Overview: All the snow at the base of the technical section was avoidable and the was no need for traction or crampons. Due to remaining snow melt and a soggy Saturday the day before (per the ranger) the route definitely had a lot of water in it. Flowing water and wet rock (read: frigid hands).
This made for a fun first trad lead and first alpine lead. Pretty stoked. I did it in Scarpa Crux aproach shoes and even with the wet rock I had a good grip.
RT time: We managed to do it in under 10hrs starting at 3am. One party in front of us caused about a 15min delay. Our rope management cost about that much time too (or more!). Great things to learn, adapt, and get better from!
Rappelling beta: we brought a 70m dry treated 9.5mm BD rope. A 60m would have been a good weight save. We set up rappel from the top-most eye-bolt and rapped to the 2nd eyebolt from the bottom. Don't do this, it made for a tricky second rappel because of where that eyebolt was required a tricky move to start the rappel. Rappel to the 3 eyebolt instead to get to the base of the technical section, as this makes for a more enjoyable (less ass-puckery) start to the second rappel. From the bottom (first) eyebolt, we rapped over the class 4 section no problem, then downclimbed the rest.
cascadescrambler - Jul 26, 2019 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 1962
Cables were still there
I climbed this as a ropeless scramble in 1962 when there were still cables. It was billed as the quickest way up at the time. It was also the quickest way to die if you were a hiker like me and weren't careful. The chimney was in shadow and tended to retain ice even into August. It was dicey trying to find firm footing while hanging on to the cable. It made the descent via the Keyhole route seem easy, and very long.
Brian C - Jan 19, 2013 9:08 pm Date Climbed: Jan 19, 2013
Winter
Fun day. Was a bit windy and cold but pretty mild for what Longs is capable of dishing out in the winter. 10 hours car to car.
marc123 - Oct 31, 2012 2:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2012
Nice climb with some snow and ice
Very beautiful free solo climb with some ice and snow so crampons were necessary. After the crux it was nice and easy climbing.
Liba Kopeckova - Aug 13, 2012 10:47 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2012
Descended here
Came up beaver and descended old cables. We did one rap on the descent, otherwise downclimbed. Felt much easier than 5.4.
BLong - Oct 10, 2010 1:59 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2010
Fun alternative
A far preferable route to the Keyhole. Way shorter, more direct, and more fun! We brought a rack just in case we wanted to protect the route, but it was dry so we soloed it in rock shoes. I wish the technical section was longer.
We were trying to climb Stettners Ledges, but ended up changing routes after a lot of rockfall (including some medium impacts) scared us off.
9-6-17: Took Lauren up the Cable's Route for her first alpine route.
Kiefer - Aug 6, 2010 11:15 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2010
Too short
Been meaning to climb this for a while. I was a bit disappointed. Decent scrambling above the technical stuff. Quick route to the summit.
This route is ok. Perhaps it's much better in the winter. We carried a light rack and a rope for the technical pitch. It was quite wet, so I'm not sure I would've wanted to free it. Lot's of loose rocks scrambling to the summit from the cables section.
Dan Slack - Aug 26, 2009 8:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2009
Great mixed climb!
Very enjoyable mixed climb.
heather14 - Jan 18, 2009 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Jan 18, 2009
Great Winter Climb
Guess I'm not great at judging distance....I was expecting the technical pitch to be longer. A great climb none the less. I was suprised at the lack of snow on the N. Face right now, but what snow was there was mixed hard and sugar. It was interesting climbing the rock on the crux with crampons.
I will probably never do the keyhole route in summer again. This route is not that exosed and way more direct.
benners - Dec 9, 2008 8:35 pm Date Climbed: Nov 15, 2008
Agreed
We were below you Tim, hit that same sugar. What a fun route though.
timfoltz - Dec 9, 2008 7:39 pm Date Climbed: Nov 14, 2008
Hairy but awesome
Awesome climb! crux pitch was very enjoyable. Was a little hairy towards the top when we ran into some stretches of sugar snow and couldnt gain any purchase with our axes. Is certainly one of my favorites.
jake_the_snake - Jan 4, 2021 10:00 am Date Climbed: Jan 2, 2021
Longs NF bailGot chased out by a storm system - climbed the ridge to MLW instead
Mtng0at - Jul 27, 2020 4:34 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2020
First trad lead (and alpine trad lead) w JessiOverview: All the snow at the base of the technical section was avoidable and the was no need for traction or crampons. Due to remaining snow melt and a soggy Saturday the day before (per the ranger) the route definitely had a lot of water in it. Flowing water and wet rock (read: frigid hands).
This made for a fun first trad lead and first alpine lead. Pretty stoked. I did it in Scarpa Crux aproach shoes and even with the wet rock I had a good grip.
RT time: We managed to do it in under 10hrs starting at 3am. One party in front of us caused about a 15min delay. Our rope management cost about that much time too (or more!). Great things to learn, adapt, and get better from!
Rappelling beta: we brought a 70m dry treated 9.5mm BD rope. A 60m would have been a good weight save. We set up rappel from the top-most eye-bolt and rapped to the 2nd eyebolt from the bottom. Don't do this, it made for a tricky second rappel because of where that eyebolt was required a tricky move to start the rappel. Rappel to the 3 eyebolt instead to get to the base of the technical section, as this makes for a more enjoyable (less ass-puckery) start to the second rappel. From the bottom (first) eyebolt, we rapped over the class 4 section no problem, then downclimbed the rest.
cascadescrambler - Jul 26, 2019 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 1962
Cables were still thereI climbed this as a ropeless scramble in 1962 when there were still cables. It was billed as the quickest way up at the time. It was also the quickest way to die if you were a hiker like me and weren't careful. The chimney was in shadow and tended to retain ice even into August. It was dicey trying to find firm footing while hanging on to the cable. It made the descent via the Keyhole route seem easy, and very long.
Harvest - Sep 3, 2017 5:10 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2017
Cables RouteA fun and fast route!
alpineair - Oct 28, 2013 6:07 pm
Great climb.Nice to come down this way also, to avoid the crowds.
kkriley19 - Aug 12, 2013 1:17 am Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2012
3rd times a charmFinally made it.
lapotka - Apr 8, 2013 2:15 pm
Great routetotally worth humping a rope all that way
Brian C - Jan 19, 2013 9:08 pm Date Climbed: Jan 19, 2013
WinterFun day. Was a bit windy and cold but pretty mild for what Longs is capable of dishing out in the winter. 10 hours car to car.
marc123 - Oct 31, 2012 2:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2012
Nice climb with some snow and iceVery beautiful free solo climb with some ice and snow so crampons were necessary. After the crux it was nice and easy climbing.
Liba Kopeckova - Aug 13, 2012 10:47 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2012
Descended hereCame up beaver and descended old cables. We did one rap on the descent, otherwise downclimbed. Felt much easier than 5.4.
BLong - Oct 10, 2010 1:59 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2010
Fun alternativeA far preferable route to the Keyhole. Way shorter, more direct, and more fun! We brought a rack just in case we wanted to protect the route, but it was dry so we soloed it in rock shoes. I wish the technical section was longer.
We were trying to climb Stettners Ledges, but ended up changing routes after a lot of rockfall (including some medium impacts) scared us off.
9-6-17: Took Lauren up the Cable's Route for her first alpine route.
Kiefer - Aug 6, 2010 11:15 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2010
Too shortBeen meaning to climb this for a while. I was a bit disappointed. Decent scrambling above the technical stuff. Quick route to the summit.
JonW - Jul 26, 2010 2:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2010
OkThis route is ok. Perhaps it's much better in the winter. We carried a light rack and a rope for the technical pitch. It was quite wet, so I'm not sure I would've wanted to free it. Lot's of loose rocks scrambling to the summit from the cables section.
Dan Slack - Aug 26, 2009 8:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2009
Great mixed climb!Very enjoyable mixed climb.
heather14 - Jan 18, 2009 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Jan 18, 2009
Great Winter ClimbGuess I'm not great at judging distance....I was expecting the technical pitch to be longer. A great climb none the less. I was suprised at the lack of snow on the N. Face right now, but what snow was there was mixed hard and sugar. It was interesting climbing the rock on the crux with crampons.
Ted Eliason - Jan 17, 2009 11:59 am
Way more directI will probably never do the keyhole route in summer again. This route is not that exosed and way more direct.
benners - Dec 9, 2008 8:35 pm Date Climbed: Nov 15, 2008
AgreedWe were below you Tim, hit that same sugar. What a fun route though.
timfoltz - Dec 9, 2008 7:39 pm Date Climbed: Nov 14, 2008
Hairy but awesomeAwesome climb! crux pitch was very enjoyable. Was a little hairy towards the top when we ran into some stretches of sugar snow and couldnt gain any purchase with our axes. Is certainly one of my favorites.
DanielWandsneider - Dec 9, 2008 7:37 pm Date Climbed: Nov 22, 2008
IntenseFun and exhilerating climb!
DrewB - Jul 8, 2008 12:15 pm Date Climbed: Feb 2, 2002
Great Winter ClimbThis was my first technical winter ascent and it was a great one. Very cold in the shadows on the face but well worth it.