When is the best time to climb?

It's really a question of what you want to climb. Rocky Mountain National Park has several different seasons depending on your goals:

• Rock and Alpine Season: this usually starts around May with snow becoming consolidated in the high country and the south facing rock melting out at lower elevations. Later into the summer the higher terrain melts out and the whole park is an alpine rock climbing playground.

• Ice Season: this is usually around late October or November. Depending on storm patterns the ice may form early or we may have an early ski season. As the season gets colder and snowier objectives are still there they just may be more difficult to get to.

• Ski/Board Season: this starts with similar timing to the ice season. Once it's cold enough the snow starts to fall. While we can backcountry ski/board starting usually in December it tends to be much better in the late winter and early spring when overlapping snow storms and consistent cold yield more stable avalanche conditions and deeper powder. Once we get into April thru June it's time to harvest some corn as the snow changes.

Are there beginner climbs here or is it just for experts?

Rocky Mountain National Park has a ton of variety. Depending on what your goals are and when you visit there is something for everyone. There are accessible rock climbs near Lily Lake and Lumpy Ridge as well as alpine big walls, ridge scrambles, snow, and ice climbs. Long's peak is a classic 14er climb that makes for a challenging ascent. There is truly something for almost anybody.

Do I need a timed entry reservation, parks pass, or backcountry site reservation?

One of the biggest benefits of working with Colorado Climbing Company is we handle almost all of that. Since you're climbing with our company you don't need a timed entry reservation and we'll handle any backcountry reservations for campsites needed for your objective. The only thing you need to do is make sure you have a National Parks pass or pay the entrance fee at the station.

How will the altitude affect me for the climb?

The lack of oxygen generally has a few affects on people. They feel colder, they feel fatigued more quickly, and they don't feel as strong. If you spend a few days in Estes Park acclimating you will most likely have no major issues. Even so we tend to adjust people's expectations from where they commonly feel they are at climbing wise. Someone climbing 5.10 at sea level is probably going to feel more comfortable around 5.9 at altitude. This even affects guides early season if they haven't been above 10,000' recently and aren't climbing quite as strong as they're used to.