August 24 - Longs Peak via Keyhole Route - 14.5 miles - 4800 ft elevation gain
This is the biggy. It's a long way, it's high, and it's exposed. The peak is 14,259 feet above sea level. Colorado 14ers are broken into 4 catagories, Easiest, Moderate, Difficult, and Most Difficult. The majority of the 14k mountains are Easiest or Moderate (None are actually easy, it's just relative). Longs is in the Difficult category. So, no horsing around, pay attention to your footing, the weather, your physical condition, and have fun!
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| Signing in at the trail head. 3:00am |
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| Getty ready. This is cool. |
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| Taking a break - Leanne |
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| Melissa |
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| Travis |
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| Trent and Brandon |
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| Taking another break, note the lights of the big cities on the plain. |
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| Day begins to dawn. |
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| Just think, we could be home in bed.... How did he talk us into this??? |
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| As day breaks, spirits begin to lift. Good stuff. |
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| Chet's Dad and Mom |
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| Chet's Grandpa |
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| Gonna be a nice day |
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| And you round Mt. Lady Washington and there stands Longs!!! Nice Alpine Glow this morning |
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| Now for a mile through the boulder field. The Keyhole is in the lower right of the ridge line. |
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| Nothing to do but keep walking. Pretty flat for a while. |
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| The keyhole becomes clearer |
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| Dad, Melissa, Trent |
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| Dad and Laura ready to get after it. |
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| Campers at 13k - Leanne |
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| Gonna pass thru in another 20 minutes |
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| On the ledges, heading to the trough |
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| Careful |
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| Watch your step, it's 3000 feet to the bottom |
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| That is a long ways down!!!! Laura demonstrates good technique by keeping three points of contact. Two feet and one hand. |
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| Sometimes it's easier to use feet and hands |
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| I can see for miles and miles |
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| Hmmmm, I think, think, think............... |
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| Trough, maybe?? |
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| Narrows |
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| Narrows |
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| Narrows |
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| Melissa ready to call it a day at the Narrows |
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| Trent ready to do whatever the group decides |
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| The group decides to stay together and we head down. |
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| Spectacular |
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| Higher than the clouds |
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| Back across the ledges. Stay alert. |
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| Back below the keyhole, breathing easy now.... Time for lunch |
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| Still gotta go thru the boulder field |
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| Signed back out |
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| Back to the car, 11.5 hours later. A long day on Longs, one we will always remember! |
