Longs Peak – Keyhole Route
Front Range, CO
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Good conditions window Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesday bringing a chance of snow showers — plan your summit bid for Tuesday or Thursday. Daylight is your real constraint: with sunset at 4:58 PM, you need to be moving by 3 AM to summit and descend safely. Stream crossing data in the raw feed is from California gauges and irrelevant to this route.
45°/25°F · Mostly Sunny
Low (1/5)
0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
10h 23m daylight · Sunrise 6:35 AM · Sunset 4:58 PM
Full Briefing
The biggest thing managing your trip is daylight, not weather or snowpack. Sunset hits at 4:58 PM and the Keyhole Route from the Boulderfield to summit and back is 4+ hours minimum in November conditions. That means a 3:00–3:30 AM start from the trailhead is non-negotiable if you want a safe margin before dark. Plan to be off the Narrows and Homestretch by 1:30 PM at the latest — afternoon rockfall risk on the upper mountain increases as any residual frost on holds melts out in the midday sun.
Snowpack is essentially absent right now — all three SNOTEL stations (Annie Springs at 6,021 ft, Long Lake, McNeil Canyon) are showing 0 inches of depth and near-zero SWE. Expect dry, rocky conditions on the Keyhole Route through the Narrows and Homestretch. The upper mountain above 13,000 ft will have patchy ice in shaded couloirs and on north-facing rock faces — front-pointing on frozen moss and thin verglas is the technical crux right now, not avalanche terrain. Bring crampons and an ice axe; they'll earn their weight above the Boulderfield.
Weather window is solid Tuesday (today) and Thursday: highs around 45–48°F at the trailhead, light winds, and mostly clear. Surface winds are 5–17 mph Tuesday and near-calm Thursday — translate that to roughly 10–30 mph at the 14,259 ft summit on Tuesday, and likely under 15 mph Thursday. Both are workable. Wednesday is the day to skip the upper mountain: 26% precip chance with snow showers likely above 12,000 ft, winds shifting NW. New snow on ice-glazed rock in the Narrows with reduced visibility is a bad combination. Use Wednesday as an acclimatization or rest day at the lower trailhead.
Avalanche danger is Low across all elevation bands with zero identified problems — clean bulletin. With no meaningful snowpack to speak of, this is basically a non-factor on the route. If Wednesday's snow showers deposit a couple inches on the approach trail, it's cosmetic. Thursday is your best summit day: sunny, near-calm winds, and the Wednesday snow will have had overnight to consolidate on the rock. Start no later than 3:30 AM Thursday from the Longs Peak Trailhead.
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
Get a personalized conditions briefing with detailed analysis for your trip dates.
Plan This Route