Longs - Cables/Keyhole

Decided to do Longs at the spur of the moment after packing up camp at Hermit Park. Driving to the trailhead, I could see that the summit was in the clouds, but I figured I'd just give it a go and turn back if the weather got nasty.

Got started at 12:43 pm. Took the initial shortcut trail. Hit the main trail and stayed on it through a right switchback and a left switchback rather than take the shortcut. Now on the long "flat" section, took the trail off to the right just before the creek crossing with the single log bridge. Followed this trail but lost it not far up. After I lost it, I basically headed straight up. Unfortunately, I think I had lost the trail when it headed hard left. Thus, I ended up way too far right. When I eventually saw a bowl open up above me and saw the Jims Grove bump way to my left, I made a long traverse back left and eventually intersected the trail heading up to Jims Grove. Ran into the Jims Grove privy where I headed hard left to reach the Jims Grove trail. Really screwed up this section and lost some time and motivation. Also had a pretty good rain shower through here.

Followed the Jims Grove trail up (shortcut the switchback) to the main trail below Granite Pass. Motivation probably waned more here and I slowed further. However, the rain had stopped. Crossed over the main trail and headed over the north ridge of Lady Washington into the Boulderfield. Had one helpful hiker here yell to me that I was "going the wrong way."

At the Boulderfield, I could see that the cloud level on the north face was around the top of the Cables. Also, clouds were backed up against the east face in the Chasm cirque. Hadn't heard any thunder, and the weather seemed OK despite the clouds, so I wasn't ready to turn back yet. Stayed far left in the Boulderfield, still trying to decide between the Cables and Keyhole routes. The further I got across the Boulderfield, still staying far left, I knew I was going for the Cables.

Worked my way up to the base of the Cables pitch on mostly dry rock. Wasn't working hard any more at this point. Just keeping moving. A small snowfield remained at the bottom of the pitch that required just two or three steps to cross.

Started up the pitch, and the early steep section had me stumped. The polished slab right in front of me was somewhat wet, and it took me a couple minutes to figure this section out. Moved up more easily above this on briefly dry rock, but then saw that the upper part of the pitch was completely wet. Stopped and briefly pondered turning back. But figured getting up the lower-angle wet rock above me would be easier than reversing the steeper moves below. Cautiously moved up the wet section and made the welcome exit move to the left.

Now above the difficulties, the stress was relieved, but motivation and energy was even lower, so I just took it easy continuing up (hard left and up actually). A few minutes later, I started feeling rain drops. Slowed occasionally to "listen" to the weather...and because I was tired. The rain picked up as I neared the summit, so I just tagged the top of the summit boulder and started down the Keyhole route without breaking stride.

The slabs of the Homestretch were wet and, well, slicker than usual, so I was very cautious descending. Passed a couple of guys heading down about halfway down the Homestretch, just as it started to hail. Pea-size hail continued as I crossed the Narrows and dropped into the Trough. Once in the Trough, the hail tapered off. I just continued down cautiously with everything now wet and covered with hail. Down the Trough, across the Ledges, and through the Keyhole. Picked up the pace slightly as I relaxed after the Keyhole, but I still wasn't feeling very energetic. Crossed the Boulderfield, back over the north ridge of Lady Washington, across the main trail, down the Jims Grove trail. Then continued down the shortcut trail below Jims Grove but messed it up again by not staying left all the way down. Ended up intersecting the main trail and following it down through several switchbacks, across the creek with the single log bridge, through the flat section, another couple switchbacks, then down the final shortcut trail, which I managed to screw up also.

So, not a particularly encouraging run given that I was pondering sub-3 for the roundtrip. Had plenty of route-finding issues. Weather was iffy, but it was nice and cool. Don't think I ate anything until I was in the Boulderfield, so that didn't help. Perhaps not fully recovered from Hardrock yet either. Hopefully haven't lost too much fitness. Would like to take another crack at this, but I'd need the Cables to dry out a bit more. The window of ideal conditions on the Cables pitch is just so short each summer.

Carried a handheld water bottle which was a pain on the Cables and upper Keyhole route (stuffed it in the back of my shorts when I needed both hands - might've been nice to have the Nathan pack). And had my GoLite windbreaker around my waist, which I put on briefly while it hailed. That was it for gear. Ate a package of Clif Shot Bloks and one S-Cap. Took one Gu just before starting up.

Suunto log: 4610 up (+35), 4600 down (-49), 1 lap, 3:47

0:00 - Longs Peak TH
10:17 - junction of the first shortcut trail with the main trail
19:24 - leaving the main trail on a shortcut before crossing the creek
59:57 - junction of the Jims Grove trail with the main trail
1:41:37 - bottom of the Cables pitch
1:50:59 - top of the Cables pitch (split taken just a bit above the top of the pitch)
2:03:54 - summit
3:10:55 - crossing the main trail heading for the Jims Grove trail
3:46:16 - Longs Peak TH

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