It should come as no surprise that people from all over the world visit Colorado to get a taste of our outdoor recreation, including our world-class mountains. While there is a mountain for nearly every preference and skill level, one of the most popular continues to be Longs Peak: a 14,259-foot mountain nestled away in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Despite Longs Peak being one of the most popular and heavily-trafficked Colorado mountains, it is also the deadliest mountain in Colorado. Why is Longs Peak so dangerous? How many people have died on Longs Peak? Read on to find out.
According to OutThere Colorado, Longs Peak is the most dangerous mountain in Colorado, thanks to both the difficult 14.5-mile climb and the huge drops.
Visited by upwards of 20,000 climbers each year, Longs Peak has accounted for 67 of Rocky Mountain National Parks' recorded 374 deaths (1915 to 2017), 70% of which were from falls alone.
The other 30% of deaths on Longs Peak are said to have come from exhaustion, hypothermia, and/or cardiac arrest.
Why do so many fall on Longs Peak?
OutThere chalks it up to a lack of experience, as the terrain is abnormally steep and rugged, and consists of mostly jagged rocks and uneven ground.
If you do not have experience with climbing 14ers, Longs Peak may not be the best place to start, so be sure to get more experience with shorter climbs before you begin your ascent up the mountain.
First discovered by Major Stephen Long in 1820, Longs Peak is considered to be one of the most prominent mountains in Colorado, and can be easily be spotted from most of the northern Front Range.
The first recorded climb on Longs Peak was completed by a surveying party in 1868 and has remained a bustling spot ever since, with the Keyhole Route considered to be the easiest and most popular trail on the mountain.
For more information about Longs Peak - or to check on current conditions on the mountain - please visit the National Park Service's website.
Even though it's the most dangerous mountain in Colorado, hundreds of people climb it each year- and survive. If you want to climb Longs Peak and are an experienced hiker, don't let this post scare you. Just be prepared and know what you're in for. This hike is not for the inexperienced.
Have you made it to the top of Longs Peak? Can you offer any tips for those training to do so? Sound off in the comments! For the list of the most dangerous mountains in America, check out this article: You’ll Want To Avoid The 5 Most Dangerous Mountain Peaks In The USA.
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