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Meeker, Heat Seeker (5.10a, 5p)

Mt. Meeker

Route:

Heat Seeker

5.10a, 5p

Great position and fun climbing make this route a nice addition to Mt. Meeker.

Region: Colorado

Elev: Meeker summit: 13,911 ft (note: the top of the route is not the summit)

Rock type: Gneiss & Biotite Schist

Type:

Date(s): July 29, 2023 (Sat)

Partner(s): Nate Arganbright

Related trip reports:

Mt. Meeker, East Ridge (3rd)

Mt. Meeker, Flying Buttress (left, full, pre-rockfall) (5.10, 6p)

Mt. Meeker, Flying Buttress (direct, post-rockfall) (5.10, 5p)

Mt. Meeker, from The Loft (3rd) via "Estes Skyline High Route" (~50 miles, rock up to 5.4, 3.5 days)

Route Overlay

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Intro

Heat Seeker climbs the Northeast Buttress of Mt. Meeker in five pitches. The route is relatively new at the time of this trip report, having been established in August 2020 (by Walz, Noble, & Schneider). The route links ledges and crack systems, on mostly good rock. There is some occasional loose rock and some spooky giant flakes on the second pitch, but otherwise the climbing is fun, the belay ledges are spacious, the position is excellent, and the views of Longs Peak and the Diamond across the way are superb.

Nate and I had a fun day together climbing this route and hanging out in the beautiful area. The following page gives a route overlay, time stats, and pitch-by-pitch photos for the climb.

Time Stats

Times

Parking on road below Longs Peak Trailhead: 8:04 am
Longs Peak Trailhead: 8:15 am
Arrive at base of route: 10:57 am
Start climbing: 11:13 am
Arrive at top of route: 2:25 pm
Begin descent: 2:32 pm
Arrive at base of route: 2:45 pm
Begin hiking out: 3:05 pm
Longs Peak Trailhead: 5:18 pm
Parking on road below Longs Peak Trailhead: 5:28 pm

Splits

Longs Peak Trailhead to base of route: 2 hours 42 minutes
Climb route: 3 hours 12 minutes
Top back to base: 13 minutes
Hike out: 2 hours 13 minutes
Total car-to-car (includes breaks and parking down road): 9 hours 24 minutes

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

Starting from the Longs Peak Trailhead, hike to the junction with the Chasm Lake Trail and take the Chasm Lake Trail to its end in a grassy meadow beneath the east buttress of Ships Prow. Hike up as for the Iron Gates, and cut right to the main face of the Northeast Buttress. It is best to access the base of the route via a ledge system, which can be accessed from either the left or right depending on your route up the talus.

Pitch 1

5.9, 110'

Begin about ten feet right of a left-facing corner on the sheer face of the buttress. Climb straight up through the black band to a ledge and up a fantastic corner to another ledge. Belay here.

Pitch 2

5.9, 100'

Climb straight up through some huge flakes (a bit spooky if you think too much) to a mega ledge belay.

Pitch 3

5.10a, 115'

Move the belay about 30 feet across the ledge. Climb the awesome but short finger crack (crux) to a break in the rock, and traverse right past a thin rotten crack to a second with blazen yellow lichen. Fun moves on periodically suspect rock lead to a right-leaning crack on perfect white stone. Belay on a great ledge.

Pitch 4

5.7, 125'

Climb a full pitch of "swimming pool exits" on amazing white rock. Belay below the obvious offwidth.

Pitch 5

5.8, 115'

This shares a final pitch with Bands and Brothers. Climb up the offwidth for 20 feet (this protects with a #5 cam if you don't want to climb 5.8 offwidth unprotected). Then climb/scramble to the top of the ridge line. The offwidth can be avoided by climbing around to the left.

Top

The route tops out on the ridgeline well below the summit. To descend, start scrambling down the East Ridge (3rd). Or, you can continue up the ridge all the way to the summit of Meeker.