ChuckO - Aug 4, 2006 8:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2006
Loft Route
Wonderful area; part of two day outing (w/ Longs); pleasant scramble; great bivy under the ShipsProw; thanks Dan!!
boisedoc - Jul 19, 2006 4:28 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1988
nice ridge
Fun little knife edge ridge. Great views of Longs.
Brian Kalet - Jun 26, 2006 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2006
The Loft
5 hours 40 mimutes roundtrip.
kenton - Jun 26, 2006 3:43 am Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2006
Iron Gates
Cloudless day and a great mountain
altitude14er - Mar 17, 2006 5:00 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
Loft Route via Longs Peak Trailhead
I was able to ascend the Loft Route without the aid of cramp-ons this day with my friend Dave. I wouldn't recommend crossing the snowfields below the Meeker & Longs saddle without them though. At least bring an ice axe. A slip on this route could be "game over" in many areas.
Mountain Jim - Mar 4, 2006 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 1970
Meeker Ridge
Total ascents = 4. A worthy partner for Longs Peak ... too bad it missed by only 89 feet of being a 14'er ... maybe not.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 1996
Dreamweaver
My first real alpine climbing season was capped with this one. A 16-hour day and everything from rain, snow to hail. Will remember forever.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 1995
Iron Gates
Fun scramble along the knife ridge.
Snidely Whiplash - Feb 23, 2006 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 1974
Route Climbed: Chasm Lake/Iron gates
A very exciting traverse across the knife-edge. Climbed it twice. One time was an unsuccessful traverse attempt to go from Meeker, to Longs, and then to Pagoda. Unfortunately, got off route from Meeker to Longs. Look out for misleading cairns on the loft. You will be off-route if you follow them.
Route Climbed: Loft 1995/Dreamweaver 2005 Date Climbed: September 1995, May 15, 2005
1995 Climbed Meeker via the Loft on the way up to Longs. Descended Keyhole.
2005 Dreamweaver, descended Loft. Mediocre conditions. Very little ice, lots of snow and some short rock steps. We were very sad to read reports of good ice a week or two later. Descent was sketchy. Dislodged a basketball sized rock above the ledge that shattered the shaft of my partner's ice axe. Had he not done the wrong thing by looking up when I yelled rock allowing him to leap out of the way, it would have been his helmet in front of the rock. Also, the sun got very hot very quickly and ledge traverse on loft was very slushy slide prone snow. It didn't help that I was totally freaked about the rock.
Route Climbed: Iron Gates Date Climbed: September 13, 2005
Made it about 50 vertical feet from the east summit and my hiking poles started buzzing. Made a speedy descent in snowstorms...about a quarter inch fell by the time a got back to the top of the iron gates gully. Incredible route, but I want to cross that ridge!! Another day :(
Route Climbed: Loft Date Climbed: September 5, 2005
Climbed Loft route with fellow SP'er richardmasoner on Labor Day 2005. Met Richard at 3:10 at Goblin's Forest, where he'd bivouaced, and summitted at 8:45am (after a frozen 5am-6am wait for dawn at Chasm patrol cabin). Route itself was straightforward, but climb was somewhat difficult because gusty winds and cooler temperatures sapped our strength quickly. Decided Layne Bracy's and rangers' interpretation of summit boulder was correct (see that trip report), and attained western high point but did not traverse to eastern boulder, because winds put us off-balance continuously once above the Loft. Original plan was to continue around to summit Longs and descend via Keyhole, but we abandoned this plan because of wind and fatigue, and descended via Loft.
Route Climbed: Loft route Date Climbed: July 23, 2005
The weather and trail conditions were perfect.
5:56 a.m. Started at Longs Peak TH
6:09 a.m. Passed Estes Cone junction
7:37 a.m. Chasm Lake trail junction
8:07 a.m. Left Chasm Lake trail
8:37 a.m. Walking along snowfield at base of Ships Prow
9:38 a.m. Reached the Ledge after climbing to the left of a snowfield. The Ledge is just below a near vertical cliff. Saw some climbers going up the Buttress.
10:09 a.m. Lunch break at 10,300 ft in the Loft talus field. A hummingbird flew around us checking us out.
10:28 a.m. Climbing east toward summit ridge, climbing on boundary between scree and boulders.
10:56 a.m. Reached summit register, which is a few tens of yards short of the real summit. Removed our packs to walk the ridge east toward the true summit.
11:13 a.m. The three of us boosted ourselves up to the true summit one at a time and took photos. Ships Prow looks tiny from here. Chasm Lake isn't visible from here. We can see people on Longs looking at us. Far below us to the north we see Sand Beach Lake.
11:39 a.m. Snowball fight on a snowfield at 13,700 feet.
1:14 p.m. 500 yard glissade down a snow field. Woo hoo!
1:33 p.m. Back on the Chasm trail.
2:24 p.m. Timberline.
3:30 p.m. Back to trailhead. Some light rain and lightning started 15 minutes back.
ChuckO - Aug 4, 2006 8:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2006
Loft RouteWonderful area; part of two day outing (w/ Longs); pleasant scramble; great bivy under the ShipsProw; thanks Dan!!
boisedoc - Jul 19, 2006 4:28 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1988
nice ridgeFun little knife edge ridge. Great views of Longs.
Brian Kalet - Jun 26, 2006 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2006
The Loft5 hours 40 mimutes roundtrip.
kenton - Jun 26, 2006 3:43 am Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2006
Iron GatesCloudless day and a great mountain
altitude14er - Mar 17, 2006 5:00 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
Loft Route via Longs Peak TrailheadI was able to ascend the Loft Route without the aid of cramp-ons this day with my friend Dave. I wouldn't recommend crossing the snowfields below the Meeker & Longs saddle without them though. At least bring an ice axe. A slip on this route could be "game over" in many areas.
Mountain Jim - Mar 4, 2006 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 1970
Meeker RidgeTotal ascents = 4. A worthy partner for Longs Peak ... too bad it missed by only 89 feet of being a 14'er ... maybe not.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 1996
DreamweaverMy first real alpine climbing season was capped with this one. A 16-hour day and everything from rain, snow to hail. Will remember forever.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 1995
Iron GatesFun scramble along the knife ridge.
Snidely Whiplash - Feb 23, 2006 4:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 1974
Route Climbed: Chasm Lake/Iron gatesA very exciting traverse across the knife-edge. Climbed it twice. One time was an unsuccessful traverse attempt to go from Meeker, to Longs, and then to Pagoda. Unfortunately, got off route from Meeker to Longs. Look out for misleading cairns on the loft. You will be off-route if you follow them.
NanitaD - Feb 10, 2006 12:16 am
Route Climbed: The Loft Date Climbed: August 28, 1988Mount Meeker is overshadowed by Longs Peak, but it should not be overlooked.
wyomountaineer - Nov 8, 2005 4:49 pm
Route Climbed: Loft 1995/Dreamweaver 2005 Date Climbed: September 1995, May 15, 20051995 Climbed Meeker via the Loft on the way up to Longs. Descended Keyhole.
2005 Dreamweaver, descended Loft. Mediocre conditions. Very little ice, lots of snow and some short rock steps. We were very sad to read reports of good ice a week or two later. Descent was sketchy. Dislodged a basketball sized rock above the ledge that shattered the shaft of my partner's ice axe. Had he not done the wrong thing by looking up when I yelled rock allowing him to leap out of the way, it would have been his helmet in front of the rock. Also, the sun got very hot very quickly and ledge traverse on loft was very slushy slide prone snow. It didn't help that I was totally freaked about the rock.
kpiljay - Oct 27, 2005 11:24 am
Route Climbed: Loft Route Date Climbed: September 1, 2005Climbed this on the way to Long's. Perfect clear weather and we had the summit to ourselves.
jennakate - Sep 30, 2005 9:15 pm
Route Climbed: Loft Route Date Climbed: June 18, 2005My first real experience with an ice axe and crampons!
millerw05 - Sep 15, 2005 2:17 pm
Route Climbed: Left Roue Date Climbed: July, 1985Had perfect weather. Completed after doing Longs Peak.
smudge - Sep 13, 2005 3:59 pm
Route Climbed: Iron Gates Date Climbed: September 13, 2005Made it about 50 vertical feet from the east summit and my hiking poles started buzzing. Made a speedy descent in snowstorms...about a quarter inch fell by the time a got back to the top of the iron gates gully. Incredible route, but I want to cross that ridge!! Another day :(
Joe_Parvis - Sep 8, 2005 11:51 am
Route Climbed: Loft Date Climbed: September 5, 2005Climbed Loft route with fellow SP'er richardmasoner on Labor Day 2005. Met Richard at 3:10 at Goblin's Forest, where he'd bivouaced, and summitted at 8:45am (after a frozen 5am-6am wait for dawn at Chasm patrol cabin). Route itself was straightforward, but climb was somewhat difficult because gusty winds and cooler temperatures sapped our strength quickly. Decided Layne Bracy's and rangers' interpretation of summit boulder was correct (see that trip report), and attained western high point but did not traverse to eastern boulder, because winds put us off-balance continuously once above the Loft. Original plan was to continue around to summit Longs and descend via Keyhole, but we abandoned this plan because of wind and fatigue, and descended via Loft.
rleary - Aug 21, 2005 11:40 pm
Route Climbed: Loft Date Climbed: August 20, 2005Perfect weather, two other people on the summit. So much better than the summit of Longs!
ajonesTexas - Jul 24, 2005 1:09 am
Route Climbed: Meeker Ridge Date Climbed: July 22, 20053:00 am left Sandbeach Trailhead
9:30 reached summit
3:00 pm finished
Great mountain, tiny summit, long day
richardmasoner - Jul 23, 2005 10:46 pm
Route Climbed: Loft route Date Climbed: July 23, 2005The weather and trail conditions were perfect.
5:56 a.m. Started at Longs Peak TH
6:09 a.m. Passed Estes Cone junction
7:37 a.m. Chasm Lake trail junction
8:07 a.m. Left Chasm Lake trail
8:37 a.m. Walking along snowfield at base of Ships Prow
9:38 a.m. Reached the Ledge after climbing to the left of a snowfield. The Ledge is just below a near vertical cliff. Saw some climbers going up the Buttress.
10:09 a.m. Lunch break at 10,300 ft in the Loft talus field. A hummingbird flew around us checking us out.
10:28 a.m. Climbing east toward summit ridge, climbing on boundary between scree and boulders.
10:56 a.m. Reached summit register, which is a few tens of yards short of the real summit. Removed our packs to walk the ridge east toward the true summit.
11:13 a.m. The three of us boosted ourselves up to the true summit one at a time and took photos. Ships Prow looks tiny from here. Chasm Lake isn't visible from here. We can see people on Longs looking at us. Far below us to the north we see Sand Beach Lake.
11:39 a.m. Snowball fight on a snowfield at 13,700 feet.
1:14 p.m. 500 yard glissade down a snow field. Woo hoo!
1:33 p.m. Back on the Chasm trail.
2:24 p.m. Timberline.
3:30 p.m. Back to trailhead. Some light rain and lightning started 15 minutes back.
Mount Meeker trip report.
mtnsavy - Jun 21, 2005 2:47 am
Route Climbed: The Loft and Dreamweaver Date Climbed: 2003 & 2004Be sure to hit Dreamweaver in the right conditions. We didn't.