Frommer's Review
This challenging trail -- recommended only for experienced mountain hikers and climbers in top physical condition -- climbs over 4,800 feet from a trail head elevation of 9,400 feet to the top of 14,259-foot Longs Peak, the highest point in the park. The trek takes most hikers 13 to 15 hours to complete (7 or 8 hr. up, 1 hr. or so at the summit, and 5 or 6 hr. down) and can be done in either 1 or 2 days. Those planning a 1-day hike should consider starting out at 2 or 3am so they will be off the peak well before the summer afternoon thunderstorms arrive. For a 2-day hike, go 5 or 6 miles the first day, stay at a designated backcountry campsite, and complete the trip the following day. The trail usually requires technical climbing gear until about mid-July, and until that time hikers should also be prepared for icy conditions.
The hike follows the Chasm Lake Trail for the first 3 miles, to an intersection on Mills Moraine, where you'll make a right turn. Here you pass Jims Grove, with views of 13,281-foot Mount Lady Washington. The grove was named for local mountain man, guide, and general character Jim Nugent, who lived in the area from the 1860s until his murder in 1874. From Jims Grove it's about .75 miles to Granite Pass, which is some 2,600 feet above the trail head. Here, hikers choose the left fork of a junction, head up some steep switchbacks, and eventually get to the Boulder Field (2 miles from Granite Pass), where nine backcountry campsites are tucked among immense boulders beneath the north face of Longs Peak. From the Boulder Field it's a demanding .5-mile hike to the Keyhole, an appropriately named oval notch between Longs Peak and Storm Peak that offers spectacular views of the mountains.
Red and yellow signs mark the trail from the Keyhole to the summit. It's a distance of only 1.5 miles, but when you add in an elevation gain of 1,200 feet over extremely rough terrain, and the lack of oxygen at this altitude, you'll need to allow at least 2 hours for the hike. This part of the trek initially follows an exposed ledge and then goes through a steep stone-filled gully before reaching the Narrows, a skinny ledge that runs for several hundred feet along a steep drop-off. From there, hikers become climbers to ascend a steep granite incline called Homestretch, taking them to the summit, where they'll savor what many consider the best view in the park, as well as a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
