Longs Peak – Keyhole Route
Front Range, CO
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
High Wind Warning through Thursday noon — 50-60 mph winds will make the summit ridges dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Push your trip back 24 hours or accept you're climbing to the Keyhole only.
46°/31°F · Sunny · 1 alert(s)
Moderate (2/5)
48" depth
Normal flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
11h 47m daylight · Sunrise 7:20 AM · Sunset 7:06 PM
Full Briefing
The High Wind Warning is the trip-killer here. Surface winds of 50-60 mph mean you're looking at 100+ mph on the summit ridges and exposed sections above 13,000 feet — that's knockdown territory that makes the final push from the Keyhole to the summit extremely dangerous. The warning runs through Thursday noon, so Friday becomes your earliest reasonable summit window with winds dropping to a more manageable 35-40 mph surface (still 70+ mph on the ridges, but workable for experienced climbers).
Avalanche conditions are actually clean — Moderate danger across all elevations with no identified problems in the CAIC bulletin. The snowpack is settling nicely after recent cycles, which is exactly what you want for a technical route like this. SNOTEL data shows stable trends without new loading, so the approach gullies and Lamb's Slide descent should be straightforward from an avalanche perspective.
Weather window looks good Friday through Saturday morning before the next system moves in Saturday night with heavy snow. Temperatures will be ideal for mixed conditions — cold enough for secure tool placements but not so cold that you're dealing with brittle ice. Expect firm névé conditions on the north-facing sections and potentially some rime ice on the upper headwall.
Plan for a Friday-Saturday push if you're flexible, camping at Chasm Lake Thursday night to position for an alpine start Friday morning. The shortened daylight (11h 47m) means you need to be efficient — start by 4 AM to ensure you're off the summit and past technical terrain before afternoon weather builds. If you're locked into your original dates, the Keyhole makes a reasonable consolation objective with significantly less wind exposure.
Waypoints
Longs Peak Trailhead
Start before 3 AM to summit by noon. Headlamp required.
9,400 ft
Boulder Field
Large boulder field. Last sheltered area before exposed terrain.
12,749 ft
The Keyhole
Iconic gap in the rock wall. Bull's-eye painted markers begin here.
13,199 ft
The Narrows
Exposed ledge traverse. Most committing section of the route.
13,780 ft
Longs Peak Summit
Flat summit at 14,259 ft. Dramatic views of Rocky Mountain NP.
14,259 ft
Route Details
Distance
15.0 mi
Elevation Gain
5,000 ft
Elevation Loss
5,000 ft
Max Elevation
14,259 ft
Estimated Days
1
Trailhead
Longs Peak Trailhead
Best Season
July through September for rock route. Earlier requires snow gear.
Permit Required
Permit required May 1-Oct 15 from recreation.gov. Lottery for peak season dates.
About This Route
The Keyhole Route on Longs Peak (14,259 ft) is Colorado's most iconic mountaineering route and the only 14er in Rocky Mountain National Park. The route combines a long approach with exposed scrambling through a series of named features: the Ledges, the Trough, the Narrows, and the Homestretch. Starting from the Longs Peak Trailhead at 9,400 feet, the approach hikes through subalpine forest and alpine tundra to the Boulder Field at 12,750 feet. From there, the Keyhole—a gap in the rock wall—marks the transition to the technical terrain. Each subsequent section increases in difficulty and exposure. The route should be attempted only in good weather. Lightning is the primary hazard; aim to summit by noon and be off the exposed rock by early afternoon. The Homestretch—a steep slab leading to the summit—is the most dangerous section. In early season, snow and ice on the route require crampons and an ice axe.
Plan This Route
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Plan This Route