Longs Peak

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 9/12/2011, By: hikeaddict
Info: There is snow and ice in areas but totally avoidable. Microspikes were not needed. Any snow we did need to cross was very firm and not in a dangerous area. 

Route: Keyhole
Posted On: 8/30/2011, By: Nelson
Info: I climbed the Keyhole route today. It has been raining regularly on Longs and getting cold at night. There was significant Verglas (ice) in the homestretch. Today was a beautiful day but that raised the stress factor. Need I say it was windy at the Keyhole? 

Route: Cables/Keyhole/Loft
Posted On: 8/29/2011, By: JohnWilliams
Info: Cables route, along with many technical routes on the Peak are very wet from a hail storm on saturday the 27th. Cables was a waterfall. This could dry out quickly Keyhole route still clear and dry, although this time of year things can change quickly. Watch for low temperatures on the mountain to determine if ice exist or if snow fell instead of rain. Loft route is very dry under the homestretch but gaining the ledges under the Loft one must scramble up several hundered feet of slabs (class 3 or 4) on climbers left (south) of snowfield, or hike up the snowfield. Ledges are soaking wet, take care on this section. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 8/26/2011, By: RockyMountainMustang
Info: Longs Peak Keyhole Route still in great condition. No snow anywhere on trail. Summer mountaineering on this route won‘t last a whole lot longer with fall and winter just around the corner, so enjoy this pleasant hike and the fun ledges now. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 8/20/2011, By: mrschaible
Info: We went up the iron gates to Meeker Ridge and Mt Meeker to SE Longs then went through the loft to Longs then Storm Peak. All the routes were dry and clear. The route up the loft looked clear (we did not come up that way), although there is still some snow in the area. The park ranger (search and rescue) recommended this route as an alternative to the key hole route if storms moved in the area (we had a 50% chance of storms) as it is a much faster route down. 

Route: 
Posted On: 8/12/2011, By: GeorgeB
Info: Driest, easiest conditions I‘ve ever seen on Cables in ~8 trips. Confident leaders will be happy in approach shoes, only slinging the eye bolts. NO need for ice axes. Stepped on snow/ice exactly once. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 8/9/2011, By: tjerasdave
Info: Trail is in great shape and snow free. There are a few muddy parts below the boulder field but nothing too bad. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 7/24/2011, By: GraceU2DSummit
Info: Keyhole route is dry; ledges, narrows, homestretch included. The snow that remains on The Trough is all avoidable. Already crazy busy up there. 

Route: 
Posted On: 7/24/2011, By: Dancesatmoonrise
Info: Did Longs north face, Cables route, yesterday. Parking at 8am was an issue, but we encountered surprisingly few visitors on the mountain, and no large groups. The approach is completely dry. Snow below the technical rock section can be avoided by climbing left, then across, with the exception of a narrow apron at the base, which has good kicked-in steps. The Cables route itself has no snow or ice, but plenty of water running through the cracks and grooves. In retrospect, we did not feel being roped was necessary were it not for the water coming off the snowfield from above. Unless your rope is new and triple-dry, expect it to get soaked. The climbing was still very pleasant with numerous good holds on dry rock on the face to the right. There is also a fine-looking 5.7ish finger/hand crack about 50 feet right of Cables, which had no water and would make an excellent alternative on a busier day. The snowfield above is fading rapidly. It can be avoided by traversing loose rock, but the good steps and softer snow across the middle make it a safer option. We opted to use axes. Approach shoes worked well for the entire route. My partner was there this time last year and was pleasantly surprised at the paucity of visitors. There were maybe four or five tents in the boulderfield, and we saw maybe eight or ten people come and go during an hour‘s time on the summit in pleasant afternoon conditions. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 7/16/2011, By: JohnWilliams
Info: The keyhole route appears dry and all snow is avoidable. Cables is soaking wet with unavoidable snow below and above the rock pitch. Keyhole ridge is dry and awesome! GO DO IT!!!! Kieners is drying out up high Notch looks out of service, or will be shortly 

Route: Radical Slam
Posted On: 7/22/2011, By: alwetend
Info: My buddy and I did the radical slam on Saturday. Conditions are as follows: Traverse above peacock pool still has some snow on it but it is well kicked in. People have been leaving sticks to help the walk across if necessary. There is some snow going up the loft but if you skirt left you only climb about 150ft of it. The snow is soft enough you that you can kick steps. We were in approach shoes. We pulled out ice axes but they weren‘t really necessary. The top part of Keplingers to the homestretch has snow in it. I can not comment on the conditions as we climbed the notch and South ridge to the summit which is wonderful and snow free. I imagine Kieners above broadway is snow free as well. The homestretch is snow free as is the narrows. The trough has snow in it but it is easily avoidable and even so it is soft enough to step in with shoes. Everyone on top had shoes and no ice axe. Storm has snow on the east face that makes for a nice glissage down. The rest of the route was completely snow free... In general I would say crampons and ice ax on Longs are unnecessary except on Lambs slide of course. Have fun... 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 7/17/2011, By: vonmackle
Info: A look at recent snow conditions leading to the Loft 

Route: Loft Route
Posted On: 7/15/2011, By: gbutler80
Info: I scrambled up to The Loft on Tuesday July 12 and part of the way through the Notch before I turned back due to weather moving in. The middle of The Loft Couloir, where most of the trail would be located, is still under snow, but it is an easy hike on the left side until you get to the top where you will have to cross the snow before you get to the class 3 scrambling at the top. There was still some snow in the Notch area and I did have a hard time finding the route before I turned back. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 7/9/2011, By: JohnWilliams
Info: Trail snow free through the Keyhole. Ledges are very wet and slick, PLEASE take caution on this section!!!! Trough has snow on south side, possible can be avoided by ascending on climbers LEFT. No info on Narrows or Homestretch. Cables has no snow in the upper part of the rock pitch, but will be very wet, even early. 

Route: Keyhole Route
Posted On: 6/30/2011, By: Snoda21
Info: Only patchy snow along the keyhole route below trough after keyhole. The trough is burried and solid icy patches remain throughout day which makes hiking the actual trail without snow climbing gear dangerous. It is possible however to carefully avoid the snow in the trough by climbing the rocks to climbers left. Narrows have sketchy boot pack and almost enough exposed rock to squeeze by. I made it to the top of the home stretch, by climbing the rocks climbers left of the steep solid snowpack covering the trail. All in all it was a fairly sketchy climb, probably verging on class 5 towards the top, and the forest service is wise to keep it classified as technical to deter inexperienced climbers from overstepping their bounds. I did not summit as the very top was still snow pack and sliding down into the homestretch without gear is not an option. At least three more weeks for this trail to finish thawing out. From the top it looked like climbing Meeker from chasm lake then following the saddle through the loft and then up longs may have worked. From the home stretch, if you could cross the snow pack to climbers right you may be able to get the last 50 feet. I think it could be climbed in running shoes right now, but would require great care!