11.15 miles
~5,000 vert.
4:54 RT (2:41 up)
Keyhole Route-ish with variations
I have been trying to drag GZ out for a lap on something for months and the planets finally lined up yesterday for an early morning trip to Longs. We sent out a few invites and Nick and Homie both signed on. It was another warm day which made for perfect conditions on the mountain and we were very comfortable in t shirts and shorts. Started a bit after 6am and settled into a casual hike with some running here and there and it was great to spend the morning socializing with these guys, taking it easy and enjoying one anothers company. Bumped into Peter B and Bill B on the summit as they were on their way to doing the grand slam and chatted with them for a bit. Stuck more to the trail on the descent and had a good time chatting with Nick and getting to know him more. Great guy, watch out for him at Hardrock. As always, great catching up with GZ and Homie too.
I'll let the pictures and video tell the rest of the story:
George carefully easing down from the Homestretch onto the narrows
MVI 2006 from Jeff Valliere on Vimeo.
Marching through the Boulderfield
N. Face/Old Cables route
Keyhole
Homie, Nick, George
GZ along the ledges
Looking down the trough
GZ negotiating the crux section (it was about here where Tim took a tumble on our Winter ascent)
Nick and GZ on the narrows
Nick is all smiles
Ditto for GZ
And Homie, the Longs Peak master (well, one of them)
Almost there
GZ is the highest dude in RMNP
Tony's preferred route
Meeker
You been up the Cables route much? Looks quite doable.
ReplyDeleteNever have done the Cables route, have you? It is on my list though.
ReplyDeleteNope, but I'd really like to give it a go. Let me know if its in the cards; I'll make a trip up.
ReplyDeleteReally nice shots, JV. Joe and I ended up not making it up there yesterday, obviously. Planning on going up tomorrow, probably Kieners per usual.
ReplyDeleteSean, we can chat in Leadville later this week, but the Cables goes pretty easily, depending on your comfort. Rated 5.4 I believe, I've only ever downclimbed it, but it's solid hand jams pretty much the whole way.
Nice running into you guys up there on Sunday! Was a beautiful day for sure. The N Face / Cables looked really dry. We came up the Northwest Couloir, which basically also dry.
ReplyDelete