Colorado’s Gnarliest Winter Climbing Finally Gets the Film it Deserves

As one of the most visited protected areas in the world, Rocky Mountain National Park harbors some of the most beautiful terrain in the lower 48. A short drive from Denver, CO, warm summers in the Park beckon visitors with lakes, high alpine hikes, and plenty of wildlife. Winters, however, completely change the Park. With extremely heavy snowfall and biting cold, access becomes a struggle, but a hardy group of skiers and climbers take advantage of the unique terrain to get after it every winter.

Local photographer and filmmaker John Dickey has spent the last few winters documenting a small group of climbers and their relationship with the gnarly mountains and heinous conditions in the Park. The short trailer for his film The Park gives us a brief look into what it takes to climb these ice and mixed routes in the dead of winter.