Some friends are climbing it at the end of August and I am thinking of going with them. Have any of y'all done it?

I have but if it is your first, not in good shape or not used to being at altitude, you might want to reconsider. Found this to be a good summary on what to think about when planning.
https://rootsrated.com/stories/10-thing-know-hiking-longs-peak

Thanks, Quandary Peak is the only other 14'er I climbed. I understand it is one of the easier ones.

I live in Estes Park half the year and have done Longs Peak several times and also did Quandary Peak a few years ago.

Longs is significantly more difficult than Quandary. The stats alone, 15+ miles vs 6.75 miles and 5100' vs 3400' elevation gain only tell part of the tale. There's also the technical aspects (Ledges, Narrows, Trough, Homestretch) requiring scrambling on loose rocks and large slabs that can be mentally tiring for some.

Everyone handles the altitude differently, but you may already have a grasp on that from when you climbed Quandary. The distance can really get to some people, depending on their level of fitness, as it's a long hike down after you make the summit. The technical parts on the rocks should be fine with good gripping trail shoes or hiking boots... no need for ropes on the Keyhole route. Be careful in the Trough as careless people tend to kick rocks down. The Narrows live up to their name and can be single file in places.

I highly recommend starting early (3am-4am) to make sure you get ahead of the crowds and can be below treeline in time for the frequent afternoon showers.

You also can get some good info and recent trip reports on the 14ers.com Longs Peak Keyhole Route page.

Also, feel free to send me a PM and I'll be glad to give you input on any of the peaks in RMNP. There are several others that are more challenging than Longs but just don't get the attention since they are high 13ers.

Thank you tmtxco. We are discussing both the Keyhole or Clarks' Arrow routes and understand the later will be a more technical climb. We are also discussing whether to hike up to and camp at the Boulder Field, then finish the climb the next morning. That will break up the climb but require us to bring a lot of additional gear, water, food and sleeping at that altitude will be an issue.

I've done Longs via the Keyhole Route and the Loft Route (Clark's Arrow). When I did the Loft Route, we came down the Keyhole Route as it was easier for the group we were with.

I'd discourage going the Loft Route for the first time unless you are comfortable with scrambling, exposure, and route finding. Unlike the Keyhole Route where the off-trail section is marked by painted bullseyes, you are on your own on the Loft Route. The views are second-to-none but it's an even more dangerous hike on an already challenging hike/run.

As far as camping goes, permits can be tough and it's a hard night's sleep due to the extreme wind. If your goal is Longs, just get it done in a day with an early morning (3am-ish) start.

I'll send you a text with my email.

Good luck.

I texted TAM85 but also wanted to post on here in case anyone comes across this thread and is considering Longs Peak.

Hallett Peak is a milder alternative to Longs Peak. It gets you up high, offers great views, and has some fun scrambling. It's 10.3 miles and 3240' gain. You start at Bear Lake, go up the Flattop Trail, then after getting to Flattop, you wind along the Continental Divide to Hallett and then scramble up the rocks and boulders.

There is a good overview as well as a few pictures here.

Sitting in the Denver airport after blitzing 4 14ers yesterday and today. Took some guys who'd just moved to Denver in the last 6 months. We probably aren't friends anymore lol. I landed late Sunday night, we did Grays & Torreys on Monday morning. Went to a soccer game last night. They asked if there were others near Denver so we hit Evan's and Bierstadt this morning. Got a little hairy this morning with some weather around 730am. Snow flurries made a bunch of people turn back and it turns out that they hiked back down into a rainstorm/hail that skirted north of Evans.

wangus12 said:

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Sitting in the Denver airport after blitzing 4 14ers yesterday and today. Took some guys who'd just moved to Denver in the last 6 months. We probably aren't friends anymore lol. I landed late Sunday night, we did Grays & Torreys on Monday morning. Went to a soccer game last night. They asked if there were others near Denver so we hit Evan's and Bierstadt this morning. Got a little hairy this morning with some weather around 730am. Snow flurries made a bunch of people turn back and it turns out that they hiked back down into a rainstorm/hail that skirted north of Evans.

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Sounds like a lot of fun! I've been trying to get back down to Grays & Torreys this year for the glissade but haven't had time to get away from RMNP. Is the glissade still doable?

Also, did you all go the standard out-and-back route on Grays & Torreys or did you go up Kelso Ridge and down Grays?

We just did the normal out and back. Both guys I was with had no back country experience and I've only done the Kelso route once so I went with what I was familiar with. You could still do some glissading if you wanted to. Its probably easier than slipping your way down it