38 replies to this topic

[DeeCeeM]

I just want to add to Aaron's report that he was still pumped way up about summitting that night when he, JB (no traces of Mongo left whatsoever) and I had supper together. Congratulations again on a fantastic day - and a primo report on that day!

[GLENNinPA]

Congrats buddy!!
What a great report and great photos as well.
Very Impressive.

Pretty Scary!
Not the hike, but those voices that you here. You might want to get that checked. (Just a thought)


Seriously, Great Job!!

[greencub]

Great report and pictures...........I would love to go again

Beth

[JDgreen]

Great Report .It was worth the wait and way to go on the new smaller you.

[Aaron]

Way to go, Aaron.  Great pictures.  So, will you do it again?  I applaude you and your determination to "get er done".  Congratulations, Aaron.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll eventually get 'er done again. But I don't have any ambitions of doing Longs for at least five years. Not because I thought it was too hard. But because now I know what to expect and don't want that to make it seem to take longer and also there are so many other peaks to get to now.

Thanks for the comments everyone!

--Aaron

[SCOUTER]

Way to go Aaron! As I read your trip report I could really sense your excitement and feeling of accomplishment. It must be very satisfying to set and reach such a high goal. Beautiful photos too.

[lovethemtns]

That was a very clever and enjoyable report to read Aaron. Now I can say I have friends that have been to high places! Not only great hikers, great photographers, but some darn good writers around here. I'm feeling not worthy. You (and all your voices) made the trip sound fun, not like total drudgery every step of the way. It's not about the destination, but the journey.

So glad you found your camera. You must have felt like you had a pit in your stomach when you thought you lost it. Or is that just a left over feeling from the weight loss??

Congratulations on climbing Longs. Now when you go to the Park you can look up there and say, "Yeah, I've been there." Wishing you many more summits in your future.

Anne

[Dolenz]

Great report Aaron

[Lsmith]

Congratulations on your climb of Long's. That is no small feat!! Funny trip report and nice photos too! It looked like a beautiful day for it. Also, way to go on your quest for fitness!

[invisiblewindow]

Looks like you had a lot of people heading up that day.

The day I went up, there was only a fraction of that traffic, but that was after a day of very rainy and cold weather. I got lucky in terms of low traffic.

The flipside for me were the streams of water on the trough and homestretch.
Those rocks in your trough pics looked pretty dry...I would have liked that!

Another Longs first timer from the forums made it this summer.
We are racking them up!
Eventually, we will get everyone in here up on that mountain...RIIIIGHT????

[Aaron]

Looks like you had a lot of people heading up that day.

The day I went up, there was only a fraction of that traffic, but that was after a day of very rainy and cold weather.  I got lucky in terms of low traffic.

The flipside for me were the streams of water on the trough and homestretch.
Those rocks in your trough pics looked pretty dry...I would have liked that!

Another Longs first timer from the forums made it this summer.
We are racking them up! 
Eventually, we will get everyone in here up on that mountain...RIIIIGHT????

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There were some spots in the trough that were icy/wet, but overall very easy to work around.

Oh yeah, we do have quite a crowd of first timers.

--Aaron

[Dolenz]

I will make this hike someday
I will make this hike someday

[OKCatsFan]

Aaron... looking at your pics makes my blood boil...

My wife and I attempted the climb on Wed. Aug 10 and the sky was clouded up and it was raining by 7am. When we got to the keyhole at 7:30 am, in fantastic shape to continue I might add, we could see the clouds were only getting uglier on the other side of the mountain. The wind was awful also. Reluctantly we turned back thinking that wet and slick was not the way to go... and about halfway down the boulderfiled the clouds moved in on the summit. It was still shrouded as we drove back to the lodge at like 3 pm.

We still maintin that we made the right decision for us... but man I sure wish now I had gone on anyway. So frustrating that on our ONE day of the year to have the opportunity to summit Longs, we get sh*t for weather. And what's worse is the rain followed us to Tulsa and has not stopped yet.

OK enough self-pitty... congrats on the summit and the 65 lbs... the wife and I dropped 30 lbs each in about 4 months leading up to our trip. I think the weight loss enabled us to really enjoy all of the hikes we did: Skypond, Ouzel Lake, Keyhole, and Mt. Quandry (14,365 - which is outside of Breckenridge a few miles in the Ten Mile Range). So I guess we had a very nice trip overall as we saw several fantastic lakes and waterfalls and also bagged 14er #1... which was fantastic... but I still have this empty feeling as Quandry just does not have the mystic qualities about it as Long's does.

Anyway, when I started typing up a trip rpt the other day I realized I would be writing all day at work... so eventually I will get it all down at home and post.

Also Aaron... my pictures from the trip will not attach in a post... an error msg appears and says they are too big. Any suggesitons as I have some real nice ones I would like to share.

Later,
Jason

[TempestT-37]

Congratulations Aaron on your summit, glad you made it.
OKCat you will need to shrink or compress your images until they are small enough. This post may help you with software ideas
http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/index.php...findpost&p=9284

[Aaron]

Aaron... looking at your pics makes my blood boil...

Also Aaron... my pictures from the trip will not attach in a post... an error msg appears and says they are too big. Any suggesitons as I have some real nice ones I would like to share.

Later,
Jason

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try this program---> IrFanView

I agree, you guys made the right decision to turn back.

--Aaron