundra benches below Spearhead. Cairns lead the way to a tiny lake below the northeast side of the peak. Many bivouac sites can be found between here and Green Lake. Descent A: This descent leads back the bottom of the northeast face. All routes arrive at a long ledge/ramp that extends southward to a cliffy talus slope above Green Lake. Follow this ledge around to the south, until beyond the southeast face. This point is difficult to determine from above. Head down to the east and pick up a steep ramp (see Southeast Ramp below) that leads to the bottom of the southeast face. This descent is not recommended in wet or icy conditions. An alternative is to continue south until it is obvious to descend talus toward Green Lake. Descent B: Follow the ledge described above around to a notch well south of the summit (on the north rib of Chiefs Head) and cross to the west side. Descend a talus slope and veer right into a gully that leads down to the grassy benches above Frozen Lake (Class 2). Then hike without difficulty around to the bottom of the North Ridge . Descent C: It is possible to descend west from the top of the north ridge. Start down a prominent gully, and after several hundred feet, traverse south to a steep grassy gully. Downclimb the gully (Class 3) and join the talus gully described in Descent B. If you continue straight down the long initial gully, you arrive at a ledge where a rappel of unknown length is required to reach hiking terrain.