Rocky Mountain National Park, Various First Ascents. Kath Pyke and I climbed a number of new routes in the major drainages of Rocky Mountain National Park in the summers of 1999 and 2000, contributing to the new-route development in the Park of the recent past. The majority of these routes were on unclimbed formations and were climbed ground-up, onsight. These beautiful and remote locations are worthy of visits from the climber wishing to escape crowds and heat. The Original Route (III 5.10, 570') is on Andrews Spire, a large spire rising from the southwest end of Andrews Tarn with impressive overhangs at two-thirds height. The route climbs the skyline arête before swinging left to avoid the main overhangs. The Northwest Arête (III 5.10+s, 550') of Solitude Spire, rising above the southeast end of Solitude Lake, is a striking line best seen from the northwest side of the lake. We also climbed two new 250-foot routes (5.10 and 5.11) on the far left of the third buttress of Half Mountain. The first route starts near the right-hand edge of the west face and follows cracks to the top. The second starts just right of the gully at the left-hand edge of the west face and follows cracks and face climbing to the summit.

Nigel Gregory, unaffiliated