Finally, Longs Peak!

A first ascent account

story and photos by Jason Miller

Don't Look Down. Don't Slip. Slow and steady! YOU GOT THIS!

That is what was going through my mind as we were attempting a hike of Longs Peak on July 26, 2021. When contemplating all of the wonderful hikes in The Rocky Mountain National Park, there is one that the average hiker should be a little concerned about. The Big One. Longs Peak!!!

I moved here 8 years ago and have always been amazed at the mystery of Longs Peak.

I had always said to myself over the years, “One day, I will conquer that one!” Over the last seven years I have been doing the basic hikes. Alberta Falls, Ouzel Falls, Chasm Lake, Twin Sisters, etc. You know - the easier ones. I am a walking hiker and feel a little out of my element when people start talking about ropes, ice axes, and ledges. A friend of mine asked me if I was ready for it this year, Key Hole Route. No ropes. I did not hesitate and said yes.

Approaching the Key Hole on Longs Peak

A group of five of us met at the visitor center in Estes Park at 2:30 a.m. in order to carpool to the trailhead. We made sure to have headlamps, warm clothes, 2 liters of water each, a water filter, and food. When hiking this mountain it is better to be over prepared than under.

We hit the trail around 2:50 a.m. Starting with headlamps on, we walked through Goblins Forest. It was a little spooky being out under the moonlit sky seeing the shadows of the trees swaying in the breeze. If I were alone, I would've turned back right away.

The “almost” full moon provided us with a beautiful walk up to the tundra, which is approximately 2 miles. Once we were above the trees, there were numerous lights out in the distance. What is that? It is other hikers ahead of us with their headlamps on. We kept a good pace, and could see off in the distance, a privy. After another hour walk we arrived at the bathroom. Yay - this guy had to go. This is a really cool spot that has a limited number of camp sites available through NPS.gov.

We took a little break, had a snack, and re-grouped before heading off into the 1st real challenge. We are at The Boulder Fields. We decided to look under all the rocks until we found water runoff from the snow. You should filter the water and fill up your bottles here - you will need it.

The Boulder Field on Longs Peak

From there, it is a treacherous hike across boulders for approximately one mile with the Key Hole in sight. Large and small rocks moving under your feet is an easy way to sprain an ankle. Slow and steady. You have to keep your eye out for the cairns. They are hard to see but you can do it. Navigating past that, you come up to the top. Arriving at the keyhole felt like a huge accomplishment. Only 1.5 miles to go.

The Narrows

Turning to the left after exiting the Keyhole, I realized that we were in for a scary part of the hike. The Ledges, OMG. This is CRAZY!!! Sorry, this is not a hike - this is a climb! Summit fear is real. Be prepared to turn back and know your limits. Slow and steady is how we went.

Climbing along the side of a mountain is not what I expected but this turned out to be one of the most terrifying and thrilling experiences of my life. Once making it past The Ledges, we got to The Narrows. This is exactly what it sounds like. Single file and no passing.

Don't look down. When passing though, this felt like my heart was exploding. The elevation was getting to me.

On the summit of Longs Peak

Turning to the left, you arrive at the Home Stretch. You can see the top now. The sheer cliffs and slippery rock face for the last 500 vertical feet turned out to be a handful. Oh yeah, we are at 13,500 feet. Breathing was extremely hard so I needed to take two or three steps and rest 10-20 seconds. It is so tough. That stretch must have taken over an hour.

Getting to the top felt like no other feeling in the world. The views were fabulous. Every mountain, lake and valley was in sight. Pictures do not do it justice. There is a large opening that could fit a football field on top which had a quite a few people just chilling out. OK, now I can breathe. We got a few pictures and rested for about an hour before heading out.

Take your me going down. Watch your step and the “Butt Slide” is a real thing down the Home Stretch. Turning and going through the Narrows was just as challenging the second me through. Manifesting the courage to continue past The Ledges was nearly impossible. Slow and steady.

Descending the Keyhole Route

I pulled though it and cleared the Keyhole. Whew. Now the Boulder Fields. I can see the trees, so it can't be that far. Nope, over 6 miles to the parking lot. Keep going old man. After the difficult passage over the Boulder Fields we made it to the privy area. That means we are back on actual trails and do not need to look for cairns any longer. It seemed like a full days hike just to get down to Goblins Forest and another 1/2 day hike to get back to the car. I was pooped, needless to say.

The author on the summit of Longs Peak

This hike / climb is not for the beginner. Heck, it is not a good one for the average hiker. Be wary of the trails you explore and know your limits. It is ok to turn back and summit another day. Summit Fear is real. Slow and steady.

Did I like it? YES

Would I do it again? YES

Would I recommend this hike to you? I DON'T KNOW YOUR HIKING EXPERIENCE

Jason Miller, 49, is a resident of Glen Haven and is married with two children. Before moving to area, he used to work as broker for Nestle USA and H.P. Hood milk company. Today, he is the owner of The Rustic Acre (vacation rentals in Estes Park) and co-owner of Lightbrush Projections.