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Peak(s):  Longs Peak  -  14,259 feet
Date Posted:  09/15/2006
Date Climbed:   09/13/2006
Author:  Half_Goat
 Longs - Keyhole   

I have been wanting to climb longs for awhile, however work and life and alot of other climbs kept me distracted for most of the summer. Finally I realized if I don't go for it soon it is going to be covered deep in snow. So realizing that this Wednesday was going to be perfect weather I took off work and went on up. I met quite a few different groups along the way, and in the Boulderfield. I got started from the trailhead right at 5AM and made the camp in the Boulderfield by 7:30.
I was through the Keyhole by 8. The traverse to the Trough was not to bad, some snow, but not deep. I put on my crampons near the base of the Trough. The Trough itself was about 1-2 ft deep solid snow, and made for a good climb. The Narrows were a little sketch with some melting snow on some of the ledges. The Homestretch was also covered in 1-2 feet of snow. I made the summit at 10:15. Three others made the summit after me. We left to go down around 11:30, by which time the snow was getting soft on the Homestretch. I then realized that two of the others who had come up behind me did not have the proper gear. (only one pair of Crampons between them and no Ice Axe) The other guy Adrian and I convinced them to put on one crampon each and descend carefully, as they were pretty unaware of the danger they were in. (they were partially sliding down the homestretch and throwing snowballs, this was obviously not the safest place for a sliding snowball fight) Anyway, we convinced them to be a little safer, and helped them get back down to the base of the Trough, at which point Adrian and I kept on going back to the keyhole. I got back to my car about 4:30PM.

If you are going to climb longs at this point you really need an Ice Axe and Crampons.

~Tony



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