2nd

Start from the Longs Peak Trailhead and hike to Chasm Junction. Take the trail to Chasm Meadows.

From Chasm Meadows, I accessed the East Ridge of Mt. Meeker; from the summit of Meeker, it is a short and easy descent to The Loft (a broad 13,450-foot col between Meeker and Longs). It is also possible to get to the Loft directly from Chasm Meadows, by following a path up the drainage. But having hiked up the drainage, I would say that the East Ridge of Meeker is a much more enjoyable way to get to the Loft, and doesn't add too much time.

3rd

From Chasm Meadows, follow a footpath south into the basin beneath the north face. Ascend talus and boulders to the East Ridge of Meeker above. The Iron Gates (3rd) variation (which I took), accesses the East Ridge by ascending a talus gully between two columns of dark rock at the east end of the north face. This is an excellent shortcut, and gives the route more character. This is also an important return route for climbs on the east side of the north face.

Once on the ridge crest, scramble southwest along the narrow ridge and gain the false summit (13,850 feet), whence the true summit can be seen about 0.2 miles to the west. A large block in the saddle between the summits is best passed on the north side.

3rd

Descend easily from the summit of Meeker directly to The Loft. The Loft is the broad 13,450-foot col between Meeker and Longs.

3rd

On this trip, I conservatively chose to do Clark's Arrow (3rd) to get to the Notch. Along the way, I scoped out Gorrell's Traverse (5.4), a quicker and harder way to access the Notch. Gorrell's Traverse connects the top of the Beaver with the end of Clark's Arrow. To scope out Gorrell's Traverse, from the end of Clark's Arrow, I climbed up it to the top of the Beaver and then I climbed back down it. Next time, I will just do the 3rd class scramble up The Beaver formation and take Gorrell's Traverse down to access the Notch (this would avoid the need to take Clark's Arrow.) Photos and description for Clark's Arrow are given in this section. Photos and description for Gorrell's Traverse are in the next section.

Clark's Arrow is an excellent 3rd class route to the summit of Longs Peak. It is far less travelled than The Keyhole Route. From the lowest point of The Loft, hike west towards Chiefs Head Peak, sighting along two cairns of white rock, and arrive at another cairn as the slope begins to drop off into Wild Basin. Do not descend this slope. Instead, contour northwest, pass beneath a small buttress, and angle up to another cairn on the skyline. Go a short ways further for about 100 feet. There used to be a big block with a white arrow in a circle painted on the west face. This is Clark's Arrow (there was a rumor that the block with the arrow had slid off during a wet season, but in September 2024 I confirmed it is still there, see this trip report). Hike north along a vague path that passes beneath the towers of the Palisades and gain the scree-filed basin below the Notch.

3rd + 5.4

On this trip, I conservatively chose to do Clark's Arrow (3rd) to get to the Notch. Along the way, I scoped out Gorrell's Traverse (5.4), a quicker and harder way to access the Notch. Gorrell's Traverse connects the top of the Beaver with the end of Clark's Arrow. To scope out Gorrell's Traverse, from the end of Clark's Arrow, I climbed up it to the top of the Beaver and then I climbed back down it. Next time, I will just do the 3rd class scramble up The Beaver formation and take Gorrell's Traverse down to access the Notch (this would avoid the need to take Clark's Arrow.) Photos and description for Clark's Arrow are given in the previous section. Photos and description for Gorrell's Traverse are in this section.

The Beaver is essentially the formation that creates the Southeast Peak of Longs, which is separated from the main summit of longs by the Notch. From the Loft, hike up the backside of the Beaver until reaching a high point at the south side of the Notch. From here, either make a 100-foot rappel from a bolted rappel station or do Gorrell's Traverse (5.4). Gorrell's Traverse avoids the 100-foot rappel on The Beaver route with an ingenious traverse down and north into the big gully on the west side of the Notch. From the highest point on the southeast ridge, above the Notch, descend to the southwest and locate a cairn above the left side of a narrow chimney. Downclimb the chimney for about 200 feet to a broken platform that is about 100 feet above the gully leading up to the Notch. Climb left, facing in, towards the Notch, until it is possible to scramble down in the the gully.

4th

The Notch is the 13,600 notch between The Beaver formation and the final summit slopes of Longs Peak. To complete The Beaver route, from the end of Clark's Arrow or Gorrell's Traverse, scramble to the Notch. (It is also possible to instead head up and left on 3rd class terrain to gain the Homestretch on the Keyhole Route, to avoid the 5th class terrain on The Beaver route after the Notch.)

5.5

Scramble up to a ledge on the north, then move right for 30 feet on the east face to the first weakness encountered. This groove is called The Stepladder, and it leads to the southeast ridge. At 5.5, it is the crux of The Beaver route (apart from The Stepladder, The Beaver can be done at 3rd class). Take the southeast ridge to the summit, nice exposed 4th.

Enjoy the view. And the crowds.

5.4

There are a few viable options for descent. You can reverse the route. But that seems rather boring. For a nice loop trip over Longs, descend the Keyhole Route (3rd) or the Cables Route (5.4 or rappel) on the North Face and regain the trail in the Boulderfield. The Cables Route is quicker but harder. I took the Cables Route.

The Cables Route is the most direct of all the moderate routes on Longs Peak, and is a popular descent route. Previous to this trip report, I had descended the Cables Route multiple times after ascents of the Diamond (usually my partner and I rappelled the 5.4 section although once we downclimbed it). Click this link to go to a trip report for a solo summer ascent of the Cables Route.