Hike stats: ~12 miles, 4500' gain, 5:15am - 2:00pm roundtrip (for us).
For the 2nd week in a row, I got up at 3:20am for an early morning hike. This time I met up with my friend, Chris, whom I had summitted Castle Peak (my first 14er) with in 2005. He mentioned planning to hike Meeker at work, and I quickly volunteered to join him.
We left from my house at 4am, and began the drive in the dark. By the time we got to Estes Park, it was plenty light enough to see fine. As we neared the trailhead, we stopped so I could take this picture of the full moon setting along the ridge to Mount Meeker.
A full moon sets to the left of Mt. Meeker, as dawn approaches...
We arrived at Long's Peak trailhead at shortly after 5am, and were fortunate to find a parking spot near the ranger station (it's 14er season, and many Long's Peak hikers begin at 3:30am). By 5:15 we had our packs ready, and began the hike. The sun still hadn't lit up the forest yet, but through the trees we could see the alpenglow on Meeker and Longs.
Mt. Meeker glows red in the morning alpenglow...
Long's Peak trail is heavily traveled, and well maintained. This was the 4th time I'd been on this portion of the trail, all previous times heading for Chasm Lake (mostly recently 2 weeks ago). The trail gently asends through the pine forest, crossing a creek a few times before hitting tree line.
The morning sun illuminates everything with a golden enchantment. I felt like every future hike I take should be done during sunrise...
Shortly after arriving above treeline, we saw a jack-rabbit (didn't stay in view long enough for a picture). There were wildflowers out as well, which hadn't emerged yet during my last visit 2 weeks ago.
Wildflowers along the trail, shortly after sunrise...
The golden morning sunlight falls on Meeker (the left high peak), and Longs on the right...
We were hiking at a good pace, making great time. At the "crossroads" we could get a first glimpse of the routes to Meeker. There was snow up the Loft route, but we needed to get a closer look at how manageable it would be.
Meeker on the left, Longs on the right. Snow on the Loft route, in between...
Another look at Meeker, as we hiked towards Chasm meadows...
A look down a the falls towards Peacock Pool, just before a snowfield crossing...
The snowfield was still quite sizeable. The snow is slick, and a serious slip up with dump you out down over the waterfall. Still tons of tourists walk across this trail each day, some in just sneakers...
After crossing the snowfields, Chasm meadow is a lush green, with multiple veins of snow-melt water channeling through...
This just might make it a 2008 calendar...
From Chasm Meadows, we discussed which route to take up to Meeker. Given that the Loft route had snow, and we couldn't see if the narrow ledges there were clear, we decided to take the Iron Gates route up to Meeker, which would be a more simpler approach.
The Iron Gates route we opted for ascends the ridge at the notch on the left, and rides the ridge to the summit off to the right. (notice the yellow flowers in the tundra...)
A closer look at the Black Gates of Morder.. I mean Iron Gates of Meeker...
A even closer look at the Black Gates of Morder.. I mean Iron Gates of Meeker...
The climb from the meadow would be rocks, boulders and scree from here to the top. I hadn't hiked up rock fields like this since Snowmass Mountain last August, but my legs felt solid and balanced over the rocks.
A peak at Chasm Lake as we begin the climb up Meeker...
As we entered through the Gates, I saw an accessible ledge along the top of one of the "gate arms", and hiked over to see if I could walk out to the end and get my picture in front of Longs Peak.
A hike out along the narrow arm of the gate, hoping for a cool picture opt...
But this narrow plank was too dangerious and required some tricky moves to reach the end, so I headed back...
A look back down through the opening of the gates, at Long's Peak, and Chasm Lake...
The last stretch before reaching the ridge was steeper, and required some climbing with hands, but was very straight forward. Easy Class 3 stuff...
Some yellow and blue flowers thrived where our route merged with the ridge...
A 180 degree view looking west up the ridge towards Meeker. Long's is the bulge on the right, and a snippet of Chasm Lake is below...
It was a pretty straight forward ridge climb from here to the top. It was a surprise to see how steep the cliffs to the right were. I wasn't expecting such a dramatic cliff. It was very enjoyable hiking up the edge of the ridge, with wonderous views all around.
The steep cliffs to the right were impressive. We saw some people climbing up a snow/rock route further up on this cliff...
Steepness is defined by this. Also, the Iron Gates can be seen sticking out of the rock scree, below the cliffs...
As we near the top, it looks like a wave of rock is about to break out over the cliffs...
When we reach the top of the summit, it turned out to be the east peak of Meeker, with the true summit located across a knife edge ridge.
A view from the east summit of Meeker. The ridge connecting the true summit was surprisingly sharp. I was a bit shocked...
The ridge reminded me of Capitol Peak's knife edge ridge from the summit of K2. After a short ways forward, Chris opted to hang back, as his nerves with exposure weren't yet warmed up this season. I continued on, followed by another group of hikers.
I make my way across the sharp knife-edgy ridge. It wasn't nearly as exposed as Capitol Peak's knife edge, but still required great care and focus...
There were plenty of cracks to grab and shuffle your feet on, and the rock was 100% solid. I made my way over the top of the ridge, but as I progressed, I noticed places where it would be easy to stay lower on the north side of the ridge, and planned to take that route back.
A view of a sharp part of the knife-edge on the way to Meeker...
I summitted at about 10am. The temps were probably around 70, and the wind was still. Quite warm for 13,911'.
A view of Long's Peak, from Meeker. Hopfully I'll make a trip up there this year...
A close up of the Mummy Range from Meeker. Now I see it. Head, folded arms, knees, and feet, from left to right...
I didn't stay on Meeker long, and began the trek back towards the east peak to rejoin with Chris.
On the way back I tried staying down on the left side of the ridge, though had to climb back to the top for the steeper parts. Chris is the dot sticking up on the far peak...
Another look back across the ridge, with the Iron Gates in view down on the left..
When I joined back up with Chris, we ate lunch on the east peak. There were actually some insects up at 13,911'. A few bees along the trail but not many flies, like there were near the water at Chasm Meadows.
I enjoy a piece of Irish Soda Bread that my mom sent out on St Patricks Day (which I had recently thawed)...
A marmot visited us during lunch too. It's amazing that they live way up here. Not much around for them to eat/drink, but they make good entertainment for hikers...
Marmot close-up (from Chris's camera)...
After taking lots of pics of the marmot, it was time to head back down the ridge. Back towards the hot weather below...
A look down from the ridge, back to Chasm Meadows, thru the Iron Gates...
The descent form the ridge begins. You know I'm focused when my tongue hangs out to the left, like Michael Jordan...
The right side gate on the way down had cool "trolls" along the top...
Another look back down through the gates...
We glissaded down this snowfield which brought us back to Chasm Meadows...
Long's Peak, with water falling down the rock in front, in Chasm Meadows...
On the way back, a look back at Meeker...
We got back to the car ~2pm. It was 80 degrees at the trailhead, at 9400'. We drove back to Fort Collins, into the sweltering heat. A record temp of 100 degrees hit Denver that day.
The view from my deck back at home. You can see the east and west peaks of Meeker on the left, and Long's peak with the notch and the right...
89 feet away from a 14er, Mount Meeker gets a lot less attention that its neighbor, Long's Peak (14,255g'). But the peak is still magnificent, and a hidden gem (if you can call a 13,911' mountain hidden).