Longs Peak

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 10/8/2022, By: shilling220
Info: Ice and snow after the keyhole. About 1-3 inches, but it snowed more on our way down. Micro spikes are recommended. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 10/3/2022, By: winter_wisher
Info: Thin ice and snow covers much of the route. Snow was about 1" from Boulderfield onward; in the Trough, snow was 2"-5" depending on drift. Conveniently, most of the bullseye marks were still visible. Traction (e.g. microspikes) is a must. Not enough coverage to warrant snowshoes or an ice axe. Homestretch was very risky, particularly on the descent - many hand-/foot-hold options are packed with snow and ice, making route-finding difficult and critical. 

Route: Radical Slam
Posted On: 9/27/2022, By: jahselassie
Info: Got after the Radical. Ice in various places but overall the entire route was fine. I've been up the Loft 3 times and every time struggle finding the correct entrance. Clarks Arrow is faint! The bushwhack to storm pass wasn't as bad as I was expecting. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 9/25/2022, By: andrew85
Info: Went up the Keyhole, got Longs and Meeker, and went down the Loft. The Keyhole is basically 100% clean. There was one area in the ledges and one in the narrows that had ice, but both were easily passable. The Loft on the other hand had many icy spots in the couloir, but the remaining route was clean but for avoidable ice in Keplinger's Couloir. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 9/19/2022, By: TheMDTerrappin
Info: The clear skies and warm temps on Sunday must have melted most of the snow from earlier in the weekend. My brother and I entered the Keyhole a bit after sunrise. Barely any snow or ice on the Ledges, Narrows, or Homestretch, however there were quite a few patches in the Trough but easily avoidable with all the scrambling options. Great weather for us, biggest hazard was the wind. 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/18/2022, By: ReachingHigher
Info: The climb up the Loft Couloir was mostly snow free. Once we got to the ramp, there was patchy snow in places. It was crunchy today, but a couple of freeze/thaw cycles and it will be icy. The downclimb to Clark's Arrow, Keplinger's Couloir and the Homestretch were mostly snow free with a few avoidable spots in shady areas. We hiked over the Narrows and looked down the Trough to see the conditions (The Keyhole Route was closed today because of a fatality above the Ledges). The Narrows had small sections that were wet and had frozen during the night. The Trough looked like mostly crunchy snow, however the route around the SW side of the chockstone looked very icy. Please be careful and bring weather appropriate gear. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 9/17/2022, By: mtbforlife4
Info: Managed to summit today despite the dismal conditions. Everything beyond the keyhole is a sheet of ice, spikes are necessary.

On a more important and somber note, I came across a deceased hiker on the way down moments before the search and rescue rangers were extracting the body. Apparently they were stranded last night. I mean no disrespect to the hiker or the hikers family sharing this, I just hope this can prevent tragedies in the future. On my way up to the keyhole I passed many people who were ill equipped; hiking in sweatpants, nikes, no helmets, etc. Today was the most horrific thing I have experienced in the mountains and I wonder if it could have been avoided. Please, before heading into the mountains be sure you are well equipped and have a plan. I write this with a heavy heart, thoughts to the hikers family. 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/17/2022, By: truekyle
Info: We made it up to the turn off for the saddle. By then a solid inch of snow was on the ground and continuing to fall at about 0730. We also ran into several slick rocks and ice. No longer summer conditions. 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/17/2022, By: JeffPurdy
Info: Ice forming in couloir with a very light dusting of snow in a few locations. Otherwise the ascent was dry and predictable. I would note that after reaching the loft, as you cross the saddle, if you think you aren't in the correct point to descend into Keplinger, you're probably too high.

I beat the storm that came in mid afternoon, summiting around 11 am, and conditions through the Trough were becoming slick as I was descending. I passed a climber who was ascending at the juncture between the Trough and the Narrows and it wasn't 15 minutes later that the snowy ice started whipping through. I had only seen a trio ascending from Keplinger while I was above looking down from the Loft and a solo coming off the top as I was ascending the Homestrech anywhere near the ascent from any route. I saw the trio later in the day so I, fearfully, assume it was the person at the top of the Trough that passed away. Otherwise, people were ascending VERY late in the afternoon, post storm. My heart aches for whoever it was. 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/15/2022, By: bsiegs
Info: Summer conditions throughout. Route-finding past the top of the Loft Couloir requires some precision - sparsely cairned. Downclimb to Arrow is the crux - clearly class 4 imo. 

Route: Cables
Posted On: 9/12/2022, By: Eli Watson
Info: Ice in the Cables after the rain and cold weather this past weekend in the main crack above the second eyelet (the bent one). It can be bypassed by going climber's right. The rest of the route is ice free. I was fine in my Mutants, but it was slower than usual to be careful. 

Route: Grand Slam + SE Longs
Posted On: 9/9/2022, By: supranihilest
Info: See my Mount Meeker CR for Loft conditions and photos. From Meeker I did "Southeast Longs" - just a big heap of Class 2+ boulders - then descended towards Keplinger's couloir and Clark's arrow. I never did find the arrow, and the route finding in this area was the crux of the Slam. For the most part the route funnels you into a particular descent but this descent then has multiple options for getting down. Farthest right was a precarious stack of boulders that formed a number of squeeze chimneys. We went part way down this and came back up when it became too exposed. I tried a second, Class 4 slab down climb farther left that I didn't like since I'd have to jump off the bottom of it. Stuck in between these was a Class 3 down climb on small ledges in a corner. That got us into Keplinger's which took us to the Homestretch. Homestretch is greasy as usual.

For the route to Pagoda see my Pagoda CR. From Pagoda we went back to the large Key below the cliff down climb that we took en route to Pagoda, then descended down a steep, loose slope and made our way over to the Trough, climbed up the Trough (very loose) and rejoined the Keyhole route. We continued on to the Keyhole, traversed to Storm Peak B (Class 3 along the ridge), then descended to the Boulderfield and climbed up Mount Lady Washington (Class 2+), taking the north ridge (Class 2) back to the trail and then the trailhead. The rock on Storm and MLW is generally pretty good, far more stable than anything on the first half of the route up through rejoining the Keyhole. 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/4/2022, By: brauda02
Info: Figured I update the Loft since it's been a while.

The stream is flowing strong in the Loft Couloir all the way up to the exit. Doesn't look like it's drying up anytime soon.

I had a tough time with the descent down to Clark's Arrow (was never able to find the Arrow). Thought it was pretty exposed and awkward. Was wondering if I was on route and climbed back up to the big cairn before starting down again. Basically there were two class 4 sections on the downclimb right next to each other. Each was short. Thought Keplinger's to the Homestretch was fun and easy.

Curious why this route is rated as Class 3 on here yet the description mentions a couple class 4 moves. Wouldn't that make it a class 4 route? 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 9/1/2022, By: madmattd
Info: Perfect day for Longs. There was a single darkish cloud that dropped a teeny bit of solid white stuff for a couple minutes at a comically slow rate (read: already gone and a non-factor even as it fell) late morning. Otherwise perfect conditions bottom to top. Just lots of fresh horse poop below Chasm Junction on the trail. That move at the top of the Trough is a little obnoxious due to slick rock faces, but manageable.

Boulderfield stream is flowing well.

Not a ton of people on the route, probably 3-4 dozen all day scattered pretty evenly, no rockfall issues of note in the Trough.

There was a rescue going on in the Chasm Lake area in the early afternoon, sounded like a nasty fall with compound fractures and broken ribs. Many rangers hiking up to the area and a chopper in the area. Hope all works out OK for the injured party. 

Route: Diamond
Posted On: 9/1/2022, By: blazintoes
Info: Bout time!

Casual route aka 'Cattle route' had 3 parties chug their way up and now that I've finally succeeded at the 7 pitch climb after being punted 3 times prior I have some beta to share.

There are many ways to approach the Diamond. Some bivy either at the boulder field, chasm view or chasm lake and some day trip. Some take the Chasm View raps and some the north Chimney. Some pitch it out and some combine pitches. Some summit via Kieners then rap Cables and hike out from the boulder field. And some use the D7 rappels after the 7th pitch then transition to the Crack of Delight rappels back to the base of the north chimney and out Chasm Lake.

Having done every single option I mentioned and after finally succeeding at a day trip via Chasm lake, up the north chimney, swapping leads and combining pitch 2-3, rappelling D7 to Crack of Delight for 10 rappels total and hiking out via Chasm Lake on a glorious weather day I think it is quicker to summit via Kieners and Cables raps then hike out vs. 10 rappels that eat up time. The only downside is you have to carry everything on your harness and have a backpack but this is the most efficient way to climb the Diamond as a day trip.
Also on the crux pitch 6 at the crux you stand atop a lose boulder and maybe it's always been this way but that is going to dislodge someday and maybe it'll make the climb harder, maybe easier either way someone's going to get hurt. And also the 3rd rappel on Crack of Delight is missing the middle bolt so now it's a 2 bolted anchor vs. 3. One last thing, the park only services the Chasm view raps because those are used for SAR and they'd prefer climbers not use them. The remaining bolted anchors are put up by climbers .

Team 1 decided to summit and they were waiving to team 2 and 3 from the Chasm view wall as team 2 (us) started pre rigging our first rappel. Team 3 also rappelled and we could see their headlamps way up high as we got down to the lake.

Anyway climbing the Diamond via the Casual route is iconic and there are many reasons there are lines of teams heading up on a weekday to climb this glorious granite 1800' face. The gear is excellent and the climbing at 13,000' is the right challenge for a strong team.

Next time I would bring 2 70m half ropes, a double rack to a #2 and one #3, 10 alpine and 4 quick draws, walkie-talkies and 3L of water to share and that's it. Also I would consider hiking down the Camel to get back to Chasm Lake but I've never done that. This could be super efficient.

Great day with a great partner and the quote of the day at the parking lot when Hogan ran into an ice climbing buddy on our first attempt, “it's cool that you bring your mom out here!”

We fist bumped and sped away.