Description
The Glacier Gorge Traverse and Rossiter's "Walk in the Park" are 2 different but related routes in Rocky Mountain National Park. They cover some of the same terrain, but they are different. The naming is confusing since the "Walk in the Park" traverses Glacier Gorge proper, while the Glacier Gorge Traverse encompasses Glacier Gorge, Loch Vale, Chaos Canyon and Tyndall Gorge. Both routes start and end at the Glacier Gorge TH. "Walk in the Park" has it's own route page here.
Glacier Gorge Traverse: This is the longer of the two routes, but the eastern part is the same. Going counter-clockwise from the Glacier Gorge TH the route goes up the trail to Bear Lake and then to Flattop Mtn. From there you summit Hallett, Otis and Taylor before joining the "Walk in the Park" route on Powell and continuing to McHenry's Chief's Head, Pagoda, Longs, Storm and Half. The Keyhole Ridge is not required (you can use any route on Longs). Before Powell the peaks are all easy, non-technical climbs. It's about 19 miles vs. 15 or so for the "Walk in the Park". The Glacier Gorge Traverse goes back at least as far as the 1960s - Jim Disney reported attempting the route as early as 1966. Disney was the first to complete it in 1982, on his 6th attempt.
Bill Wright has a nice write-up on this at www.wwwright.com/climbing/tripreports/2008/GreatCircle.htm
Here's a report by Peter Bakwin: blog.ultimatedirection.com/glacier-gorge-traverse
This route on the old FKT site
