Long's via Keyhole tomorrow

[atalarico]

Hey all,

I'm heading up the Keyhole tomorrow solo tomorrow and I'm just curious if I'll have any company from the forum? Before anyone says it, yes I'm bringing 'pons and an axe (although if anyone has any beta as to whether I can get away with approach shoes and microspikes, I'd appreciate it!), and I have solid ice climbing and winter mountaineering skills. Shoot me a PM if you're heading out, or just say hi on the trail. I'm short and I have a small gait, so I don't set any blazing paces, but I consistently endure step after step and I take few, if any, breaks.

I've climbed on the Diamond twice and bailed off Kiener's once, but I've never stood on top of the summit. Here's to hoping for the summit of my final Front Range 14'er!

Cheers!

[onebyone]

Buddy did it Sunday. He didn't bring any gear, but did say there was quite a bit of snow. But that was a few days ago.

[unclegar]

I was in EP this past Thu-Sat with a good view of the area and there was snow in the Loft and on Meeker and Longs. The previous Fri, Sat it was all totally clear. I don't know what this week has done but I would expect some snow.

[mtn_nut]

Crampons are probably overkill this time of year. Go with microspikes instead.

have fun. weather should be relatively good

[atalarico]

What a crazy, amazing, and, at times, amazingly puckering day! The conditions on the Keyhole are *definitely* technical, and I very much wish I had brought mountaineering boots and crampons instead of non-waterproof approach shoes and microspikes. At least I had my axe in addition to inadequate footwear/traction combo, so that was a plus. But seriously, it is pretty wintry already and there is no way to avoid the snow now, so do not attempt this route if you don't have the skills and equipment.

Unavoidable low angle alpine ice (AI1/2) and steep snow in the Trough. The home stretch was a mess, as the regular route is all snow and ice covered, and the only way to avoid it is to climb the wet slabs around it. I still climbed through it all, but I don't blame the other people I saw in the Boulderfield who turned back because of the conditions. It was a little disappointing that they did because I would have loved some company. I'm sure I would have maybe kept my s%#@ together mentally a bit more if others were around. Hah!

As far as I could tell (and please speak up if you were up there today!), there was no one else climbing a route on Long's today. I hear it's a bit of a rarity to have the summit of Long's, and indeed the entire mountain, to yourself, so I feel pretty privileged. Oh, and watching the lunar eclipse hit totality on the drive out this morning, and being able to watch it slowly exit the penumbra only because I was driving west the whole time was a totally added bonus!

Hopefully my conditions report helps others prepare well and have fun! I think s@#% is hitting the fan up there with weather tomorrow, but still, just in case!

[atalarico]

Oh, and hats off to all of the non-technical hikers and tourists who have done the Keyhole route. I am being sincere and I really do apologize for all of the times I turned my nose up at the Keyhole in favor of the Diamond and Kieners. I really feel like I missed out because of some really lame elitism crap that I fell into a few years ago. That is a really fun route, and it's a *big* day for anyone, let alone most of us mere mortals who aren't uber-athlete mountain runner types.

I can't imagine being from out of state and tackling Long's as my first 14'er. The exposure on the Narrows was pretty intense, and I don't tend to get too psyched out by that a lot. I'm sure it's a little less scary in dry conditions, but even so! Sure, I'll take an alpine climb over a scramble (like all of the new ones I keep drooling over today because it's a side of Longs I had just never previously seen), but I'd take that route over a hell of a lot of the other 3rd class 14er routes any day!

Sorry, I'm just enjoying the afterglow...and beer.

[atalarico]

...and I wasn't the only one climbing a route today. These guys were climbing "Crazy Train" on the Lower East Face. Awesome! http://websta.me/p/827059714046112713_41264171

[polar]

I can't imagine being from out of state and tackling Long's as my first 14'er.

Funny you said that, I did the Keyhole as my first 14er, as an out-of-stater in 2006. I think we did it on the 2nd full day we had in Colorado. The only thing I really remember was that somehow I couldn't keep myself warm no matter how many layers I put on. Ahhhh, good times.