I’ve been wanting to do this big link of the Indian Peaks for quite some time, and after scouting the unknown stuff last year, I figured it would make a good tester outing to see how my gradually-less-wonky knees would hold up on a longer outing…

The Sky Pond cirque—tucked just beneath the Continental Divide above Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park—is a spectacular place. Granite spires abound and hang improbably high above sparkling lake waters and glistening early-season snowfields. The setting feels truly alpine in the most accurate and literal interpretation of the word, i.e. it draws easy comparisons with the European Alps themselves. As a mountain enthusiast in general and a climber in particular, it’s an inspiring scene…