GC6RC20 The Spearhead, A Glacial Horn
Type: Earth | Size: Other | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: msstrong @ | Hide Date: 09/02/2016 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 15.452 W105° 38.281 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
         

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This is a fee area of the National Park Service. The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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Glaciers not only transport material as they move, but they also sculpt and carve away the land beneath them. A glacier's weight, combined with its gradual movement, can drastically reshape the landscape over hundreds or even thousands of years. The ice erodes the land surface and carries the broken rocks and soil debris far from their original places, resulting in some interesting glacial land formations.

One of these formations is called a "horn", A pyramid-shaped mountain peak created as multiple glaciers erode away at the same mountain. Can you identify "The Spearhead" in this photo?

The topographic map below contains the horn called "Spearhead". Horns will form when two or more glaciers erode back into the same mountain peak and leave a portion of the mountain in place between them.

Clues to help identify a horn include the presence of at least two cirques, whether they contain glaciers or not, and closed contour lines that are closely spaced.

The Spearhead (12,575-ft) resides in the heart of Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park. Overshadowed by a skyline of shapely peaks, The Spearhead is actually an extension of rugged ridge running north from the base of Chiefs Head Peak’s huge north face. The Spearhead’s triangular northeast face is the dominant feature in upper Glacier Gorge, (the area above Black Lake) rendering this special area a local name of “Spearhead Basin.” The unbroken, flowing slabs of granite rock set it a part from its higher neighbors. Many would argue that this is the most spectacular summit in the park and one of the best in all of Colorado.

The Matterhorn in Switzerland (as in the photo to the left) is a perfect example of a glacial horn.

You can hike all the way to the top of the Spearhead as shown on the topo above. (The give coordinates for this EarthCache will take you to the base of the Spear Head).

Parking is located at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, or you can park at one of the several shuttle bus parking lots and take the shuttle to the trailhead.

The given coordinates will lead you on a 6.5 mile hike with over 2500 ft. of elevation gain to the base of the Spearhead (13 miles round trip) and a nice spot to have lunch and admire a rare formation.

To get credit for this Earthcache send me the answer to the following questions.

1. The area you are standing on is at a location at the base of the spearhead, take an elevation reading and subtract it from the peak elevation of the spearhead (12,575') and tell me how high this cliff is.

2. Examine the erosion process of the cliff face, do you think something comes off of the cliff face every year?

3. From the given coordinates look up the cliff face about 100', what do you see?

4. Look above the 100' line, do you think the cliff face will erode at the same rate as below the 100' line? Why?

5. How do you think the cliff face will continue to erode? By "peeling" layers off like an onion or break away in different shapes or both? What geological force or forces do think will make this happen?

6. From the given coordinates look back down at the screed field and into the basin, this is a huge cliff face, why do you think there is such a small screed field?

7. On your way back down stop and look back at the face of the cliff about 100' up, what amazing change in the formation do you see? How thick do you think it is? What is different about what you see? Do you think is made up of the same material as the rest of the spearhead?

8. As you hike out of this valley and back to the trail head, look at the ridge line on your left and right, do you see any other possible "glacial horns" in this valley?

Looking to the east at the long sloping flat ridge you see the west side of Longs Peak.

Additional Waypoints

P06RC20 - parking
N 40° 18.636 W 105° 38.414

T06RC20 - Mills lake/ Black lake
N 40° 18.636 W 105° 38.414
The Trail Head is next to the restrooms

08/12/2018 By Libertarian Lad
My son and I wanted to do a long hike on his last day in RMNP (not my last day!), so I took him up into Glacier Gorge above Black Lake. Then I check my Garmin and discovered there was a new earthcache up here, close to our lunch spot! Spearhead, I had been around, on, and explored previously. So we went to the coordinates and carefully read the questions. Gorgeous views of course, but a bit too hot and sunny for Colorado. Watched some climbers, helped some foreign tourists, and just had a blast. Thanks for the Earth Cache (TFTEC). I have another thought. Since this cache is rated 5/5, maybe you should give credit for the first FIVE to find, and not just the first!

08/11/2018 By YamaGypsy
Lemonheadmafia and I came to Estes Park for a weekend getaway. We wanted to see the Baldpate inn and he has never been to Rocky mountain national park. We stayed at the inn last night and got to the trailhead by 6:30am. It was definitely the longest hike I've even done. A personal challenge I was so happy to complete!. Gorgeous views. We loved all the lakes and waterfalls. We watched a few tackle summiting the spearhead for a bit while we rest and then began the long hike back to the truck. Email sent. Thank you for bringing us up here!

08/08/2018 By EstesLynne
I went back to this area while leading a hike to Green Lake with my local hiking group on August 8. I passed quite close to GZ (not exactly--can't abandon a crew I'm leading to bounce off across the rocks), but I was certainly close enough to make a lot of observations about a formation that I was already somewhat familiar with. I sent my answers to the CO a while back (as I write this it's almost 2 months later), and for some reason wasn't confident enough to log, and I didn't get a response.

Well, I've thought and thought about this, and hey, I really was back there and I really did the work on this one, so I'm claiming it. I guess my perfectionist streak just got the better of me before, but it's also supposed to be fun, so here's my log.

I must say I love this area and will take any excuse to hike back there. It's not for the fainthearted though--it's a long hike and goes off trail. In fact, on the way back on the Black Lake Trail from the cache, a hiker who missed a turn on Longs Peak (for those who know Longs, probably at the bottom of the trough) and got thoroughly lost passed us in a panic. Wow, he was WAY off course and lucky he didn't tumble into oblivion. There have been deaths this summer among solo hikers and we don't like Search and Rescue (or Recovery) missions. So there's my soapbox.

Also, please don't spread this on the Internet as a great place to hike in Rocky. Publicity is choking some of the remoter trails with unqualified hikers and beating up the resources. Keep it a cachers' (and qualified climbers') secret!

07/27/2018 By dagriffis


Found this on path to Frozen Lake

06/25/2018 By Pixel Magic
I hiked with my son and daughter in law not only to the base of Spearhead but all the way to the summit. Whew. It made for a long day. My Garmin logged the hike at 15.4 miles and an elevation gain of 4,032'. This was a massive hike with a massive pay off to see the backside of Longs Peak and the other nearby peaks. The drop off from the summit is dramatically shear and the hike around the backside of Spearhead is ridden with slippery (sand and rubble).

Thanks for this great cache.