Longs Peak - Standard Keyhole Route
Approach Photos
After nearly 3 hours on a good trail in the pitch dark (3am start) the morning dawns
Early light upon Longs Peak and the Keyhole
Ah, the Boulder Field is quite long isn't it
Reserve camping and solar toilets can be found in the middle of the Boulder Field at 12,760 feet (if your body can even sleep at this elevation?)
The boulder hop up to the Keyhole
Keyhole Ledges to the Trough Section Photos
First look at the terrain just past the Keyhole
More terrain past the Keyhole, footing not too bad
Follow the Bull's Eyes over to the Trough
A closer look at the trail as you approach the Trough
Another look at the trail to the Trough
Last section of trail before the Trough
The Trough Section Photos
Rocky terrain at the bottom of the Trough
Shot of terrain in the lower part of the Trough, lots of footholds and handholds as needed
Taken part way up the Trough, photo shows it steeper than it is
A look at the terrain half way up the Trough
The upper Trough
The short bit of rock climbing 10-12 feet to the right of the chock stone
A look down the Trough after climbing past the chock stone
The Narrows Section Photos
From the top of the Trough you start the Narrows
Here's a look back at the start of the Narrows, the top of the Trough is just on the other side
The middle section of the Narrows
A better look at the footing on the Narrows
The last section of the Narrows as you climb through the Notch and get the first view of the Home Stretch
A close up view of the notch before the Home Stretch
The Home Stretch Section Photos
Unfortunately it is hard to take a photo that communicates the angle of the slope. It is not as steep as this photo looks. Check my other photos looking back down.
Another look which will hopefully give a better perspective on the slope
Here's a look at the lower part of the Home Stretch
Here's a view of the middle part of the Home Stretch
The last part of the Home Stretch
A good view of the angle of the Home Stretch looking down from the top
The top of the Home Stretch pops right onto the summit
The Summit Section Photos
Nice threesome, Gold, Silver and Bronze awarded
The flat top of Longs
A long day on Longs for sure but a most interesting mountain and route
Mt. Meeker to the south
Longs Peak - Standard Keyhole Route
- Scramble: Class 3
- Altitude: 14,255 ft
- Elevation Gain: 5,100 ft, 15 miles return
- Start Time: 2am to 4am to be on your way down by noon and avoid potential lightning storms
- Ascent Time: Around 4 1/2 hours to the Keyhole, then around 2 hours to traverse the mountain to the summit. So 6-7 hours to the summit and 4-5 hours to descend for a total trip time of 10-12 hours. This would be for the first time climber of Longs of average hiking fitness.
Highlights
This is one of the classic scrambles of all the Colorado 14ers. Without doubt the traverse from the Keyhole around to the Home Stretch is an adventure to say the least. If this last part of the route is bone dry it s a mental adventure if you spend too much time examining the drop to your right. If weather comes in while on this traverse it ups in danger and difficulty significantly. Many people take a look past the Keyhole and decline going any further. Any experienced scrambler in dry conditions will enjoy this route, exposure is manageable, some hands on stuff on the home stretch.
Getting There
The Longs Peak trailhead and campground are about 11 miles south of Estes Park on Colorado highway 7. Access from Boulder or Denver is via highway 119 and 72 which intersects with highway 7.
Updated Long Peak trailhead info available at the link below
Updated Longs Peak Trailhead Info at 14ers.com
Camping
Right next to the Longs Peak trailhead and Ranger Station is Longs Peak Campground. Cost is $30/night (2021) and there are around 25 sites. Restrooms but no showers. However 2.8 miles south of the Longs Peak turnoff on highway 7 is Meeker Park Lodge which has public showers? for $?. The Lodge has changed ownership. There are a couple of other forest service campgrounds a few miles south on highway 7 as well.
Route Description
You can obtain a good map from the Rangers Station. The Ranger station also has a good binder with photos of most of the route to help you gauge the terrain. Dogs are not allowed on this route. There is a good trail from the Ranger Station all the way to the Boulder Field just below the Keyhole in the ridge. The distance to the Boulder Field is 5.9 miles and you gain 3,350 ft to this point.
Of course you will be hiking most of this trail in the dark so bring a good headlamp and spare batteries to last at least 3 hours. Hike half a mile to the first junction, stay left here, the right takes you to the Eugenia Mine. Continue straight up the main trail past the turnoff to the Battle Mtn Group Site at 2.8 miles. Keep on the main trail up to the Chasm Lake junction at 3.5 miles, head right at this junction. Continue up the trail to the Granite Pass junction at 4.2 miles, keep left here as the trail circles around Mt Lady Washington and switchbacks up to the Boulder Field. The Boulder Field has campsites and a couple of solar toilets. Continue on past these and the official trail ends but follow the cairns as you boulder hop up to the Keyhole and the small rock hut to its left. Once at the Keyhole you have covered about 6.0 miles of the 7.5 miles and 3,750 ft of the 5,100 ft of elevation gain.
From the Keyhole take a left turn and follow the painted bull's-eyes on ledges to the bottom of the trough or big gully. The safest route is to follow the bull's-eyes all the way from the Keyhole to the Summit and back. Once in the trough it's a 600 ft ascent up to a chock stone which can be passed either on the left or the right. About 10-12 feet worth of rock climbing here but no exposure. From the chock stone you enter the Narrows which winds its way around to the base of the Home Stretch. The Narrows are about 3-5 feet wide in most places. At the end of the Narrows you climb through a notch and receive your first view of the Home Stretch. The Home Stretch is mostly hands on climbing but you can usually find handholds and footholds as you follow the bull's-eyes. I am not sure of the angle of the pitch but most pictures I have seen make the Home Stretch look steeper than it is. Going up and down the Home Stretch in dry conditions is not too bad as you can usually find the next foot or hand placement on an edge or in the cracks. At the top of the Home Stretch is the flat summit of Longs Peak.