GatewayRedbirds.com

Oh I get it.

Seriously, the Keyhole route on Longs has these relatively obnoxious paint blazes on the rocks after you pass the Keyhole. The route is pretty obvious, as detouring from it would cause you to slide off some very steep ledges. Then again, it's no cakewalk, and given that it's the highest peak in one of our most popular NPs, the many tourons who attempt Longs expecting a quaint little hike are probably shocked to find themselves exposed ledges at 13,000 ft on their way to the summit. I am sure more than a few have asked "Is this really the way to the top?" TBH, it is the toughest 14er I have done yet due to the distance (16 miles) and climb (5,000 ft).

This distance is what stopped me from doing it the last time I was around Longs. I had one day and then a long drive back to Missouri. I thought to myself... Hmmm, should I try to hurry up this giant, foreboding mountain and possibly plummet to my death, or should I just take some pretty pictures of it from the base and then go get some pizza in Estes? I opted for the latter choice and have always regretted it.

Fat Strat wrote:This distance is what stopped me from doing it the last time I was around Longs. I had one day and then a long drive back to Missouri. I thought to myself... Hmmm, should I try to hurry up this giant, foreboding mountain and possibly plummet to my death, or should I just take some pretty pictures of it from the base and then go get some pizza in Estes? I opted for the latter choice and have always regretted it.

Ha. I don't blame you. It's a very long day, no pun intended.

We barely slept the night before camped out near the Longs TH. We got tired of laying in our tents wide awake, so got up at 3am, ate, packed and hit the trail by 4. Turned out to be a good move, as we got hit with a frigid thunderstorm at 4pm while descending just pass the Boulderfield. I would not want to be on those ledges in a storm. No sir.

Wow. Some great new pics of the route I took on Kelso Ridge.

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thanks for the pics. that looks like fun

a_smith wrote:thanks for the pics. that looks like fun

FTR, those are borrowed (not mine) but they do a great job of showing the route. I love the close-up when he's straddled on the knife edge.

My friend who is still in Summit County had his neighbor tell him the story of climbing the Ellingwood Arete on Crestone Peak.

We won't be doing this, BTW. There is a nice class III route to get you up there.

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In summer- Long all day trad climb. Yummy

Another view of the route you posted.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/elling ... /105748714

a_smith wrote:thanks for the pics. that looks like fun

fun? you are some crazy [expletive].

a_smith wrote:In summer- Long all day trad climb. Yummy

Another view of the route you posted.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/elling ... /105748714

Ha. Almost looks scalable, until you read that it's a 5.7.

The north ridge of Kit Carson, however, is a class 4--all 1,800 ft of it.

Okay, so what are some good beginners climbs?