Longs Peak is one of the best known mountains in the Rockies. The peak looms over the Front Range and dominates Rocky Mountain National Park. It may also be the most scenic, with its iconic diamond-shaped east face. For peak baggers, it is one of the most desirable summits in the Rockies.
Our
group of geologists at the Homestake Mine in the Black Hills was doing a lot of
hiking, biking, running, and skiing together in both the Black Hills and
Wyoming’s nearby Bighorn Range. But with several Coloradans in the group, it
was no surprise that we would try for some Colorado peaks, which were just barely
in driving range for a long weekend trip. Earlier that summer we’d made a three
day Colorado trip, now was the time to see if we could climb Longs in a
weekend. One of our coworkers had already climbed Longs, and together with his information
and our handy copy of the Borneman’s Colorado 14ers guide, we felt ourselves
prepared.
Our
group was Kathy & Leroy, Karl, Craig, and I. None of us had climbed Longs
before, but Karl was familiar with the area having grown up in Denver. We left
Lead on Friday after work and made the 8 hour drive to RMNP with a stop for
dinner in Wheatland, WY. We arrived about 12:15, and spent the night in an
informal USFS campground along the highway and across the road from a picnic
area about ten miles south of Estes Park on CO 7. This may now be the Meeker
Park Overflow site shown on the 2008 TI Map. We were close to the highway, and
didn’t get much rest, particularly Kathy, who had an upset stomach.
We
were up at 6AM and on the trail at 6:45. Our first clue as to what was to come
was that we couldn’t even get a space in the main parking area. There would be
so many people on the trail that day that we were never out of sight of another
party. The popular analogy was of pilgrims going to Mecca. Few summits are
worth tolerating this crowded a route, but Longs is one of these. The start of
the hike is a pleasant woods walk on a well maintained trail. There were a few
waterfalls, but the scenery improved above tree line and past Goblins Grove.
We
took a few rest breaks, the most scenic at Chasm Overlook. I was surprised to
see toilets at Chasm View and the Boulderfield Campground. These were necessary
given the crowds. Past Chasm View the trail switchbacks over Granite Pass, past
Mt. Lady Washington, and across the Boulderfield. It seemed a more direct route
could have cut off some miles, but also I also imagined most hikers would
consider the route already steep enough. Above the Boulderfield is the Keyhole,
and beyond that point the route is a scramble. Beyond the Keyhole, the route
felt more crowded as people slowed due to fatigue and discomfort with the steep
slopes, loose rock, moderate exposure, and in many cases altitude sickness.
Kathy’s stomach never had settled down, and she did not go much past the
Keyhole.
East Face of Longs Peak from the Boulderfield.
Having
done a lot of peak bagging already that year, I was in shape enough to enjoy
the scramble. There were great views down into Glacier Gorge, which I thought
might be the best place to go next to start some climbs. I remember one steep
chute just before the top, and was surprised at the broad flat summit, which we
reached at 12:15. 
Karl on Longs Peak overlooking Chasm Lake.
I
counted 70 people on top, and someone else had counted 100 entries in the
register already that day. Our views extended south along the Front Range to
Grays and Evans, and all through RMNP. We didn’t spend much time on top, just a
quick lunch and some pictures. The afternoon clouds were already starting to
arrive, and Kathy was still waiting for us below. Just below the Keyhole we
were hit with a brief shower. I’d brought my ice ax and was nervous to push
onto a less exposed spot, but the weather never turned stormy. We found Kathy
at the Boulderfield, and had a pleasant walk down despite our mounting fatigue.
We were back at the trailhead about 4:40. By then Craig also had a mild
headache and slightly upset stomach, but the rest of us had no altitude
symptoms. 
Hiram at the Keyhole.
I
wouldn’t bring an ice ax again on this route, but otherwise we had been well
prepared. Longs is a superb peak was an exhilarating route. I thought next time
a different route might be doable, maybe the cables or something easy on the
east face. We stopped for dinner in Estes Park and slept in the same noisy, informal
campground we’d used on Friday.
7-29-90.
Mt Chapin, 12,454, 3 miles
Although
it may have been difficult to do otherwise, we chose an easier climb for
Sunday. A high trailhead off the Old Fall River Road leads to easy slopes that
provide access to Chapin, along with Chiquita and Ypsilon, its neighbors to the
north. The trail starts as an unofficial approach route to the three peaks. 
Climbing Mt Chapin.
We
stayed on the trail too long and ended up approaching Chapin from the north
rather than from the west. The southeast side was the prettiest, and the sheer
side facing the Old Fall River Road was much more impressive than the gentle
slopes we climbed. In contrast to the previous day’s crowds, we saw only 6
groups. We shared the summit with a lone NPS ranger, one of the few times I’ve
met rangers out on the trail. 
Summit of Mt Chapin (L-R Craig, Leroy, Karl, Kathy)
We
descended with the west ridge and were back at the cars before the skies
threatened. The climb was about 1:15 up and an hour down with 1,800’ of
climbing. Just for a sense of scale, Mt Chapin was a small peak for RMNP, but
it was one of the ten highest peaks I’d climbed at that time. I was impressed
with RMNP as an alternative to the Bighorns as a long weekend destination. But
ultimately Colorado proved too far for even long weekend trips. I would take
peak bagging vacations across the state in 1991 and 1992, and would return to RMNP
and the Mummy Range in 1999 (Here). Jean and I would next
visit Rocky for a week of day hiking in 2015. 2015 RMNP
