Longs Peak is a relentless class 3 fourteener climb. Featured in Rocky Mountain National Park, northwest of Boulder, Colorado. It is the perfect introduction to mountaineering. Longs Peak was the most tenacious mountain that I’ve summited. This mountain is relentless, and it keeps coming through the entire climb.
Longs Peak soars over Rocky Mountain National Park. It is the only mountain, inside the park, over 14,000 feet (14,255’ to be exact). Featuring beautiful views of Boulder’s flat-topped mountains from all over the park. Each view provides spectacular scenery in all directions. Longs Peak is where the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains meet. View both Boulder and Denver from the summit. The views stretch deep into the Rockies, covering a majority of the National Park.
If you don’t have a car, then getting here is difficult. The easiest way is with a rental car and Google Maps. Taxi’s and Uber’s are possible, but expensive too. The trailhead is remote and around 40 minutes outside Boulder.
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The hike begins at 9,405’, ascending 4,850’ to the peak. As satisfying as it is to summit, it is very easy to forget that the top is only the halfway point. The descent can be the most daunting part of any hike. Both the National Park Service, and Google Maps, state that it is a 14.5-mile hike. Yet, my step counter registered a total of 22.5 miles roundtrip.
We chose to begin the trek between 2:30 and 3:30 AM, in an attempt to avoid any inclement afternoon weather. We would have planned this even had the forecast predicted clear skies. Unfortunately, the forecast called for afternoon thunderstorms instead. So, we chose to be extra careful and knew we needed to summit by 10:00 AM at the latest.
I took this hike with my best friend Garrison. We woke up at 2:15 am, a little later than expected. We packed our bags the night before departure, to help shave some time off in the morning. We loaded up on carbohydrates and protein the night before. Eating steak, asparagus, and tortellini. We crashed for the night around 8:30PM. For breakfast, we had oatmeal and fruit. We loaded up with a banana, a couple kiwis, some blueberries, and strawberries. After cleaning up, we headed to the trailhead, a short five-mile drive from camp.
The Climb Begins
We arrived at about 3:20 AM, the trailhead’s parking area was already full. We were lucky to get the last parallel parking spot. Any later and we would’ve had to descend a hill for extra hiking. At 330 AM, my buddy Garrison and I bounded up the trail with our sights set on the summit!
The start was warmer than planned. We were ready for it to be cold, choosing to wear three layers. We made several stops within the first couple of miles, trying to get comfortable. The trail pushed through heavily wooded terrain, continuing until we crossed a stream. The path led above tree line and off the easy, class 1 section of the trail. From here on out the air gets thinner with every step, making everything a little more difficult.
The start of the trail was in total darkness, other than other hikers’ headlamps. The city skyline shined from the other side of the foothills that separated us. About two hours in, the sun began to rise. We took a moment to stop for a second breakfast, allowing us to catch our breaths.
After hiking the first four miles, it was a welcome break. The view was breathtaking. First light broke over the horizon. Stretching along the front range and kissing the rocks trees. Illuminating the path ahead and our surroundings. During the break I ate a peach, a plum, and a peanut butter Clif protein bar. This revitalized my energy, ready to continue.
When we got moving, we saw we had gotten through the first half of the first valley. The valley was steep and included several stair-like boulders. These stairs lifted me two to three feet per step. This section proved more laborious than first anticipated.
The trail continued, below Mt. Lady Washington and up to the Granite Pass trail junction. Following several steep switchbacks, it led to the base of the infamous boulder field. This is where the most intense parts of the climb begin.
The boulder field is roughly 12,400 feet high in elevation. The base of the boulder field marks six miles into the hike. This is where hikers find predesignated spots for overnight campers to put up a tent. Making a base camp here helps cut the hike in half. Thus, allowing climbers to begin the toughest parts with fresh energy and a clear mind.
Continuing our climb, we passed many groups turning back. I asked if they had summited, but none had. The path moving forward has become a bit murky. The trail caused us to boulder hop and rock scramble through the area. This crawling slowed our pace, leading into the most difficult sections. The Keyhole is two miles from the summit, the final couple miles are not for the faint of heart.
Treacherous Cliffs and Canyon Walls
The view opens at the keyhole, to the backside valley. This provides a magnificent view of Rocky Mountain National Park and Glacier Gorge. From here, the trail took us left, hugging the cliffs’ wall, climbing roughly 50 feet up and another 100’ back down. The National Park Service painted bullseyes on the rocks. These lead us through an intense section called the ledges. Reaching the end of the Ledges begins the most rigorous segment of all, the Trough.
The Trough climbs 600-feet vertically, covering half of the final half mile. The first 3/5ths features easy scrambling. Yet, the majority of this section is nearly vertical. It’s extremely strenuous and dangerous. The bullseyes are difficult to see and more difficult to follow. Most of them pass through the center, then continue up, hugging the rock wall on the right.
I’ll take this moment to note, it is important to be careful in any section after the Keyhole. Especially the Trough, as it features a ton of loose rocks scattered on the trail. It is also important to pack in and out any trash or food scraps you create along the way.
The last 30 feet of the Trough was much more difficult than everything before it. I took the hardest path I could find, which included minor rock climbing. These climbing sections ranged from five to ten feet, nothing too crazy. They led into the crest of the trough.
This ridge line features a small flat area with sheer cliffs on both sides. The cliffs height soars from hundreds to thousands of feet. The views were spectacular! Sitting at an elevation of 13,700-feet, the ridge connects Longs Peak to Pagoda Mountain. It marks the start of the Narrows.
The Narrows is full of exposed ledges. Ledges ranging from two-feet to five-feet wide, they cross to the south side of Longs Peak. This section features several exposed areas, which can make it very intimidating.
Hikers should practice extreme caution and pay close attention to the bullseyes. They get tricky to follow, and lack of attention can be fatal. The path leads to a junction where several rocks block the trail and create a high level of exposure. The exposure is super unsettling. Unfortunately, to summit all hikers must pass through it. At least, if they want to cross into the Homestretch and summit.
The Homestretch looks much worse than it is. Every picture I saw, looks as if people are rock climbing for about 300-feet. In reality, it’s pretty straight forward. The path follows the rock’s cracks, leading straight to the summit. Traversing this section meant getting on all-fours and rock crawling up. The Homestretch is steep, it creates the perfect optical illusion.
We made our summit a little ahead of schedule, arriving at around 9:30 AM. The summit opens to a massive flattop area, that includes a few rock piles scattered across the top. The view on the far side, pans out across the entire front range. The sun light splintered the clouds, highlighting our chosen route for the day’s hike.
The summit appears to have a slight incline to the left. Like it was higher than the rocks where everyone was hanging out on. We relaxed up top for around 30 to 45-minutes. Our summit time included taking several pictures, eating lunch, and smoking a joint. This relaxation was necessary, as we still had the descent to come.
Escaping Death’s Grasp
The descent is the hardest part of the hike. Our muscles were oxygen deprived and exhausted. Our rest at the summit paid dividends. With our minds were as clear as possible, we began our descent at 10:30 AM. Storms began to form on the horizon, telling us to hurry up. As we hit the end of the Homestretch it began to drizzle, thus making it extremely slippery.
With wet rocks, the Narrows became far more intense. Every step felt like it could be my last. I ended up losing my footing as we approached the end. The slide came out of nowhere. I couldn’t gain traction no matter where I put my foot. I tried to grab the rock ledge near my hands, but to no avail. If I didn’t react fast, the wrong decision would be my last. My only chance to live, was a three-foot-wide by four-foot-long ledge. The cliff dropped roughly 1,000-feet.
My heart pounded, and adrenaline was pumping. Time seemed to suspend as I nestled into the tiny crevice. My outside foot landed on the edge of the ledge. My shoulder landed like a puzzle piece against the mountain side. It hugged and cradled me, as if I were a baby held in its mother’s arms. After my near-death experience, I realized I needed to slow down. I’d been rushing, doing everything in my power to outrun the impending weather. Needless to say, our pace slowed significantly.
It began to downpour as we finished, clearing the base of the boulder field. Suddenly, the extra layers were necessary. We should have put on our rain ponchos, but that’s a whole different conversation.
Thanks to the downpour we only stopped to rest twice. Our second rest was next to where we stopped for breakfast, marking four miles to the car. We chose to snack on cashews, almonds, and pistachios before completing our descent.
The rain continued for the entire six-mile descent. It picked up intensity during the final two miles. Thankfully, we walked through the heavily wooded terrain during the heaviest rains. The final half mile was the longest half mile I’ve experienced. It was grueling, the exhaustion was next level. We got back to the car at 3:30 PM, taking 12 hours for the entire climb.
I’d love to climb Longs Peak again one day. Yet, I’d most likely cut it in half and camp before the Keyhole. It would be nice to relax and enjoy the fresh mountain air after an intense climb in the National Park. With the right preparation, I’d recommend this hike anyone with hiking experience. Be sure to take plenty of food and water if you make the trek to this magical place.
