Long's Peak Climb 07-20-2003
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On July 20, 2003, Ryan Peterson and I climbed up Long's Peak, just 10 miles east of Estes Park, Colorado.  It is the only 14er (14,000 foot mountain) in the Rocky Mountain National Forest and is the 15th tallest peak in Colorado.  This was the first 14er for both of us and we didn't know how difficult of a mountain we picked for our first one.  I was scared shitless, but I can't say the same for Ryan.  This mountain is very very very difficult for novices like myself and has several areas where a slip of a foot could cost you your life.  We had great weather for our ascent, and summitted at 9:30, however, storms came shortly after we passed through the keyhole on our descent and we were forced to rush it from there on out. 

This is not a hike, this is a climb. At the summit I spoke with one man who has climbed 40 of Colorado's 54 14ers and he said Long's was "by far the hardest he's done".   Now I don't know what he's all done, but I do know that I spoke with someone who has done several very difficult climbs in Colorado (Pyramid and both Maroons) and said that Long's definatley ranks in his top 5 most difficult.  So for our first 14er, we were each very proud to have made it.  Here's pictures to document my trip.

RYAN'S PICTURES

The sun coming up, taken from the Boulderfield    1    2    3    4    5

Looking up to the Keyhole from the base of Boulderfield

Me working through the early stages of Boulderfield

Looking south from Boulderfield - you can see Pikes Peak WAY in the distance

Ryan and I from the memorial site at the top of the Boulderfield just before going through the Keyhole

Ryan took this picture, it's me sitting down trying to get my composure before crossing a patch of ice in the Trough -- you're looking at me during the most frightened moment of my life -- this picture just doesn't show how steep the drop is if you slip on the ice.

This is a pretty cool looking monolith at the top of the Trough

Sweet view of the west wall while going through the narrows

Working our way up the homestretch - yes - this is as steep as it looks and yes, you can probably die if you fall.  Don't know what's up with the red stripe.

Ryan and I at the summit of Longs Peak on 7-20-2003

Ryan at the ultimate summit signing the book

Pictures from Long's summit, you can see to Montana and Wyoming easily from here - it's just amazing.  These pictures are gorgeous, but do it no justice, you just have to see it first hand. You can see Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, and Lake Bierstadt from here easily as well, just amazing  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17

Ryan atop the trough during our descent

Follow the bulls eyes through the trough to avoid going through the false keyhole

Steep, huh?

About 4 miles into our decent, you have an awesome view of the summit - here's Ryan

Me with Long's Peak summit behind me - we had been getting rained on for about 2 hours by this point

A view of where we were just 3 hours earlier

Ryan by some waterfall about 2 miles from the car - almost home!

Another beautiful waterfall at around 9500 feet

The log book with our signatures in it from the climb

Ryan wasting film on me flipping the camera off back at the car lot, just west of Estes Park

MY PICTURES

Here's a link to a page that shows better pictures of how steep and dangerous this climb actually is

View of the Keyhole from the base of the Boulder Field on Long's Peak (07-20-03)

Random picture from Boulderfield at about 5:30A.M. (07-20-03)

Ryan in the Boulderfield with the sun rising behind him (07-20-03)

Random pictures of the sunrise from Boulderfield on Long's Peak    1    2 (07-20-03)

Beginning our ascent up the keyhole after "lunch" at 6:00A.M.  (07-20-03)

Another sunrise picture from midway up Boulderfield (07-20-03)

We're about halfway up Boulderfield now, Keyhole is getting near (07-20-03)

A north view from the top of Boulderfield (07-20-03)

We reached the Keyhole and the view is amazing!    1    2    3    4 (07-20-03)

Yup, time for pictures of my feet at the Keyhole (07-20-03)

...4 hours later....I SUMMITTED AT 14,255 FEET! Didn't take any pictures of the rest of our ascent as I was too scared to get my camera out (07-20-03)

I MADE IT!!! Time to sign the book of those lucky enough to have summitted (07-20-03)

Views from Long's Peak's Summit    1    2     3    4    5    6     7 (07-20-03)

Ryan and I on the summit of Long's Peak at about 9:45 A.M. (07-20-03)

Starting our decent - this is MUCH steeper than it looks (07-20-03)

A view from the narrows and what we could have fallen down if we slipped (07-20-03)

Still decending down the narrows (07-20-03)

Again - trust me, you dont' want to fall down Long's Peak (07-20-03)

Me, looking stoned, before the decent through the trough. Steep! (07-20-03)

The climb down is ice packed and has NO handles whatsoever, scary stuff (07-20-03)

Adam (random guy who helped me a lot) and Ryan making the trough decent (07-20-03)

Weather got bad so we took fewer pictures and hustled (07-20-03)

Through the keyhole and Boulderfield and the thunderstorms were after us (07-20-03)

We got out of the rain.  Here's a view of the summit from about 5 miles away (07-20-03)

Random picture of Estes Park at about 10,500 feet (07-20-03)

Me by some random waterfall on the final decent (07-20-03)

Yet another waterfall near the beginning of the climb (07-20-03)