I Climbed Long's Peak!

Back when we were young and slightly crazy, we decided to climb one of Colorado's Fourteeners - one of the mountains with an elevation of over 14,000 feet.  Our good friends and neighbors, Dave and Cindy Cloyd joined us.  Funny that I don't remember training or preparing for this hike at all.  We were living in Fort Collins at the time so we were living at 5000 feet and as I mentioned we were young.  Our preparation consisted of getting babysitters, reading a few maps, getting a hotel room for the night before in Estes Park and heading out!  

Looks like we did enjoy a high carb breakfast.  Don't we look young?   This must have been in about 1985. 

 I loved that van!   

I have no memories of the first part of the trail that goes through an alpine forest.  Here is our first view of Long's Peak. 

After six miles of a normal mountain hike, you arrive at the famous 'Boulder Field'.  At the beginning it is deceptively easy! 

Before too long the trail gives out and you just have to scramble over the Volkswagen sized boulders. 

 To get some size perspective you can see a man at the base of the largest rock. 

 The structure that you can see is a solar toilet. 

Getting across the boulder field took a long time and was an incredible amount of work. 

Rest time  

The place we were headed is called the 'Key Hole'.  You can see it clearly. 

We are all smiling because we are getting so close!  Unfortunately Cindy was feeling the affects of the altitude and decided to wait for us at the Key Hole.

Here is what I just read in a guide to climbing Long's Peak 

The real challenge on this portion of the route is not the passage itself but other climbers encountered while traversing it.  On many portions of the ledge there is not a lot of room to pass, specially on the stretch near the top of the Trough.  Working your way around someone on one of these passages risks getting knocked off or putted off the ledge, a risk not worth taking.  

The trail on the back side, on the other side of the Key Hole is not for the faint hearted.  In fact George has no memories of the views as he was concentrating too hard.  Seems that George was smart to be so careful.  

The last part of the hike is what is called scaling, not climbing but not just a hike either.   I didn't take  any photos but I found this one which is exactly what I remember it looking like.  

For years we've laughed at what happened at this part of the day on what is called "The Home Stretch".  Dave and George were scrambling along when suddenly they looked up and I was way ahead of them zipping up to the summit.  I distinctly remember realizing that I was not going to die on the mountain....I was going to make it to the top!

We did it! 14,256 feet! 

I had climbed Long's Peak and I still have the shirt to prove it. 

Just for accuracy and to explain the route I've added a map and description.

Approach. A good trail leads from the East Longs Peak Trailhead [the standard route] six miles west and south to the Boulderfield north of the summit where the trail ends. From the Boulderfield the route climbs southwest overland atop boulders to the Keyhole, a gap in the northwest ridge of the mountain.

Ledges. Passing through the Keyhole the route crosses to the west side of the mountain and turns south to make a lateral transit across the Ledges to the Trough. These are described as the tops of "boiler plate slabs" lying on the side of the mountain.

Trough. The Trough is a steep rocky gulley or couloir, which is climbed southeast to the top of a ridge on the southwest corner of the mountain. This is a climb of about 600 feet on broken ground starting at 13,300'. The Trough narrows at the top where passage is blocked by a chockstone, a large boulder that must be scrambled around.

Narrows. The route then turns east to traverse the south side of the peak, starting on a convenient narrow ledge above a perciptious drop, appropriately known as the Narrows. The ledge gradually widens to flare into the final stage to the summit.

Homestretch. The final stage to the summit turns north up a steepish slope of smooth granite called the Homestretch. Cracks in the granite lead diagonally up to provide footing for the final climb north to the flat summit of the mountain. However, much of the surface has been polished smooth by the passage of thousands of climbers, not to be attempted when wet.