It had been months since I’d climbed anything but sport, and bouldering hadn’t been an option due to a screwed up pully I brought home from the gym. I had started a new job and began life as a weekend warrior. Once again Jonny and I are limited to one alpine day a week. As partners that is. Having not been to altitude for months, I decided to take a jog up Longs Peak. I chose the Keyhole Route as I was not in shape to try to break any records.
Fueled by GU and Breaking Benjamin, my new kicks and I departed from the Long’s Peak trail head at 2:58am. I had snoozed my alarm several times earlier, making for a late departure. Accompanied by a full moon and an abundance of stars, I made good time to the boulder field where I managed to dislodge a small boulder, slip into its void and have it roll back and smash my left knee. It seems sucking down a GU while boulder hopping in the dark is a bad idea. It became immediately clear that I would have to smear GU on the surrounding rocks to lure in pikas and live off of their spars, lean, meat until rescue came. That or I would have to chop it off with a serrated GU packet. Around five or ten seconds into my ordeal I shifted uncomfortably to hear the small boulder grind against the surrounding rocks. So I picked it up, peed on it, and continued on my way to the summit. I had to save my tears for the descent in case I didn’t bring enough water. My pace slowed significantly as I gingerly limped towards the keyhole. I made the summit in three hours and two minutes with swollen knee and all. On the way down the swelling diminished around the keyhole and I ran non-stop to the car making an even five hour round trip, car to car ascent. Upon reaching cell phone service I discussed climbing Brown Palace with my good friend Ethan Saffer, but he suggested I sleep for my upcoming day on the Petite Grepon. My next solo will undoubtedly be faster and I have my eye on the Keyhole Ridge.
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