The Homestretch
The Homestretch, the easiest route through the summit cliffs, is a steep rock groove that has been polished by climber's feet over the past 140 years. Scramble up diagonalling cracks on steep granite slabs for 300 feet, using lots of good hand and foot holds. Follow the painted route markers to keep the difficulty at Class 3. If you stray off-route, the difficulty quickly increases. This section can be difficult and dangerous in bad weather or if there's snow.
Longs Peak Summit
Above The Homestretch, scramble a few feet more onto the large, flat summit of Longs Peak. Take some deep breaths. Eat your lunch. Take in the stunning views of surrounding peaks and the distant prairie shimmering in the afternoon sun. Don't forget to record your achievement in the summit register, along with the thousands of other climbers that climb to the 15th highest summit in Colorado every year. If you want to stand on the actual high point, you'll have to climb atop a big boulder.
The Descent
While on top, keep an eye on the weather to the west. If thunderstorms are building, it's best to start down before rain and lightning comes. The upper sections of the mountain can be treacherous during and after thunderstorms. Reverse the route to descend. Novices will sometimes freeze up before down-climbing the steep and exposed Homestretch. After leaving the Trough, pay attention to the traverse across the Ledges to make sure that at its end, you climb down to the Keyhole. Some returning parties mistake a higher notch called the False Keyhole for the real thing. Plan on spending about half the time it took you to ascend to complete your descent back to the trailhead.
