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| The RMNP rangers want to make sure newbies know what they're in for |
Today a co-worker and I took the day off work and climbed 14,259 ft.
Longs Peak, the highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Longs's proximity to the Denver area (the trailhead is only an hour's drive from Boulder) and imposing domination of the front range skyline make it a magnet for local hikers. There are many ways to ascend Longs (including a host of "big wall" alpine rock climbs up the famous
Diamond east face), but the most popular (and easiest - if any route up Longs can be called "easy") is the "
Keyhole Route." 16 miles round trip, 5100 ft elevation gain, and the entire upper section of the route is one long class 2/3 scramble over steep, airy ledges and granite slabs. It's a beautiful, spectacular climb - and horrendously popular on summer weekends. I'd done Longs via the Keyhole 6 times in the past, all on weekend days, and one time I estimated from the trail register that upwards of 800 people attempted the trail that day. Basically, there's a solid line of people all the way from the trailhead up to the summit - not exactly a wilderness experience!
But my co-worker told me that Longs on a weekday is an entirely different, better experience - and I'm delighted to report he was right! We only passed three other parties on our way up. As is normal for a Longs Peak climb, we started on the trail before dawn (which meant a 4AM wake-up, ugh, but the trail is so long and arduous you've got to start early). Headlamps are a must for the first, forested section as you hike up in the dark. But we enjoyed a lovely sunrise after reaching timberline about 3 miles up the trail:
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Sunrise on the Longs Peak trail
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We even saw a hint of alpenglow on the Diamond - not nearly so much as usual, though, thanks to the all the haze from Wyoming wildfires that's currently clogging Colorado's air.
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| Alpenglow turns the great east face of Longs Peak pink |
At about 4 miles up the trail, a side trail splits off toward Chasm Lake. I did a
Thursday Adventure post on Chasm Lake a while back - it's a lovely lake tucked right beneath Longs's east face, and the surrounding scenery is absolutely stunning.
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| Me at the Chasm Lake trail junction (Longs Peak visible behind). |
Instead of heading straight for Longs, the Keyhole trail veers north and circles around Mt. Lady Washington to reach a vast open bowl of talus called the Boulderfield. The Keyhole for which the route is named is a distinctive notch in the ridge high above the Boulderfield. Climbers must ascend steep talus to the Keyhole, then cross through to reach an improbable system of ledges that runs along the peak's west face.
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| Ascending toward the Boulderfield. The little notch on the far right of the ridge in the picture is the Keyhole. |
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| Ascending talus toward the Keyhole. (Climber visible at lefthand side of notch.) |
