36 replies to this topic

[GLENNinPA]

Ok, I'll be the first to post a trip report along with some photos. (some photos were taken with an iphone so quality might be so-so)

My daughter Kelsey has been wanting to do this hike for a few years now. We tried to do it in August 08, but it actually snowed and we couldn't do it. When Bill first posted about "getting up the hill", I didn't think that we would be able to swing it, but we somehow managed to work it out.

It seemed that everyone was getting to the trailhead at different times. We decided that 3am would work best for us. We went to bed at 8:30 in order to get a good night's sleep. I'm not sure if it was excitement or anxiety but I managed to wake up after sleeping the first hour and feeling wide awake. I read and watched some TV hoping to fall asleep but not really getting back to sleep until about midnight and proceeded to wake up at 1:15. I still felt pretty energized and didn't think it would really matter.

We started in the dark and it went pretty quickly and before we knew it, it the sun was up and we were almost to the Boulderfield.



In a few minutes the Alpenglow was hitting the Diamond. At this point you could see the Keyhole and we started getting pretty excited.






We managed to get to the Keyhole by about 6:30. John had cookies waiting for us and man they tasted good. My wife Michelle asked John to take a photo of us with her iphone and I'm not sure if he new how to use it or he just wanted to block scenery again.



Sorry I didn't want to post this yet. more to come.

Edited by GLENNinPA, 29 August 2010 - 11:07 AM.

[GLENNinPA]

So to continue...

The girls were getting cold and for some reason we decided to head to the summit without waiting for others to arrive. (I regret not summiting with everyone). I think we were just zoned in and determined to get going. So we headed on up the Boulderfield. This is a pretty intense hike in itself. It is about a half mile from the campsite to the Keyhole. At this point you are close to 13,000ft and it is a nice vertical climb.



At the Keyhole the wind was gusting to about 40+ mph. Michelle was the first to through. Being her first time she did not know what to expect and it frightened her a bit. She turned back to me and said "What do I do now?" She was staring into the Abyss and didn't realize she needed to go to the left and hug the wall of the mountain. There are some exposed areas areas and Michelle was nervous the whole time because of having our daughter Kelsey and our little cousin Meghan with us.



After the Ledges we came to the Trough. This is, in my opinion the worst part of the hike. It is a great experience and a very cool place, but it kicks your butt. It takes the life out of you and goes on forever. This photo does not do it justice.



It took us a while but we made it to the top. I noticed a guy sitting at the top staring at everyone as they cam up and went through to the Narrows. Michelle and the girls went through first and the man asked me what it was like on the Narrows. He apparently had been sitting there for a while contemplating whether to go on or not. I told him that he made it through the worst part and he should definitely go to the summit. I saw him later on the summit and he thanked me for encouraging him to go on. My good dead for the day.

Michelle later told me that when she went through to the Narrows, she actually cried a little because it scared her so much. This is a view from the beginning of the Narrows. The rock formation at the bottom was called The Hearst. Michelle did not think the name was "cute".



The Narrows went smoothly and I was encouraging then that The Homestretch was a walk in the park. It wasn't. It was very steep, but short enough to get up fairly quickly to the summit. Sorry no photo going up.

We arrived on the summit at around 9:30. It took us just over 6 hours to reach it. Not too bad.













To be continued. Going down...

[GLENNinPA]

Heading down the Homestretch is mostly sliding on your butt. There is a lot of waiting for people to pass the whole way back to the Keyhole.



At the end of the Homestretch and on to The Narrows there is a nice sign to help you go a safe direction.



On the Narrows we ran into John, Hector, Strider, Monica, Rick and Ed. We chatted for a bit and I thought about my camera after we passed. Here is looking back at the Narrows. John is in the blue.



Going back down the Trough was even harder than going up. You really have to be careful due to loose rocks. We say junkie and his kids at the top of the Trough and we ran into Bill, Sandy and Big Al about halfway. I forgot to take a photo of them.

We made it back to the Keyhole and Michelle though this was a victory.



Kelsey wasn't so sure.



Going back down the Boulderfield was the hardest thing for me. I have a very bad ankle on my right foot and a bad toe on my left. It is never ending.



We met Lori Smith at the Boulderfield campsite. She had her thumb out looking for a ride to Estes. Lori hiked out with us, well I should say with the girls. They were much quicker that I was getting back. I had to change my shoes to compensate for my bad ankle and bad toe. I leave my boot on right foot to support my ankle and an open shoe on my left to stop the pain in my toe. My wife thought it was very stylish.



From the Boulderfield this is the "never ending trail" Don't let anyone tell you any different, this trail is 2 miles longer than posted. especially the last 1/2 mile which in my opinion is at least 1.2 miles.I had a lot of time to myself on the way down. I came to the conclusion that this would probably be the last time for me on Longs. The mountain beat me up. My ankle just can't handle a hike of this magnitude again.



I'm glad I did it and was able to have a great day with my family and able to help my daughter achieve her dream. It was nice to see some friends on the trail as well.

Edited by GLENNinPA, 29 August 2010 - 11:55 AM.

[Igloo Ed]

Glad your daughter achieved her dream and you all made it to the top. It was a brief encounter on the Narrows but there was nothing but smiling faces. Good on ya.

[Grannyheart]

Great pics and report, Glenn!! I love the summit pic! I am seriously in awe of everyone who summited (and even those who didn't, but got close). What a great accomplishment! That trail up there looks brutal!!! Oh, and that pic of your ankle, Glenn.....OWWWWWWW!!!!! That doesn't look good at all. I don't know how in the world you hiked with it like that! Between you and Rick....you're a couple of tough guys! Congrats!

[Qbert]

Great report. Wish I could've been there.
What a great experience for your family!

The look of your ankle hits close to home. I've got a bad one too and I refuse to let it stop me...even though you pay the price later on in discomfort.

[Scrapinator]

Great report. I like the sylish boot/sandal shot

[Jo]

Wonderful report! Wow - SIX hours! That's amazing!

The photos really did give a real feeling of being there - and some of it was scary!

Well done everyone!

[GLENNinPA]

Jo, on 29 August 2010 - 02:44 PM, said:

The photos really did give a real feeling of being there - and some of it was scary!

Is that a comment on the photo of me in shorts?

[foxfire]

Thanks for the great report and pix!

Conrats to You and the Fam!

Fox

[B-Jay]

Congratulations, Glenn, on not only a successful family climb up Longs, but also on being the first to share your experience here on the forums. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the details of the report along with viewing the awesome (and clever) pictures.

I have a feeling at least one of those shots is going to be posted somewhere on a wall in Fatheads.

Good job!

B-Jay

[Janine]

Amazing report & photos Glenn. I'm sure it was a wonderful experience, especially with your daughter.

[Monica]

What a great report and pictures, Glenn!
How cool to share this as a family!
The trough is brutal. I wish I had been in the frame of mind to take pictures of it but as you said the pictures don't do it justice.

[Allie]

Great report, and your photos - WOW!! I would of been like your wife, "what now" !! Glad your daughter achieved her goal, and that it was done as a family.

[dianeh85]

I'm with Michelle, to the top and back through the key hole is a victory!. How on earth did you hike with that ankle. oweeeee. Its Ibuprophen and ace wrap time. What a beautiful day to hike up. Great pictures. Thanks for posting them all. I love to get views of the hike along the narrows etc. One of these days, maybee we will do it.