ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
-
- Posts: 676
- Joined: 6/12/2008
- 14ers: 13
- 13ers: 35
- Trip Reports (18)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
yes that is sound advice on the caution. but I myself have really just delayed this move on longs for a long time so to speak.
I've seen some s**t along the way.
if these routes are even just semi comparable and water is favorable - it would seem at least worth thinking about.
and I wouldn't say no to seeing that big east face up close.
meeker isn't really in play on any other route right?
I've seen some s**t along the way.
if these routes are even just semi comparable and water is favorable - it would seem at least worth thinking about.
and I wouldn't say no to seeing that big east face up close.
meeker isn't really in play on any other route right?
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
- CaptainSuburbia
- Posts: 1102
- Joined: 10/7/2017
- 14ers: 58 35
- 13ers: 125 9
- Trip Reports (44)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
Meeker is easy peasy from the Loft.
I took the Loft route for my first trip up Longs and would reccomend it. Loop it with the keyhole for the full experience. Meeker was a very short detour and well worth it. I didn't think the Loft route was any more difficult than the Keyhole. Good luck!
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
- MtnHub
- Posts: 574
- Joined: 6/16/2005
- 14ers: 28
- 13ers: 23
- Trip Reports (50)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
[quote
Meeker was a very short detour and well worth it. I didn't think the Loft route was any more difficult than the Keyhole. Good luck!
[/quote]
If you ascend via the Iron Gates and then go up the long ridge of Meeker, you don't even have to backtrack to hit Meeker. It's one nice continuous loop.
The slog of scree and talus between the Gates is about equivalent to ascending the Loft route but you actually get much better views of Longs because it's not hidden by the Prow. When you're high on the ridge, you also get outstanding views of EP and the whole valley vs being locked in the narrow Loft route. This is my favorite loop when you continue on up Longs and then descend via the Keyhole, hitting the best of both peaks. But they're all fun in their own way. Enjoy!
Meeker was a very short detour and well worth it. I didn't think the Loft route was any more difficult than the Keyhole. Good luck!
[/quote]
If you ascend via the Iron Gates and then go up the long ridge of Meeker, you don't even have to backtrack to hit Meeker. It's one nice continuous loop.
The slog of scree and talus between the Gates is about equivalent to ascending the Loft route but you actually get much better views of Longs because it's not hidden by the Prow. When you're high on the ridge, you also get outstanding views of EP and the whole valley vs being locked in the narrow Loft route. This is my favorite loop when you continue on up Longs and then descend via the Keyhole, hitting the best of both peaks. But they're all fun in their own way. Enjoy!
Last edited by MtnHub on Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
- justiner
- Posts: 4415
- Joined: 8/28/2010
- 14ers: 58 8
- 13ers: 138
- Trip Reports (40)
- Contact:
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
I really thought the slog up Iron Gates is less painful one than the Loft when dry. Plus you get that nice ridge traverse.
-
- Posts: 676
- Joined: 6/12/2008
- 14ers: 13
- 13ers: 35
- Trip Reports (18)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
big question right now being...
how much smoke will I be willing to put up with?
I am really in the game for the views. I don't like to hike when socked in.
and I'm kind of air snob too - I just said "no way" last summer to hiking at all in that stuff.
if it is just a light mist - maybe. But heavier - eh.
how much smoke will I be willing to put up with?
I am really in the game for the views. I don't like to hike when socked in.
and I'm kind of air snob too - I just said "no way" last summer to hiking at all in that stuff.
if it is just a light mist - maybe. But heavier - eh.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
- dubsho3000
- Posts: 636
- Joined: 4/28/2008
- 14ers: 58 8 2
- 13ers: 110 14
- Trip Reports (6)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
Are you trying to keep the Loft to yourself Justiner? According to this website, the Loft route is 13 miles round-trip, Keyhole is 14.5 miles. I recommend the up-the-Loft-down-the-Keyhole approach. It's a great tour of the mountain, as was mentioned earlier.
I didn't find the Loft to be any more of a slog than the Keyhole route.
- justiner
- Posts: 4415
- Joined: 8/28/2010
- 14ers: 58 8
- 13ers: 138
- Trip Reports (40)
- Contact:
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
I hate the loft in summer when it's bare and in the winter as above Keplingers gives me the shakes. I think my mileage is based on shortcuts so I guess Loft is shorter if you don't use 'em
- wineguy
- Posts: 342
- Joined: 7/12/2009
- 14ers: 58 3
- 13ers: 143
- Trip Reports (7)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
I thought that the loose boulders on the Iron Gates route were uncomfortable and exhausting. And this is from someone who thought that the route up Thunder Pyramid was reasonably stable. I suppose that on these routes where there is no defined trail, your experience can vary widely depending on exactly where you tread.
"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters." - Norman Maclean
- MtnHub
- Posts: 574
- Joined: 6/16/2005
- 14ers: 28
- 13ers: 23
- Trip Reports (50)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
Yeah, I do think with open routes like these (ie - no painted route markers like on the Keyhole route) there is always some variability. I've been up the Loft route twice (as well as one descent that way) and have done the Iron Gates 3x. Heading up the middle directly between the two Gates I found to be the most unstable.wineguy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 10, 2021 4:14 pm I thought that the loose boulders on the Iron Gates route were uncomfortable and exhausting. And this is from someone who thought that the route up Thunder Pyramid was reasonably stable. I suppose that on these routes where there is no defined trail, your experience can vary widely depending on exactly where you tread.
The last time I went up a few years ago I steered more to the right aiming directly for the western Gate and I found the rocks there to be a little more stable. I do like this route better than the Loft route, however, especially due the outstanding views it offers, but then I kind of like talus climbing in general too.
-
- Posts: 173
- Joined: 9/11/2014
- 14ers: 39 1
- 13ers: 22
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
Keep in mind the Iron Gates has a pretty airy downclimb off Meeker Ridge's summit. I felt that was more intense than anything on Capitol. Definitely a no fall zone.
When I get out I feel more alive - Doug Coombs
- MtnHub
- Posts: 574
- Joined: 6/16/2005
- 14ers: 28
- 13ers: 23
- Trip Reports (50)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
? -- I'm not trying to argue with you but I am wondering where you were down-climbing. If you descend through the Gates, it's no different than various steep talus slopes on many other mountains. It's certainly not 'airy' in the way Capitol is. I can't imagine you making that comparison.jerseybrian wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:51 pm Keep in mind the Iron Gates has a pretty airy downclimb off Meeker Ridge's summit. I felt that was more intense than anything on Capitol. Definitely a no fall zone.
While I don't recommend this route as a descent since much of the stuff is loose and a bit unstable, it's really not that bad going up. That's why I prefer this as the start of a loop over Meeker and then ascending up Longs via Keplingers. I just think it's a better and more scenic way to reach the Loft if you're planning on hitting Meeker at all.
- CaptainSuburbia
- Posts: 1102
- Joined: 10/7/2017
- 14ers: 58 35
- 13ers: 125 9
- Trip Reports (44)
Re: ISO: water on Longs Peak - mid September ?
I think he means the traverse from Meeker Ridge summit to Meekers summit. It's class 3 but there is some class 5 exposure.MtnHub wrote: ↑Mon Apr 12, 2021 6:51 am? -- I'm not trying to argue with you but I am wondering where you were down-climbing. If you descend through the Gates, it's no different than various steep talus slopes on many other mountains. It's certainly not 'airy' in the way Capitol is. I can't imagine you making that comparison.jerseybrian wrote: ↑Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:51 pm Keep in mind the Iron Gates has a pretty airy downclimb off Meeker Ridge's summit. I felt that was more intense than anything on Capitol. Definitely a no fall zone.
While I don't recommend this route as a descent since much of the stuff is loose and a bit unstable, it's really not that bad going up. That's why I prefer this as the start of a loop over Meeker and then ascending up Longs via Keplingers. I just think it's a better and more scenic way to reach the Loft if you're planning on hitting Meeker at all.
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point