Longs Peak

A challenge that I'll never forget...whet my appetite for summits...now all I want to do is gear and go... up. We took off too late, had to take shelter in the shrubbery on the way up because of strong winds, ice and rain storms. Delays and late start caused us to push WAY too hard early on...by the time we got to the campground and passed through the keyhole, we were very tired and the altitude started catching up to us. Many more were descending at this point, and we seemed the only ones left going up, with exception of one woman in front of us, by the time we got to the 'Chute.' Weather started getting scary...lightning in the distance...narrowly escaping black clouds and thunderheads all day. My companion/girlfriend quit halfway up the chute, and I said (more than once) that we should head back but she refused so I went up alone. Wasn't sure if I would make it, but the person in front of me, the weather, and the thought of my girlfriend sitting on the side of a mountain waiting for me pushed me along. Anyway, we made it, but took a wrong turn on the way back and ended up taking a very treacerous route back to the other side of the mountain. So my advice is KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BULLSEYES, no matter how hard its hailing and how badly you want to get down. For those coming from SEA LEVEL, overprepare for the altitude or suffer through what feels like the worst hangover in your life.