FAQ and threads for those just starting to hike the Colorado 14ers.
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pbakwin wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:35 am
Wind can definitely be an issue up there. Having done Longs many times in all conditions, I would note that the Boulderfield in particular is a very windy place. If you make it through there usually there will be less wind as you approach the Keyhole because you are on the east side of the ridge. At the Keyhole itself the wind can be horrific, and just the sound of it can be very intimidating. Many people turn around there, but I have noticed that often if you struggle through the Keyhole and continue maybe another 100-200' there is substantially less wind. It's counter-intuitive since you seem to be directly exposed to wind from the west. But it's like that a lot.
+1 on the wind info. Personally I have only been up there in summer conditions; even then the wind can be stiff at the top of the Keyhole. It does normally die down later in the route.
Sean Nunn
Raytown MO
It's called the Venturi Effect. It happens across all cols, saddle's, dips in ridge lines etc. You see it in streams & rivers the most frequently. Venturi Effect
Kiefer wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 8:22 am
It's called the Venturi Effect. It happens across all cols, saddle's, dips in ridge lines etc. You see it in streams & rivers the most frequently. Venturi Effect
Spot on! Learned about this a ton in my paragliding cert his year. Venturi will happen any time wind is forced through a constriction and drastically increase winds while the wind is being compressed. Streams/rivers are a great way of visualizing it.
Thinking about it, Mt. Lady Washington, Storm Peak, and Longs cause 3 constrictions betweem Diamond/MLW, MLW/Storm, and Storm/Longs (keyhole). And the keyhole is of course also a constriction. Furthermore since those winds are coming from the NW/S/E, those accelerated winds can also converge in the boulderfield and cause chaotic turbulence. Anyone who's been up there can imagine this.
Depends largely on your risk tolerance and comfort moving on rock with ice above consequential fall terrain.
It's possible that you'll find dry rock in all the critical areas. Wind gusts look reasonable.
Don't underestimate the cold with windchill. Winter layers will be necessary.
Be willing to turn around based off the conditions you find. Keep in mind that downclimbing is harder than going up.
Be self sufficient; with a storm coming in, help could be days away.
The wind forecast for the late morning/early afternoon above 13k' on Saturday would be a deal breaker for me. At noon, the RAP forecast model is suggesting 50+ mph westerly winds at 500mb (~18,000ft altitude), as well as consistent 30+ mph winds at and above 700mb (~10,000ft) beginning in the early morning. However, assuming you can reach the keyhole by sunrise, you might only be dealing with ~20 mph winds after getting on the ledges. While precipitation appears unlikely, expect the wind to make things quite sketchy on the west side of Long's (keyhole -> homestretch), especially during your descent.
If you decide to go, be very careful, and turn around if you feel unsafe.
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I'd go, and just check out Mt. Lady Washington. Great views of Longs Peak from that peak. I've been on Longs many times where it was so windy, I couldn't actually hike forward! It's quite an amazing experience in of itself.
I'm actually planning to be up there on Sat. with a buddy - looks windy, but it's usually really windy in the Winter on Longs and I've got enough Winter experience on Longs to know what to expect (and not to expect the perfect conditions). We can always bail if it's not happening. At least it'll be sunny!
It was windy in Wild Basin today, but managed to summit Isolation Peak. Only had to hug rocks for the last fifty feet or so, haha. And a hand slap had to suffice for tagging the summit.
With the forecasted winds, I chose to stick to RMNP 12ers today (Stormy Peaks and Sugarloaf Mtn, in the far northern part of the park), and that worked out really well, not to mention super scenic with views of the Mummy Range from the north and the Lost Lake valley shaped by the north fork of the Big Thompson River. I was out 12 hours --sunrise to sunset -- and didn't see a soul. Wind wasn't a big issue with these low 12ers either.
