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Bear Lake Road Reconstruction Project
Major construction work on Bear Lake Road in 2012 & 2013 includes mandatory use of park shuttles May 29-Oct 9 between 9 am–4 pm, delays, and some night closures. More »
Longs Peak
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Keyhole Route Information 
The North Face of Longs Peak as viewed from the Boulder Field. May 26, 2012.
NPS Photo
Longs Peak Conditions Report - May 27, 2012 Conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park can change at any time. Winter-like conditions still exist at the higher elevations in the park. Expect afternoon storms of rain, hail, sleet, snow, lightning, and any other weather imaginable at this time of year. Snow and ice can quickly cover any of the routes described below on any given day. Please be observant and watch for changing weather and conditions and adjust plans accordingly. Please take appropriate gear to endure these changing conditions. Remember your safety is in your own hands. Click here for a current weather forecast for the Longs Peak high country. 
NPS Photo Looking across the snow traverse before Chasm Lake. May 26, 2012. Trail Conditions Patches of snow begin to appear after Goblin's Forest. The trail is snow free from Battle Mountain Junction to Chasm Junction. Hikers going to Chasm Lake will encounter a steep snow slope before Chasm Meadow. This slope is very exposed and will vary in consistency from ice to slush depending on the day. Hikers traveling to the Boulderfield should expect ankle to knee deep snow beginning after Chasm Junction. On 5/26/12, most of this section was sloppy, wet snow. Above Granite Pass, the trail becomes difficult to locate and cross country travel is required to reach the Boulderfield campsite. If traveling beyond the Boulderfield, see Keyhole Route description. 
NPS Photo Looking across the Ledges. May 18, 2012. Keyhole Route Although it feels like summer in the valley, winter conditions still persist on Longs Peak from the Keyhole to the summit. Climbers should expect to encounter sections of snow and ice throughout the climb above the Keyhole. The Ledges contain snow and a few sections of ice. The Trough is all snow. Sections of the Narrows and Homestretch still have short sections of snow and ice on them. Some of the sections of snow and ice may be avoidable with variations that make the route more difficult than usual, but regardless, snow and ice cannot be avoided. Those with mountaineering experience and equipment will find the route challenging and in excellent shape for an ascent. If you are looking to find the Keyhole route in its easiest conditions, you will have to wait a couple more weeks. All climbers need to remain flexible, and be prepared to turn around if conditions are more difficult than anticipated. 
NPS Photo. Looking up at snow and ice in the Trough. May 18, 2012. 1 
NPS Photo. Looking across the Narrows. May 18, 2012. a |
Did You Know?
Author William Allen White, the editor of the Emporia Gazette in Kansas, won a 1922 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial “To an Anxious Friend.” His vacation cabin sits near the Moraine Park Museum.