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After some false starts we left Denver taking 1-25, intersecting US 36, and then CO-7 arriving as a latecomer to the Long's Peak Trailhead (around 6 am.). Actually latecomer might be an understatement considering that the parking lot had long overfilled. I digress.
A friend and I had intended to climb Long's the previous week but called it off the night before, when it came to our attention how bad the weather was going to be, as well as the potential for ice up top.
Despite the defeat, we decided to give Long's another go. The problem was that although the weather was likely going to be in our favor, it was difficult to determine whether ice would be an issue. The NPS site initially said the climb was "now technical," but later said there were patches of snow, and mostly just wet spots. Not having known anyone who'd done the climb within the past couple of days prior, it was really hard to know what was up there. I threw some gear in my bag as a disaster drill, but doing so turned out to be overkill and amounted to extra weight.
The total time was under 9 hours (8:45 to be precise). The summit time is less precise, but I'd estimate a 4.5 hour summit time. A trip times relationship to climbing safety should not need further explanation; however, trip times are highly individualized.
En route to the Boulderfield
The Ledges, looking towards the Trough.
The Trough
The Narrows
The Homestretch
We got a good weather day and a good roll of the dice as far as conditions are concerned. I would caution that the seasonal window to climb the upper sections dry is closing. September is a hit and miss month for Longs Peak; there can be storms and freezing temperatures that bring ice up top, but there can also be days of good weather and conditions that make it dry up top. However, given the recent forecasts and time of year, you'd be lucky if you have much over a week before you'll crampons and an ice axe to safely attempt this route.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
I hiked up to Chasm Lake on this day and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Nice choice!
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