On Wednesday I had gotten an email from John looking for a Longs partner for the weekend and decided to go. Committing to Sunday, we were set for the climb except for a few minor details that got resolved late Saturday night such as what time were going to do the climb and where we were to meet. After finishing up with the packing and preparations I went to bed at midnight, hoping I wouldn�t sleep through the 3:30 alarm clock. Feelings of doubt start to infiltrate my thoughts; it�s going to be a long day, am I ready for it? The alarm is going off. Ten minutes later I comprehend what it means and start getting ready. As I leave the dorms people are still up, doing laundry and getting back from the parties. And this is the start to the day for me? Seems strange. John and arrive within 30 seconds of each other and he graciously offers to drive. The moon shines bright as we drive up and arrive at the trailhead with three other cars there. Preparations don�t take long and I shoulder my one day ascent pack, so much lighter than the huge loads I had struggled with during the last few times on Longs. John signs in at the register for us, which is lighted by a fluorescent lamp. Soon we are hiking up the trail, lighted by the soft glow of our LED headlamps with the frozen snow crunching under our boots. The pockmarked trail is difficult to smoothly walk on and I stare at my feet to concentrate on the hiking. In the stillness of the night we say nothing, alone with our thoughts. Twilight starts to creep onto the peak, I catch glimpses of hares still wearing their white winter coats. As we near treeline, headlamps are turned off and I start to wake up with the coming sun. Above treeline we keep plodding on, looking towards Granite Pass with large fields of snow separating us. When we get to the snowfields, I am relieved that it is hard enough for us not to posthole. Along the way memories are prompted by different landmarks from past climbs. The boulder I stopped at in frustration trying to put my fickle snowshoe back on three years ago. The pass where both times I had sat down at in exhaustion with my partners. This time I look down at the pass as we are higher than it and keep going. I feel good, my pack is light this time and I look ahead at the Boulderfield. The Boulderfield is crossed after rock hopping and snow plodding and we make a stop below the start of a snow slope leading to our route. After gearing up we make the climb up to the base of the Cables Route pitch on hard spring snow. We keep climbing and climbing but the destination never seems to get closer. Finally we near the pitch and I recognize one of the huge eyebolts in a rock dihedral. I climb up to this first bolt nearly entirely on snow and clip into the bolt. John comes up and we decide to use the rope to finish the pitch. Tied in, John cruises up the bulk of the climb before getting to the one crux of the pitch today. He places a single nut before stepping up and out of the dihedral, disappearing from sight. He keeps climbing and I pay out rope as an occasional few snow chunks fly by. The rope runs out and I start to simul-climb and by the time I near the crux, he has stopped climbing. The roped pitch is soon done and we go up a little, stashing our rope. Finishing the climb goes quickly by linking snow sections with easy 3rd class rock sections. On the summit around 11:10 six hours after starting I soak up the views in good spirits. This summit is a special one for John. With this April ascent John has now climbed Longs Peak in every month of the year. It is a short list of individuals who have done this feat and I feel lucky to accompany him on this special climb. We spend some leisurely time on top, reading the register and talking with two other climbers who have also finished the Cables route after us. The descent is not difficult but I keep focused and plant my feet with gusto. Sliding down the snow slope and over the Diamond is a prospect that keeps me focused on the task in front of me. The technical pitch is cleared with one 75 foot rappel and a short down climb. I make a gumby error letting one of my gloves fall out of my jacket and we watch it slide down the snow slope below, coming to a rest near our ascent line. Descending the initial snow slope seems equally long on the way down but we reach the top of the boulder field to put our gear away. The day is beautiful so I strip down to a T-shirt and my zip-off pants. The descent presents us with some post-holing through the softened spring snow but I have the energy to deal with it without too much trouble. We run into a group of RNMP people including the climbing ranger Jim Detterline who have been at the debris site of the Chasm Lake Shelter. Signing out around 3:00 P.M. the day was finished by talking with a few of the volunteer rangers who were in the ranger�s cabin at the parking lot. See Pictures of the Climb Back to Dan's Basecamp |
| Long's Peak North Face 4-13-03 Dan Mottinger, John Prater |