Longs Peak (did you wear a helmet?)

[rob runkle]

Someone on one of the other threads asked the purpose of these questions... Well, the data is interesting, and the comments are even more interesting. Personally, I had never considered having to worry about wacking my head on an over hung rock; but I have wacked my helmet on rock before. And, I had never thought about getting maybe a lighter helmet, something more comfortable. I ordered a new Petzl Sirocco last night because of those comments. This all started because I plan to take my kids up The Kelso Ridge in August, and it is a huge hassle to try and pack (3) helmets into a single suit case. Having said that, I will be finding a way. Okay, on with the next one...

I did Longs as my second day of 14er climbing ever. No experience, no rock skills and no helmet.

[Sean Nunn]

No, but it was my first mountain and I made a LOT of mistakes there. This whole helmet thing has been good. I recently purchased 2 helmets for my daughter and I to use when we attempt Castle and Conundrum in early August, but now I am realizing they will be beneficial any time we are on class 3 and/or loose rock.

[Markwise]

No, and as Sean mentioned, made a lot of mistakes as well. Must be a theme for Longs?

Carried heavy steel ice axes on Longs thinking that mountaineers always carry axes. But no helmet, hadn't heard about that nifty gadget yet in my novice climbing years. Thankfully this was 21 years ago, learned a little since.

Would wear a helmet if and when I ever get back to Longs. Just makes sense on C3+

[Mtnman200]

Helmet? What's that? I did Longs as my first 14er as an 11-year old in June 1972. The sign at the trailhead identified the Keyhole route as "technical climbers only" due to the snow conditions. My dad and I headed off with no helmets, no ice axes, and no traction and were able to avoid most of the snow in the Trough by staying on rock where we could. Signed the summit register (14ers tended to have them back then) and headed down. At the trailhead, we talked to a ranger about our ascent. The ranger took one look at me and promptly took down the "technical climbers only" sign.

[Matt]

Helmet? What's that? I did Longs as my first 14er as an 11-year old in June 1972. The sign at the trailhead identified the Keyhole route as "technical climbers only" due to the snow conditions. My dad and I headed off with no helmets, no ice axes, and no traction and were able to avoid most of the snow in the Trough by staying on rock where we could. Signed the summit register (14ers tended to have them back then) and headed down. At the trailhead, we talked to a ranger about our ascent. The ranger took one look at me and promptly took down the "technical climbers only" sign.

Great story!
I had no helmet in 2002 because this was my first 14er and coming from the flatlands, I had no idea what I was getting in to.
It was the first day that year the "technical climbers only" sign was taken down.
Good thing--I had only seen ice axes in pictures, had no idea what crampons were, and "class 3" applied to rivers as far as I knew.
Somehow, I made it to the summit and back, anyway.
Bonus--My ignorance also extended to getting a campsite. We just drove from Missouri to the Longs Peak TH on a Friday evening and took an open campsite. Imagine trying that nowadays. It must have been easy in 1972!

[Monster5]

Alright then. I wore a helmet 6/15 trips on Longs.

Considering route of ascent (usually downclimb or rap Cables):
-Kieners: 0/3 trips. I forgot my helmet on one trip in Dec. and knowingly left it for two trips time trialing in summer. This always has me nervous as I've been pegged by rocks on Lambslide before, opting for Glacier Rib instead. This really isn't a smart decision and I always feel dumb without one.
-Notch: 2/2 trips. Lots of rockfall potential.
-Keyhole: 0/1 trip.
-Loft or Loft variations, including Grand Slam: 0/3 trips
-Cables: 1/1 trip, December
-Trough Direct: 1/1 trip, November
-NW Gully: 0/1 trip, before work last Friday
-Keyhole Ridge: 0/1 trip, summer solo
-Dovetail: 1/1 trip, February
-Kor's to Keiners: 1/1

-(Not counted) Dreamweaver to Notch: After doing Dreamweaver, we had an impromptu thought to link up with Notch by descending Lamslide from the Loft. My partner crossed a steep snow traverse on Broadway. Prior to me starting, a boulder came crashing down between us. It was getting late in the morning and the snow was mush. At that point, my partner opted to continue and I descended Lambslide with more rocks raining down. I sat at the lake watching my partner - he encountered some sketchy snow prior to the notch and had to do a long and complicated traverse over to Kieners.

[Eric Thomas]

I have made three summits of Longs via the Keyhole route. I did not wear a helmet for the first two. I bought a helmet after two different groups of people accidentally dislodged rocks above me on the upper part of Mt. Sneffels. The second was a tire-sized boulder that came bouncing down the mountain with pieces splintering off in every direction as it bounded down the gully. Fortunately, no-one was hurt. So, I always take a helmet with me and I did wear it on my third summit of Longs from the Keyhole to the Summit.

[Alpine Guy]

I didn't, starting in 2001 and as recently as last July. In 2003, one of my partners had his glasses broken by a rock in the Trough - a helmet wouldn't have prevented that but it did remind me of Gerry Roach's saying "geologic time includes now". Yeah, probably worth carrying it next time...

[DeTour]

Longs was my first 14er, done sans helmet. Even though I researched how to go about it thoroughly, I never seriously considered buying a helmet then.

Second time we did it, our group all wore helmets. I was thinking of the standard route being low-risk for rockfall - the trough isn't that steep, and the homestretch is solid and cleaned by hordes of human traffic. But chatting with a park ranger in the trough adjusted my thinking there. He pointed up to the north ridge and said there is occasionally rockfall from there - which gets 800 feet of almost sheer smooth slope to gather momentum as it plunges down to the standard route in the trough. Yep, I'll stick with the helmet on that route.

[Brian C]

With all the noobs kicking off rocks and dropping nalgenes down the trough, unless you’re really quick you should probably wear a helmet.

[KState14er]

From what I recall (it was a few years ago) I did wear a helmet after the Keyhole. I would recommend one as The Trough is steep and a lot of people up there are not used to identifying and climbing around loose rock. I found it to be worth the extra weight on Longs and every other Class 3 14er.

[TomPierce]

My helmet use has ramped up with age. It seems silly now not to wear a helmet, esp when alone on routes where rockfall is a good possibility. That aside, Longs. Most of my several ascents have not been on the Keyhole, although I've done it alone in winter via that route (no helmet). But (and I think this is what the OP is asking about...) I once did the Keyhole on a summer weekend, taking a fellow up who'd never done it before. Man oh man...what an ant swarm that was. I didn't have a helmet and wished I did in the Trough. It wasn't horrific by any means, but there were occasional rocks tumbling down, knocked off by hikers above. Getting beaned by a rock in the head would automatically qualify as a bad day, and I'm well past the point in life where I care what anyone else thinks about my decision to wear a helmet.

-Tom