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I wanted to try the Loft route on my yearly attempt at Longs, but it was not to be. As a recent thread stated, you take what the mountain gives, and when the mountain says turn around, you have to listen.
We started at 4:10 AM, and conditions looked great. A dry trail and starry sky gave me a lot of confidence. By the time we crossed the river, the trail was really slushy, which turned to snow, and then ice by the time we were very far over timberline. The boulder fields around Chasm Lake were really icy and slippery, and the wind was brutal. By the time we got to our turn around- about 300 feel below the top of the Loft Coulior, there were steps I took into several inches of snow. My pants were soaked, with crusty snow up to my knees.
Still, the day was worth it. I have done the Keyhole three times, and had no idea how breathtaking the mountain is on this side. Chasm lake will make for a great day hike and picnic with my wife, sitting under an amazing view of the diamond face. My buddy, Derek, called this one of his favorite places in all of Colorado, and although I've only been there once, I'd have to agree. Here are some of the photos I took of the day:
The sunrise:
And daybreak looking up the Loft Coulior
Slowgoing in the coulior
And looking down the Loft
The diamond face
and Chasm lake sitting underneath the diamond
The low clouds playing hide and seek with the Twin Sisters
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
jk- lol! I gotta say that Chasm lake is one of the mystic places in our state. You could sit there for hours and stare at the diamond, breathe, and relax. Some beer would be nice to take along- probably something in an English Style would be fitting- 100th Monkey?
on the season- mid summer I would probably go with something a bit lighter- a saison or a wheat. Come autumn, though, and I think something darker would work. 1554 or maybe a 90 Shilling would go down really nicely.
The real coup would be to get a growler of the Station 26 Tripel, or maybe a Lowdown White, with Wendy and a couple friends. Any chance you get get a burrata and maybe some procuitto up there as well? Just sayin!
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