Camped for 3 nights. After the first night I woke up early to find that the route was covered in hard ice and some deep snow. With only and ice axe and no cramp-ons i managed to build steps up the trough. The home-stretch was a bit sketchy with ice slanting towards the ledge, but nonetheless i made up and down safely.
tried keyhole route and was denied by the trough snow as it was rock solid and unaggrable to some in party, retreated and had an easy time up the cable route. One small move needed at the choke, otherwise a straight snow walk. fast 12 hours rouund trip. started 2 am.
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: September 2002
This was my first 14'er. Second attempt on Keyhole after rain turned us around before the Boulderfield the first time. Wind was so high on summit day that the Keyhole sounded like a freight train all the way down in the Boulderfield. Got blown back through it on the way back racing a storm. Bad AMS and dehydration to boot. Can't wait to climb this peak's other routes.
Route Climbed: Keyhole and Cables Date Climbed: 7/02 and 9/03
Successful summit attempt on Cables, 9/03. This would be a good intro to alpine climbing. There is not a lot of climbing, however, it does require some stamina as you still have to hike a ways.
Shut down on the Keyhole route just past the Narrows. High winds nearly swept me off the Peak. I had to duck for cover and then finally decided to bail. Bummer.
Route Climbed: Trough Date Climbed: June 17th, 2005
An awesome day on an awesome mountain! Sunny all day, almost no wind. Snow was a little soggy in the bottom of the Trough but improved in the upper half.
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: August 4, 2003
Woo-hooo!!!! 1st 14er ever! (many more to come:-) It was great, yet quite a shock~ We started at 2am, hit horrible winds around 5:30am, but kept on trekking, hit the keyhole, & freaked out! Yep- I LOVE hiking, but this was my first "scare" ...it was foggy the whole way along the narrows clear to the summit, couldn't see a thing below us... but it was worth it:-) After being on the summit for 45 minutes, it cleared up a bit for us so we could at least see out! Sunshine followed us the whole way back down. All in all it was a blast... heart pounding and all!
It was everything they said it was!! Camped in the boulder field. Weather was all over the place....snow, sleet, rain, wind......you name it. Keyhole was frozen
up with the wind howling thru it like a freight train.
We drove up the night before to camp at the TH. We got lost in Boulder and found the Bus Stop, a strip club. We got hammered. We didn’t get to the TH until about 1:00am. We started at 5:30am. We were hella hungover from the strip club. Jim was getting pissed because I kept talking. We got light headed on the way up. I couldn’t believe how many people there were. This was a cool hike for a first 14er. I was thinking some day I will do the Diamond. On the way back the rocky trail was hurting our feet. Long day, didn’t take enough water. 2 qts. each. Summited @ 11:30. back @ the car 4:30pm. Then to the bar in Lyons.
Route Climbed: North Face Unknown dihedral right of the cables route Date Climbed: 03-03-05
22 1/2 hours round trip. Not sure what it was rated. The route was 50 or so yards to the right of the cables route. Decended via the keyhole route. Climbed it with old Ickabod. Check out his report.
Route Climbed: Keplingers Couloir Date Climbed: March 5, 2005
Georg (SP member georgbetsy) and I made a weekend of this. Bush-whacking to Longs Peak in the winter is certainly the way to avoid crowds! Awesome weather, a challenging climb, great views and summitting at sunset made for an unforgettable trip.
My Brother Mike and I did this early in the season and I was surprised how sketchy some sections were especially with ice and snow on the trail. One mistep and it would take the rest of your life to reach the bottom!
ajdonner - Jul 8, 2005 11:29 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: August 2003I didn't have a place to live when I first moved to Colorado so I figured I'd go hiking...
limestonelicker - Jun 27, 2005 8:28 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: July 7, 2004Camped for 3 nights. After the first night I woke up early to find that the route was covered in hard ice and some deep snow. With only and ice axe and no cramp-ons i managed to build steps up the trough. The home-stretch was a bit sketchy with ice slanting towards the ledge, but nonetheless i made up and down safely.
sjvista - Jun 27, 2005 12:08 am
Route Climbed: cable Date Climbed: june 25, 2005tried keyhole route and was denied by the trough snow as it was rock solid and unaggrable to some in party, retreated and had an easy time up the cable route. One small move needed at the choke, otherwise a straight snow walk. fast 12 hours rouund trip. started 2 am.
umbra alta - Jun 22, 2005 3:03 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: September 2002This was my first 14'er. Second attempt on Keyhole after rain turned us around before the Boulderfield the first time. Wind was so high on summit day that the Keyhole sounded like a freight train all the way down in the Boulderfield. Got blown back through it on the way back racing a storm. Bad AMS and dehydration to boot. Can't wait to climb this peak's other routes.
mtnsavy - Jun 21, 2005 2:53 am
Route Climbed: Several Date Climbed: SeveralGet in line!
Foxy Long Bottoms - Jun 20, 2005 1:34 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole and Cables Date Climbed: 7/02 and 9/03Successful summit attempt on Cables, 9/03. This would be a good intro to alpine climbing. There is not a lot of climbing, however, it does require some stamina as you still have to hike a ways.
Shut down on the Keyhole route just past the Narrows. High winds nearly swept me off the Peak. I had to duck for cover and then finally decided to bail. Bummer.
ADSmith - Jun 18, 2005 10:42 am
Route Climbed: Trough Date Climbed: June 17th, 2005An awesome day on an awesome mountain! Sunny all day, almost no wind. Snow was a little soggy in the bottom of the Trough but improved in the upper half.
ktiffany22 - May 15, 2005 9:44 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: August 4, 2003Woo-hooo!!!! 1st 14er ever! (many more to come:-) It was great, yet quite a shock~ We started at 2am, hit horrible winds around 5:30am, but kept on trekking, hit the keyhole, & freaked out! Yep- I LOVE hiking, but this was my first "scare" ...it was foggy the whole way along the narrows clear to the summit, couldn't see a thing below us... but it was worth it:-) After being on the summit for 45 minutes, it cleared up a bit for us so we could at least see out! Sunshine followed us the whole way back down. All in all it was a blast... heart pounding and all!
RenoBob - May 10, 2005 4:48 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: August 6, 2002I climb Longs again for my 50th birthday. Forgot how daunting the Trough, Narrows and Homestretch were.
RenoBob - May 10, 2005 4:45 pm
Route Climbed: Old North Face Cables Route Date Climbed: August 11, 1963I was 11 years old and didn't know enough to be scared. My Dad says he still has nightmares about the ascent and descent through the Trough.
Brian Kalet - Apr 14, 2005 2:15 pm
Route Climbed: The Keyhole Date Climbed: August 2003There was a little rain on the way down.
easleygone - Apr 4, 2005 2:01 am
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: July 1988It was everything they said it was!! Camped in the boulder field. Weather was all over the place....snow, sleet, rain, wind......you name it. Keyhole was frozen
up with the wind howling thru it like a freight train.
Very treacherous icing everywhere. 90% of the
climbers turned back. We held on and summitted
at noon. Great mountain to climb!!
alpine master - Apr 3, 2005 11:41 pm
Route Climbed: Stettners ledges to Kieners Date Climbed: July 13 2002Was more involved than I thought. Took around 20 hours to complete. Check out the trip report.
alpine master - Apr 3, 2005 11:40 pm
Route Climbed: Key hole Date Climbed: Aug. 2001We drove up the night before to camp at the TH. We got lost in Boulder and found the Bus Stop, a strip club. We got hammered. We didn’t get to the TH until about 1:00am. We started at 5:30am. We were hella hungover from the strip club. Jim was getting pissed because I kept talking. We got light headed on the way up. I couldn’t believe how many people there were. This was a cool hike for a first 14er. I was thinking some day I will do the Diamond. On the way back the rocky trail was hurting our feet. Long day, didn’t take enough water. 2 qts. each. Summited @ 11:30. back @ the car 4:30pm. Then to the bar in Lyons.
alpine master - Apr 3, 2005 4:38 pm
Route Climbed: North Face Unknown dihedral right of the cables route Date Climbed: 03-03-0522 1/2 hours round trip. Not sure what it was rated. The route was 50 or so yards to the right of the cables route. Decended via the keyhole route. Climbed it with old Ickabod. Check out his report.
Old Ickabod - Mar 27, 2005 10:50 pm
Route Climbed: North Face Date Climbed: March 3, 2005An epic time! Alpine Master and I spent 22 1/2 hours going up the North Face and down the Keyhole. Check out my trip report!
georgbetsy - Mar 10, 2005 3:42 pm
Route Climbed: Keplinger's Couloir Date Climbed: March 5th, 2005Great winter climb up Longs Peak with Brad Snider. Perfect weather, beautiful views, exhausting and challenging climb, and a sunset summit.
Brad Snider - Mar 6, 2005 6:47 pm
Route Climbed: Keplingers Couloir Date Climbed: March 5, 2005Georg (SP member georgbetsy) and I made a weekend of this. Bush-whacking to Longs Peak in the winter is certainly the way to avoid crowds! Awesome weather, a challenging climb, great views and summitting at sunset made for an unforgettable trip.
jtree - Mar 2, 2005 11:06 am
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: 1995My Brother Mike and I did this early in the season and I was surprised how sketchy some sections were especially with ice and snow on the trail. One mistep and it would take the rest of your life to reach the bottom!
pebblehopper - Feb 21, 2005 4:13 pm
Route Climbed: Keyhole Date Climbed: August 2003Wow! Like the ledges...like the keyhole...saw a guy dodge a watermelon sized rock in the trough...all and all a good day!