Longs Peak

“Hey everyone My girlfriend and I are heading out to Rocky Mountain Park at the end of August we are thinking of doing a 3 day backpacking trip and hiking up to Longs Peak. I was wondering if anyone has done this before and any advice they might have? Thanks for any help.”

“Longs Peak is a heavily traveled route - if your looking for some solitude, you will not find it there.

Otherwise, be prepared for a very long day. People typically start around 1 am and head up in the dark so as to summit and get back down below treeline before the afternoon storms roll in.

You won't need to worry about route finding, just follow the butt in front of you. Seriously, its like a thouroughfare going up.

If you want a little more of a wilderness experience check out some other areas of the park - avoid Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge for the same reasons, but the northern sections, the Mummy Range and the Wild Basin are to the southern end of the Park while still heavily used are nowhere near as crowded as the very popular Longs Peak area and the Glacier Gorge/Bear Lake areas.

Better still - the Comanche Peak Wilderness Area and the Rawah Wilderness will have many fewer souls tromping around and you will have better chances of seeing wildlife.

Two weeks ago in Rawah, I spotted a cow moose with calf and last saturday i saw a young bull in Comanche Peak.

Feel free to ask questions - and have fun.”

“Any word on the missing Park Ranger in R.M.N.P?”

“Still missing. :-(”

“from todays Morning Report:

" Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
Update on Search for Missing Ranger


The search for ranger Jeff Christensen continues. He was last seen by coworkers at 11 a.m. last Friday as he was heading off on a backcountry patrol to the Lawn Lake trailhead.


Over 50 people were involved with the search on Sunday. Along with park staff and volunteers were personnel and dogs from Larimer County Search and Rescue, Grand County Search and Rescue, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, and Larimer County Search and Rescue. Two helicopters were also utilized.


Yesterday, the search expanded to include more than 125 people, and searchers continued intensifying their efforts in certain areas of the Mummy Range. The search area covers eight to twelve square miles with extreme elevation changes. Searchers also focused on steep, hazardous terrain along the east side of Christensen’s intended route of travel, including several likely areas that might be utilized to descend to Lawn Lake and the Lawn Lake trail. Joining the groups already involved in the search were El Paso County Search and Rescue, Routt County Search and Rescue, Gilpin County Search and Rescue and Search and Rescue Dogs of Colorado. Also participating were employees from Winter Park Ski Resort.


Additional assistance will arrive today in the form of the Service’s Type 2 Central Incident Management Team (Eddie Lopez, IC). The incident has been managed to date by a park Type 3 team, with assistance from local area agencies. A transition meeting is set for this morning. Through the delegation of authority, the Central IMT will be asked to assume organizational and operational control of the search, utilizing local and area resources. Park staff will maintain normal park operations and manage any new incidents that might arise.


[Note: During the first full day of the search on Saturday, the park had an air evac medical from Flattop Mountain, a litter evacuation and ambulance transport of a medical from Upper Beaver Meadows Road, two more medicals at Bear Lake, a two-vehicle MVA on Many Parks Curve, a litter and ambulance rescue of a person who fell from a horse, and reports of five overdue hikers in two incidents (all found their way out). There was also a littler carryout of an SCA down the Lawn Lake trail on Sunday].


The park extends its thanks for all the calls and messages of support from employees throughout the National Park Service. If you're looking for a contact, send your note to Mark Magnuson, the park's chief ranger, and he'll share it with the park's staff.
[Submitted by Mark Magnuson, Chief Ranger, and Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Specialist] "”

“Is it possible to camp out near the Boulder Field. Looking at maps it shows a campsite. Of course It would be a good bet that this site fills up rather fast.

Roam Around I'll check out the northern section of the park tonight if you have any personal favorite trails that you would suggest I'm all ears.”

“I think a lot of people do camp at the Boulder Field and it fills up quickly.”

“I think a lot of people do camp at the Boulder Field and it fills up quickly


yeah that is where they put all the dorks..

no wonder it fills up so fast.

I here there are tons of you dorks out there.
last edited: 8/02/05 8:05:48 PM”

“Well if you came out here we might be over our limit.

Hey SirPete...On your way to the boulder field you might pass a stone or two.”

“that might help!!”

“Couple of weekends ago, we did Hagues Peak and Mummy Mtn, camped at Upper Tileston Meadows and had the site to ourselves. You could also camp at Lawn Lake and not be crowded.

Also, check out the Emmaline Lake trail in COmanche Wilderness, or the Mummy Pass Trail, part RMNP and part Comanche Peak Wilderness.

The Mummy Pass trail will take you up to the north side of Mummy Mtn, past Rowe Mtn and just south of Fall Mtn and Comanche Peak - really nice area and you might not see a soul there. There's some backcountry sites down in the valley west of Comanche Peak that I'd bet hardly ever get used.”

“I'm envious. Rahwah is were I lost my Rocky Mountain virginity. Been there three times--but too long ago. First time there were many miles of gravel road to get to the trail ride, and we were doing it in a Vega!”

“Roam Around thanks for the helpfull advice. I had just got the same advice from someone on the "otherside" that they took the North Fork trail started in the Camanche Peak wilderness area and entered into RMNP and hiked into The Stormy Peaks Campground. I think I'll try and look into the north side of the park.”

“have a great time and let us know how it goes!”

“Hey Roam or anyone...

You have the link for the Longs Peak Cam???”

“its on teh nps website....”

“ok..thanks”

“seems to not be working or its been taken down, coz i can't find it.”

“http://www.nps.gov/romo/images/netcam.jpg

It was in the IN DEPTH section.
last edited: 9/29/05 2:42:23 PM”

“I have pics of Longs Peak taken not more than a few hours ago from Estes Cone. I'll post'em soon.”

“Twin Sisters and Estes Cone views are some of my favorite.”

“I'll also be posting my Twin Sisters pics in a few minutes.”

“LOL...ya nut!”

“I think my pic's better...

Longs and Meeker from the summit of Estes Cone 9:30 am today -

http://community.webshots.com/photo/463879939/463885131kWarxw”

“Cool Pics as usual.”

“Bison needs a real job.....

LOL

He's spending entirely too much time on trails.”

“Oh, I'm going to post my pics from the Buffalo Peaks in a few minutes also :)”

“Pretty soon he will be able to write a book.”

“My job is already cutting way too much into my hiking time, now I can only hike every other day.”

“Sorry, For some reason as I work here I don't feel any pity.”

“:)”

“seems we need to contact the folks where Bison works and tell them they could save some money by letting him go =)”

“Sorry Ewker I'm far too valuable to them even doing as little actual work as I do.”

“just be careful and don't hurt your arm there Bison...”

“copy and paste that statement into an email to the HR dept ;)”

“Good luck with that, the HR dept. is my best friend's wife ;)”

“yeah but when we add you have been sleeping with her he won't be your best friend for long”

“Crap! Look at the Longs Peak cam now... it looks like the moon.”

“Just look at Roam's post from 9/29/05.”

“Or click here:

http://www.nps.gov/romo/images/netcam.jpg”

“wow! looks pretty harsh.”

“I wish I had worn shorts today... it's hot outside.”

“very cool! the wind's a blowin pretty hard!”

“What a great view of Longs Peak this morning. (sarcasm font)”

“Is it getting some more white coating?

I'll be home to see it for myself tonight!”

“yup.. all I see is white.”

“Good that means plenty of fresh powder on the slopes tommorow morning :)”

“Oh.. the West slopes are getting hammered from what I see on the news.”