Longs Peak: The Cable, Keyhole Lollypop
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2018
- Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular 14ners in Colorado. Supposedly the threat of lines to the summit and crowds on top is very real. But we got lucky. We climbed Longs via the keyhole, cable route lolly. We decided on this route last minute after speaking with some inebriated gentleman at the fork for Chasm Lake. Slightly buzzed bro’s are always a great source of beta.
Music: godrocket / god-rocket
![Longs Peak | Solo Hike & Climb on Cables & Keyhole Routes! [4K UHD Cinematic]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BzSD46nk0w8/mqdefault.jpg)
Nice video post. It really gives a sense of the climb.
I was a CSU student (from CT) back in June, 1973, 18 years old. A friend (who was much older, being 19) and I decided, after a Friday evening of drinking 3.2 beer, that we would climb Longs Peak on Saturday morning. Neither of us were climbers, had only a topo map showing the route, and did not start the hike until about 9:30 AM. Everyone we met along the hike, including a park ranger, warned us that if we were heading for the summit, we needed to have started no later than about 6:30 AM. "Naw, naw, we're just going for a hike." But after we passed everyone (except for an old guy in lederhosen) along the way up, we started gaining confidence.
At the Boulder field, we were again admonished to turn around by people who had already summited and were coming down from the Keyhole But then we saw these little dots up on the North face on what turned out to be the cable route. We thought, well if they can do it, so can we.
After crossing the Boulder Field, we climbed up a pretty steep snowfield and reached a steel cable covered in ice. It seemed like the way up. It was extremely scary, but we started up it. The whole slope seemed to lean towards the Diamond, so there was no messing up. Whole sections of the cable and rock were covered in ice.
About half way up the cable, a storm blew over the top of the mountain and it started to lightning. The mountain had blocked our view of the approaching storm. Someone below us yelled to get down, then proceeded to run, then slide down the snowfield out-of-control and crash into rocks at the base. We decided that person knew even less about mountain climbing than we did.
Scared to death, we weighed our options and decided that death by lightning hanging onto a steel cable was preferable to the terror of going back down that same icy cable and a certain fall to our deaths. So we kept going. At the top of the cable it became just a steep scramble and by the time we reached the summit the storm had passed, and we were left alone, everyone with any sense having already gotten off the top. The sun emerged and we had beautiful views of mountains in almost every direction and the plains to the east.
We returned from the top via the Keyhole route, the one actually marked on the topo map. That was itself pretty scary. By the time we got back down to the Boulder Field, the clouds closed in again and a cold drizzle began. On the way down, we met some crazy person (like you folks) who was running up the trail in the rain. We started running down to overcome the cold and soaking and reached the trailhead as dusk was settling in. That crazy guy managed to run up and out of sight, probably to the Boulder Field, then turn around and catch up with us again just as we reached the trailhead.
We found out later that the Park Service removed that cable about two weeks after our climb, apparently because so many stupid people were falling or getting struck by lightning.
Youth allows you sometimes to survive some stupid decisions. That climb is still one of the most memorable.
Although I never became much of a climber, I did become a pretty good hiker. At CSU I met a Colorado girl who had climbed about 1/2 of the 14rs with her family and the Grand Teton and thought 3 weeks of Outward Bound school was pretty easy. I married her, and later with a newborn on our backs, we wrote the first statewide hiking guide, The Hiker's Guide to Colorado, published in 1984. We wrote a second statewide hiking guide (Hiking Colorado II) published in 1999 and more recently two books on the history of skiing (The Lost Ski Areas of Colorado's Front Range and Northern Mountains, and one on the Central and Southern Mountains).
Thanks for posting your video. It brought back some frightening (and enjoyable) memories. God bless.
I have your book! My wife and I used it for several hikes. Great story. If you climb a handful of mountains in Colorado, chances are you will inevitably be caught in a thunderstorm, especially if you have an ounce of disrespect for Mother Nature.
I loved reading this story
Amazing story, Peter. Thank you for sharing. God bless
Dude thanks a bunch for sharing that
Excellent post!
be aware. This is not the way to go up Longs Peak unless you are very experienced with scrambling and hopefully with some technical rock climbing training or you shouldn't be here. This is the standard roped rappel descent route usually done after doing one of the very difficult technical climbs of the Diamond Face of Longs. . Rated 5.4. Easy for technical climbers but one slip and you are a goner. I am all for adventure but just taking a "random" route up an unknown route is only asking for trouble. In climbing school we used to teach the Number one rule of mountaineering, "the mountains don't care". Not trying to bash the video. These guys are super fit and impressive. Just putting a little caution out there to the unwary.
I totally agree. Done about 37 14ers and would never go this unprepared up any of them. Got trained via the Colorado Mountain Club and learned how to do them safely. Seen one guy trying to set the record, while I was climbing Red Cloud, Handies, and Sunshine, to climb all 54 of them. For me this is not the way to enjoy the climb and not really safe on many of the others. That's why I also plan for an overnighter just in case one of these people crack an ankle or something.
5.4 is easy though, I would solo that.
@@laurencewolf5611 please post a video of you solo’ing anything. Your videos on your channel are you riding a bike on completely flat ground with zero technical obstacles and go pro’ing it for some reason as if it’s remotely good 😂😂. You’re not soloing anything let alone climbing anything.
Gary, can’t agree anymore.You summed it up well. Random detours on a climb like this can be fatal.
@@laurencewolf5611 freakin troll or bot.
"We decided to just go up some random route..." sounds like a lead-in on Accidents in N American Mountaineering.
YO, if you guys keep ascending routes like that you're gonna get rekt
For. Real.
I did the cable route 30 years ago. Yep, ice. In July. No protection. Your video reminded me how stupid I was.
But you did it! We made the Boulder Field at sunrise and the top around 10:30 am.
Got to get off these mountains by noon. Thunderstorms!
You guys!!! Your video is awesome!! 🙌🏼
You guys are Fn crazy to do those steep & icy climbs with no rope/ safety gear!!! Whoa!
Yes and completely reckless and unprepared and didn’t even know the route they were taking up. That’s just ignorant.
These guys are the best youtubers of this kind hands down. Imitators are out there but none as good, funny and adventurous. Cant get enough of their videos, they have inspired me to hit the trails. Love it!
This video should be labeled “Longs Peak - What not to do”. Broke every rule in the book.
@Joe Weber People die on 14ers every single year out here, most of them probably have a similar respect for the mountains as you seem to.
What rules are those?
@@lardtaziumwadmaster The rules state, "Get to the top(and back) without dying." ...They succeed!
Wtf kind of rules are you talking about dumbass 😂
That’s a rude comment, I think you need to explain what you think they did wrong.
8:06 I use to live in Estes Park, CO. from 1989 to 2005. I learned that shelter was build longtime ago, after
some climbers got caught in a bag snow storm and died. It's intentions, an emergency shelter.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite TH-cam channels - keep the adventures coming !
The Keyhole Hut was built many years ago as a rescue- survival station. Decades ago, a couple (man/wife) got caught near there with no shelter and died of overnight of exposure (we're talking a lady in an ankle length dress, who was a good climber, but bit it.)
Today, the normal flatland crowd tries Long's Peak in cotton sweatpants, windbreakers, and some with a 6pak of beer (don't do it at that altitude) and often get caught in weather on the back side (Keyhole route). I have cajoled and helped many dad's who think their grade school kids and wives in light clothes are safe back there. you cannot run from sudden weather back there.
SO, the Park Ranger's use the stone hut for rescue, for injury triage, and of course, it is a respite for people stuck on Old Beaver mountain. Weather can change to winter up there in 10 minutes.
JiminCO
Vaille and Sortland were not man and wife… it all went down in 1925. The current shelter is from 1935 and is a memorial.
Great fun, love your adventures. I love Longs. First climbed it by the Key Hole Route back in the 1980s. Woke up one fine early October day and thought, why not go climb Longs? Hitchhiked from Boulder. Snow started at the keyhole (little stone building thing in the video), and ice axe and crampon climb from there. Hiked out in the dark, hitchhiked back to Boulder. Showered. Walked 3 miles to a party, danced until dawn, walked home. Ah the energy of youth! Long gone.
Last time I was just short of 60. Went straight up the East Face, the vertical rock face called the Diamond for its shape. 1,400-1,500 ft of steep, in some places overhanging, granite technical climbing. This time though started very early and got out in time for a dinner in Estes Park while the sun was still out!
If one does not want that much adventure the hike into Chasm Lake is stunning and pretty easy. About half the distance and climb of going to the top. Highly recommend it.
I think the video itself was pretty rad. I wish it had a bit of a disclaimer at the beginning though. Many people have died while climbing Longs because they were not educated on their route, came unprepared without the right gear, and got off-trail. While these dudes are total pros at the trail running gig, people should know that if you want to climb this peak or any other 14er, you should do your research and not pick a route at the drop of a hat like that. Glad they made it up and down safely though. For more information on climbing 14ers safely, go to 14ers.com.
Listen to Cierra. She talk wise.
I'm glad to see these types of comments on these videos. People often call this "hiking" but they actually mean "climbing" IDK why they make it confusing for the average person, cuz most people assume "hiking" is mostly walking. They should just call it what it is, CLIMBING!
its not that bad, just start early. make sure weather is good
@@benzun9600 no one cares, dude. OC has nothing to do with difficulty
You gosh darn Negative Nancy! Being all cute and giving good advice, being all cute and stuff. How dare you??!!
I’m super excited about this TH-cam channel. It’s simply amazing 😎🍀
I love these comments. I'm stuck in the appalachians right now but a big life goal is to move out to 14er country next year. What I love about the comments is how serious the folks are about the sport. I've been doing whitewater in the southeast for 20 years and I know exactly what happens when people are prepared vs unprepared. I look forward to learning from the rocky mt climbing community and treating these mountains with the respect they deserve. I will say that this up and down in 24 hours thing isn't gonna be my cup of tea though. I gotta be out on those slopes for at least a few nights to get the full experience
Danny, since discovering your channel a few years ago, I've consumed your videos with a level of enthusiasm that's comparable to the feeling I get when my visit to Krispy Kreme coincides with the Hot-and-Now light.
What a perfect ratio of adventure and humor. I've laughed a lot...but nothing was funnier than the time one of your mates (I believe it was Matt) was feeling bad on a traverse, and you commented that you weren't sure how his mom was going to get her minivan up there!!
Keep it up. And get your crew to the southeast. The Smoky Mountains are top-notch, and I'd love to see your story telling there.
Yeah theres no way you'll catch me on the cable route lol
Such great videos. Amazing views, great commentary and well edited! Loving every video!!
I think that's why so many people have died on Long's Peak. They take it for granted and take unnecessary risks. I know you guys are experts but be careful. 58 people have died on Long's Peak.
Great video! Loved it. Thanks so much for making it, guys.
These guys are lucky they did not get hurt.
I'd bet that's part of their idea on how to present, doing class 4 climbing without a solid understanding of the route would definitely cause some issues
Good video. I've done Long's three time, first in 1970 up the cable route and the next two times through the Keyhole. Awesome peak!
Fun video! I have been up Longs about six times. Usually the Keyhole route, but once with ropes up the ridge route. First ever time up was two days trek (including a rough night camping in Boulder field)...fastest time was 4:28 from car to summit and back
That dangerous mountain has taken lives
as recently as just a month ago !
That was intense. There is no way I would have made it up the Cable route, I actually felt anxiety when you showed the ice. Great video, some beautiful shots of the mountain. Makes me want to go back.
I love your videos and enjoy the music also. Hope to hike that peak in the future.
Cant wait to try the route up! I would love to see how you guys plan these type of trips/gear prep etc as well as those post run feasts aha
No cables any more ,good slide when wet .
i just subbed youre a baddass dude. the wrong way episode was nutty... keep up the good footage my man
Grew up in the shadow of this peak in the town named for the peak. Both of my adult kids have climbed the peak.
You guys are machines. New to your channel. Wow!
I’ve slept in that hut, waiting on day light to guide the way to the top. Sweet to see that dicey route to the top
Great video guys. I tried solo the cable but weather was wet & some icey rock like you encountered. So went up keyhole otherwise known as egg route cuz of yellow marks. Found the ramp up to the summit very exciting. A great Colorado 14er!
Great example of what not to do.
So much unnecessary hate in the comments on this one. A) This is Mediocre Amateur, I'm not trying to watch a bunch of dudes rope up for any other basic climb, there's plenty of footage of that out there. B) These guys are gangsters. C) Who hasn't accidentally "free solo-ed' something they shouldn't have? It's part of living and learning. D) The decisions of other people is NOT Mediocre's responsibility. It's ridiculous to think that, and sure is a sign of these whack times. "Dude dies climbing without ropes in Argentina... must be Danny's fault!"
Keep it up! This channel is the best. Including the armchair quarterbacks in every comments section. Fave comment of all time is when people were shitting on Danny and Christof's ascent of Mount Hood and said something like "Wait til you get to Rainier, that sure ain't no day hike." And voila, Danny and Christof send it in a day, (which is a relatively normal thing for the most in shape climbers that don't get altitude sick, not sure why that comment was even made.) PS. Sorry if I spelled Christof's name wrong.
I hope people here appreciate how massively impressive it is that you guys summitted in about 3h10m. Insane!
Everyone: Never hike off trail.
These dudes:
I've climbed Longs about 10 times...I've done the keyhole route and the loft route but never the cable route. Dicey but good vid.
So stoked for summer! Got an epic run planned for june already :) 8,000 ft and 28 miles. Hardest run/hike ill do yet. El Diente, Mount Wilson and Wilson peak in one day (Lizard Head Wilderness)
agreed, very nice; thanks for sharing.
Love my State, it's gorgeous! Have you ever tried the San Juan Mts? Ouray, Co is the place.
Haha “great view, watch the kids play on the boulder field.” Nice!!
Just a question, why didn’t you just store your bags at the hotel concierge? they will typically hold your bags until you need them, even after you’ve officially checked out of the hotel room.
Great video of our magic mountain.
I went up a random route one time and I'll never do it again, at least not as unprepared as we were. We were with someone who had absolutely no climbing experience and we almost got stuck because she started to panic and cry as we hit a technical climbing spot with a several hundred foot drop below us. That's obviously our fault. My buddy was leading and thought it looked like a reasonable way to go, needless to say it wasn't. He did another 14er a few weeks later and did the same thing, took some random route and almost got stuck with his girlfriend. Obviously he's not allowed to pick routes anymore.
wow..... i just stumbled on your you tube site and have watched a lot of videos. and i subscribed. you guys are terrific at hiking and climbing. there is no rules to nature. just respect based on your agility. you are more agile than i am. i am 60 and can't do what you do. enjoy your young manhood and live the moment. i missed out on my life not getting into hiking and climbing mountains. thanks for your videos you make me dream!!!!
Y'all are crazy, but awsome. Just watching y'all climb made me nervous. Love your videos, my sons like watching them too.
Loving all your videos! Crazy on how you climb most of these 14ers in trail runners even in the snow, makes me want to return a pair of mountaineering boots i bought and get Trail runners.
So, the guy in colored socks saw a group of trail runners and told them to take the class 3/4 route. Probably a local trying to be cool for the cameras. I'm glad you boys were able to handle some bad beta. But please please please at least bring a helmet next time. Love the channel!
class 3/4? Cable’s 5.4 bro
@@erbium4308 Wow, so even worse beta. And that's some mighty soft class 5.
@@joshdorfman9273 He couldn't show the hard parts, both hands working, none for the camera.
You should see their Capitol video mate
Soloing the cables route, in trail runners, while its covered in ice sounds terrifying lol
Amazing channel!
I may live far from real mountains but i know that type of ice too well. Turns the exposed granite on my hikes in the Canadian bush into a skating rink. Good on you, that's a tough haul.
This is my favorite new TH-cam channel!
Live it guys! So inspiring!! Keep up the great work! Ever considered La Plata's Ellingwood Ridge?
Leaving downtown Boulder at 5:00 a.m.?? Glad it worked out for ya...
They look really fit, probably they know what they are doing
They are really fast
Right?
I met Don Sampson and two others (with music) early in the morning just below boulderfield before his jump, early 90's. That was a wild morning, they carried a loud boombox up lol
You guys are nuts 😮
Best to climb with selfie stick and no trail beta.
100% safest way possible.
well done as usual
Did Cable route in July. Rock was wet, very freakin exhausting. Lots of exposure between bolts and the summit.
So at 6:00 minutes that's called verglas (from the french for glass ice) it's super thin on the rocks and super dangerous because you can't get feet to grip and tools will cause it to shatter and of course it won't take pro.
Nice videos, I am going to be checking out your channel as I am starting to get into this as a way to stay in shape (historically I am more of a mountaineer, ice climber, rock climber) I love your fast and light style.
Also u guys make look all the climbing very easy, which am sure is not the case!
Really impressed by these videos! But I don’t believe you hadn’t researched the Cables route (which I think is rated something like 5.5) before asking strangers about it!
I've climbed Longs Peak 7 times. Once, I climbed Longs Peak via the cable route and descended via Kiener's Route. My climbing partner and I roped up for the cable route section. It was also very icy that morning hence very risky without a rope. These guys are crazy. Maybe not like Alex Honnold but crazy none the less.
dalhuset why on earth would you descend Kieners, it’s normally the other way round lmao
@@erbium4308 The descent of Kiener's is way more fun and fast compared to the descent via keyhole route & boulder field. There's a nice glissade down Lamb's slide. Back in 1995 there was actually snow on Lamb's slide. It's like extreme sledding. WEEEEE!
@@dalhuset did you rappel the any of kieners or just down climb?
@@Melanie-Shea No we didn’t bother with ropes because the only part that might’ve needed them was the chimney which was rated 5.0 and it didn’t seem worth the trouble. Then again I was a crazy 21-year-old.
Such a good time! Awesome edit!
You guys are intense. Doing a face scramble like that not knowing where you are going? I did the regular Keyhole route around the backside in August of 2010. Not crowded. Once past the Keyhole, there were few hikers. Windy as heck. I thought I might get blown off the mountain. Took me about 14 hrs. Your route shaves hours off the hike, but looks way more risky. I think I remember looking up at that side of the rock thinking it might be climbable, but I prefer the casual scenic route.
One fractured ankle away from spending the night on the trail. It's great that you carry enough to survive 24 hours laying on the ground in the open at twelve thousand feet.
@just plain horse what's up with all of the overly cautious comments on this video? These guys have spent there entire lives in the mountains. They are well within their limits here.
Is it because this is a popular 14er and most of the commenters are not that experienced themselves?
@@morgangalvin8893 it's because this comment section is filled with people like you, not from CO, who have no idea what they are talking about. People like you come here every summer from Nebraska and wherever else (or worse and move here and bring your failed liberal policies) and end up having to get rescued with our tax dollars.
@@wrchad23 That is probably the funniest thing I've heard all day. Thank you
Where's the cable? lol I guess 3rd/4th class is ok in running shoes until there's ice...
Hut is shelter for the horrible storms that hit especially lightning. Helps to educate oneself before adventuring
Your video is so good it would be nice to see two more minutes per.
I did the Keyhole route, up and back, 43 years ago by myself. No running, 60 lb pack. Damn near killed me! HaHaHaHaHa Wonderful experience!
Now I'm a 73 year old with a lung transplant. Make sure you do as many of these challenges while you can. Terrific memories.
Impressive recording! I know how hard it is to record and hike at the same time👍🏼
Never been in that parking lot with many cars. Usually at the trail head at 3 am.
I almost had to turn this off when they were climbing. 😬
Glad you all made it safely - thanks for sharing.
I did. Couldn't watch.
You guys should do the Blanca, Ellingwood, Little Bear Traverse. Hit 3 14ers in a single day with over 8k feet of elevation and some awesome ridges.
A guy I met in Montana suggested the same route. I'll put it on the list.
You're probably aware, but Little Bear is sketch AF
The shelters you find a top mountain peaks are shelters from storms/Lightning
Really enjoying your channel. I'm Looking forward to moving to Colorado. My daughter and her husband live near Denver and love it there. Every time I visit, we camp, 4wd and hike somewhere. We've done a few amazing hikes. I'm looking forward to my 1st 14er! We don't spend much time in Denver!!We've stayed on Guanella Pass once, near Fairlplay and last summer, near Silverton and Crested Butte. Every trip gets better and better. Last 2 trips we were in search of wild flowers. We found them near Crested Butte!! Next year our goal is wild berries. Any suggestions?
RollinRat, please leave urban politics behind. Don't pack em, then . . .Welcome.
JiminCO
James B Urban Jimin for berries? Thanks!
politics are why Im fleeing ! My state is fast becoming a 3rd world shithole, Sorry to say. It does nothing in my interests, there's no common sense or responsibility. Im sick of socialism. I'm ashamed of Wackofornia!
Cool channel, just discovered it
I did the Keyhole/Tourist route to the summit in 1977 when I was 19 years old; there was no "hut" back then.
In 1983 i was 18 and did key Hole route and the hut was there.
A friend turned me on to your channel, and I've enjoyed it immensely. Mediocre Amateurs? You are neither! Thanks for another great vid.
No eye protection from UV at 14k+?! Why?!???
You must be familiar with the mountain and have alot of experience.
Y'all cray.
Sausage Mcmuffin with Dasani water., love it.
Gloves?
Wair so what’s the safest route of there?? Cuz I’m looking at the cliffs at 4:51 and that looks terrifying
The adventures you guys have has encouraged me to step up my game. Thanks for the motivation and the views that I will only see in videos lol
They just recovered a body off the ledges on longs the other day
Know Your limitations!
Hi.
I admittedly did not enjoy this one as much as the others due to the difficulty/danger you encountered on the more difficult route you took to the summit. I say this because I really enjoy your videos and do not want you and your hiking partners to be injured.
To me, it looks too risky to go this way, especially unaided.
Regardless, keep up the great work on your video series.
Prayers for safety too...
So what the most scared you have been on a climb/hike?
Definitely that mountain we climbed in the windrivers two years ago (I think the episode is called climbing in running shoes). I believe the mountain was Overhanging Tower. Even Blake was a little shaken by that ascent.
What's the song at 2.25? I've heard it in a few of your vids and now I must know!
Why the uber if you were coming down the same route?
How do you not have more subs
What was the rush?
If I left Boulder at 5am, I'd run too: it's notorious for midday lightening. Well, since the trail is over an hour away, I'd probably just wait until the next day to climb it. But they seem like a confident bunch,
These crazy peeps are entertaining
What camera do you use
This is great! Congrats! Why the thumbs down?? Jealous trolls
Cool climb! Keep it up guys and don't let the angry internet get you down. You guys are pros despite the channel title, not just random people deciding to climb a 14er.
I agree they are very experienced and fun to watch but sometimes being too confident in your abilities can get you in trouble. Last time I climbed Long's Peak, on that same day, an experienced climber fell to his death climbing the cable route. As we were descending and almost to the car, a group of forest rangers and EMTs were running up the trail quite panicked. I later found out why.
WHOA!!!
You guys are McDonald's for breakfast and got to the peak at 900am! Damn!