Longs Peak | Climbing the Most Deadly Mountain in Colorado
65,164
Published 2023-10-07
This is more than just a regular hike, here is how the Park Service describes it..."The Keyhole Route is NOT a hike! It is a climb that crosses enormous sheer vertical rock faces, often with falling rocks, requiring scrambling, where an un-roped fall would likely be fatal. The route has narrow ledges, loose rock, and steep cliffs. The terrain requires good route-finding and scrambling skills. Use caution, as injuries requiring rescue are very dangerous and take many hours, if not days, to evacuate."
The trail from the trailhead (9,400 feet) to the Boulder Field (12,750 feet) is 6 miles and climbs 3,360 feet. The hike to the Boulder Field is similar to other high altitude hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, so I didn't show much of it in this video, it's the area past the Boulder Field and that sets this one apart from many other hikes in the park. If this is going to be your first attempt at Longs, I'd recommend Hallett Peak as a good warmup hike before trying Longs.
Once past the Boulder Field, you make your own way across the large boulders up to The Keyhole rock formation. At The Keyhole it's important to evaluate the weather and your own physical condition. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon and you don't want to be caught in storms past this point. Storms can develop very rapidly as seen in this video. Also make sure that you feel good, if you are suffering any symptoms of altitude sickness it's probably best to just relax at The Keyhole, take in the great view, then head back down at try for the summit another day. Some of the best views of the hike are here, so it's still a good hike without going to the summit. The mountain will always be there.
From The Keyhole you will follow "The Ledges", a series of ledges across to "The Trough". The route isn't too hard to follow if you follow the red & yellow bull's-eyes painted on the rocks. Next you need to scramble up The Trough which climbs up 600 vertical feet of loose rock, this is the most physically demanding part of the climb. At the top of The Trough are some large rocks that are the most technical part of the hike. They don't have very good hand or foot holds. Next comes "The Narrows", these ledges start out very narrow as the name suggests. Be very careful here, it's a long way down and it can be very windy here. The beginning is the most narrow part but it has some good handholds and it gets a bit wider as you get towards the end. "The Homestretch" is the final section of the climb, it's made up of smooth slabs of rock that climb up 200 feet. There are some cracks for your hands and feet. This video shows ideal conditions for The Homestretch. I have been on this when it's wet and when there is some ice, and it's not fun. When you get to the summit, you will notice how large and flat it is, be sure to walk around and enjoy the different views!
Directions to Trailhead:
Park at the Longs Peak Trailhead located south of Estes Park off Peak to Peak Highway (Hwy 7). You can also take the North Longs Peak trail starting at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, this will add some distance over the east trail.
Round Trip Distance: 14 miles (22.5km) round trip from trailhead.
Elevation Gain: 4,934 feet (1,504m)
Difficulty: This is a difficult and strenuous hike with Class 3 rock scrambling with areas where falls could be fatal. This hike can be done safely if you use good judgement.
Conditions:
Partly cloudy, starting temperature around 39 degrees but warmed up into the 50s. Storms later in the hike.
Camera equipment used:
GoPro HERO8 Black (4K30 Wide FOV)
All Comments (21)
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I camped in Longs Peak boulder field on early spring while climbing the cable route on the north face and there were winds just tearing down off the mountain peak at night when things started cooling down that had to be close to 100 mph, they knocked me down when trying to pee and totally shredded a 4-pole Sierra Design tent ripping the rain fly in half & bending the poles. I have been through 4 hurricanes and never got knocked off my feet. Spent the rest of the night in a Mylar emergency blanket & trash sack. It was epic, fun to reminisce about now years later but not fun at all going through it back then.
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That was an excellent recap... probably the best I've seen about what to expect. Thanks for sharing!
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If you are not from CO, I suggest this: Camp at the trailhead. Leave early. Camp at the boulder field. Summit. Descend. Allows acclimatization time and lets it be a fun summit, instead of a grueling push to get up and down before the Pm storms come.
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If I was younger I'd want to go do this, but since I can't I'd like to say thank you for taking me on your adventure! So awesome!Stay safe in all you do, mayGod bless you always.
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The scariest part of the hike for me was going back down the home stretch. Definitely an adrenaline rush!! great mountain and video!!
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Really excellent video of the Keyhole Route, I've watched a lot of these vids and yours is among the best. The way back down from the summit to the keyhole seems scarier than the way up.
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Awesome job. Thank you for posting!
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Simply unmatched scenery bud, stunning work here!
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Did this hike back in 87. 5am to 5pm. Great to remember what I used to do
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Got caught in a lightning storm once in the boulder field... scariest time of my life. Lightning literally striking the ground all around us and nowhere to hide.
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Did this in Aug. 2010. Awesome hike. Despite the warnings of difficulty and danger, I saw lots of kids and families, most likely locals that think nothing of an ordinary afternoon jaunt in the mountains. Poking my head through the keyhole was like stepping through a portal into another world. The weather was sunny and calm on the approach side, then windy on the slope side. The most daunting part for me was looking up the Trough and seeing the tiny people at the top. That is a long-@ss scramble. The Homestretch weeded out a lot of reluctant hikers, but didn't bother me that much. Just go slow and be sure of your footing. Oddly, I don't remember feeling the altitude as I do on Whitney.
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Super cool. I did that route a few times about 30 years ago. Your video made it feel like yesterday. I remember every move. Cheers
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Great to see the entire route. My brother-in-law and I did this climb in 1978 and the video brings back many memories. Your comment is correct, the camera does not show the real steepness. My rule is to be off the summit by noon. Thanks for posting.
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Can't believe I made this climb 5 times during my early years in Colorado. Watching this 40 years later it's clear I have "outgrown" the adventure...
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I’ve lived in estes park for all my life outside of college, so 30 years or so. I’ve never been on longs before. Ever. This video truly inspired me, thank you for sharing!
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Great hike
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Gorgeous video, love the views! And 3360 ft over 6 miles is quite a climb, especially at over 10,000ft-- thanks for posting!
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I hiked to the keyhole about 30 years ago. Weather turned us around. I've flown a glider (from Boulder) over the summit a few times. Nice views!
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Thanks for sharing and the brevity of each segment. This walkthrough is useful for the ones planning a trip there, but also for us , people that is just wondering how the terrain is like. A nice feature to have in this video would be an introductory map showing where the mountain/ range is located and a simple map showing the route.
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Excellent commentary pointing out lakes and names of trail segments!
