The West Side

ALPINE

MAP

The entire park west of the Continental Divide is terra incognita to most climbers. However, those weary of the east side trade routes and throngs of people will find good climbing and alpine solitude in this land of the setting sun. Most technical climbing is approached from Grand Lake via the North Inlet Trail or East Inlet Trail, and is found on two features: Ptarmigan Towers and Aiguille de Fleur. The peaks surrounding Gorge Lakes have a few steep places, but offer mostly hikes and scrambles. Mount Ida, south of Milner Pass, is one of the best summit hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Farther west, beyond the Colorado River, and less known still, is the long, snowy spine of the Never Summer Range, a lonesome peak bagger’s paradise.