Standard route from camp at the old 4WD TH. Nice route, but still prefer Crestone Needle's standard route.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 1996
Crestone Peak
Climbed wrong peak, backtracked 900' vertical.
Ted Eliason - Oct 12, 2011 2:59 pm Date Climbed: May 14, 2002
Great Peak!
Up the NW couloir from Bears Playground after a cold bivy at upper Colony lake. Many potential mixed alpine routes on the North Face not discussed in guide books.
Super fun route. Everything was clear of snow except for a couple hundred feet of climbing just below broken hand pass on the south colony lake side. Down climbing this section was a bit dicey at places but all in all not too bad. some ppl might prefer a mountaineering axe for this section only.
Pretty long day hike from the new gate closure. The gully was fun safe scrambling with little exposure. Biggest risk is likely rockfall from other climbers, especially at broken hand pass. Hordes of people around over the labor day weekend.
a nice big peak, though more of a slog than anything else, even via the traverse...TR up at http://zoomloco.xanga.com/732717261/purple-mountain-majesties/
Very satisfying summit. Sat for an hour at Broken hand pass, waiting for clouds to clear. Finally cleared up and I made a go for it. Crestones are amazing.
Jeremy Hakes - Apr 23, 2011 4:39 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2002
Want to go back...
And do this again.
centrifuge - Jan 12, 2011 10:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2007
cool climb
amazing climb, met bill on this one
Panthera uncia - Dec 22, 2010 6:11 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2010
Snowy Red Gully
Encountered a lot of snow in the gully on the standard route so we opted to climb some fun, knoby rock up to the summit.
Matt Miller - Dec 11, 2010 1:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2008
Rough ride
The worst part of the entire journey was the ride into the trailhead. Climbed the Needle with my incredible wife Leah and then headed over to the Peak alone. Great day!
rockymountaindiva - Oct 11, 2010 12:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
Another foggy summit
Happy to get this one after the miserable slog up Cottonwood Creek!
We made the short approach and camped at the upper South Colony Lake. Then up to the ridge and up the NW Gully. Then down the red gully and over Broken Hand Pass to make a loop of it. Nice area and an interesting route. Steep, but never scary steep.
skorpeo - Aug 29, 2010 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2010
From new parking lot
Thirteen hours from new parking lot. My partner, Paul could have easily taken 3-4 hours off that time.
From the saddle to the summit was a bit airy, but fun.
metal4lyf - Aug 16, 2010 11:08 am Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
N Buttress
The North Buttress is an amazing route and a great preparation for the Peak-to-Needle traverse (which is easier in my opinion than the crux of the buttress). Incredible!
Awesome Climb, Missed out on the exposure, we were climbing in mostly fog and cloud cover, lite hail. Definately an experience. Hope to do the needle soon.
JakeCO - Apr 10, 2012 12:54 am Date Climbed: Jun 12, 2011
SW GullyCamped at Lower S. Colony Lake (windy), Climbed snow over Broken hand pass and up the SW gully, gorgeous day, perfect weekend!
DerekFreed - Apr 3, 2012 2:30 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2010
Red GullyStandard route from camp at the old 4WD TH. Nice route, but still prefer Crestone Needle's standard route.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 1996
Crestone PeakClimbed wrong peak, backtracked 900' vertical.
Ted Eliason - Oct 12, 2011 2:59 pm Date Climbed: May 14, 2002
Great Peak!Up the NW couloir from Bears Playground after a cold bivy at upper Colony lake. Many potential mixed alpine routes on the North Face not discussed in guide books.
ABQDrew - Sep 26, 2011 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2011
Standard Route - Super funSuper fun route. Everything was clear of snow except for a couple hundred feet of climbing just below broken hand pass on the south colony lake side. Down climbing this section was a bit dicey at places but all in all not too bad. some ppl might prefer a mountaineering axe for this section only.
boisedoc - Sep 5, 2011 1:24 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2011
Red gullyPretty long day hike from the new gate closure. The gully was fun safe scrambling with little exposure. Biggest risk is likely rockfall from other climbers, especially at broken hand pass. Hordes of people around over the labor day weekend.
matthewp - Aug 21, 2011 3:44 pm
Red GullyFirst Class 3. One of my favorite climbs to date.
zoomloco - Jul 16, 2011 4:38 pm
ellingwood arete direct to traversea nice big peak, though more of a slog than anything else, even via the traverse...TR up at http://zoomloco.xanga.com/732717261/purple-mountain-majesties/
triyoda - Apr 25, 2011 10:06 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2009
Red GullyVery satisfying summit. Sat for an hour at Broken hand pass, waiting for clouds to clear. Finally cleared up and I made a go for it. Crestones are amazing.
Jeremy Hakes - Apr 23, 2011 4:39 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2002
Want to go back...And do this again.
centrifuge - Jan 12, 2011 10:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2007
cool climbamazing climb, met bill on this one
Panthera uncia - Dec 22, 2010 6:11 pm Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2010
Snowy Red GullyEncountered a lot of snow in the gully on the standard route so we opted to climb some fun, knoby rock up to the summit.
Matt Miller - Dec 11, 2010 1:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2008
Rough rideThe worst part of the entire journey was the ride into the trailhead. Climbed the Needle with my incredible wife Leah and then headed over to the Peak alone. Great day!
rockymountaindiva - Oct 11, 2010 12:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
Another foggy summitHappy to get this one after the miserable slog up Cottonwood Creek!
Flyingclimber - Oct 5, 2010 8:39 pm
3 in one almost fourCrestone Needle, Peak, Humbolt
mirhash - Sep 7, 2010 10:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2010
The Peak from Cottonwood CreekTried to make the peak to needle traverse but had to bail due to nil visibility
ericnoel - Sep 6, 2010 4:42 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2010
Crestone and East CrestoneWe made the short approach and camped at the upper South Colony Lake. Then up to the ridge and up the NW Gully. Then down the red gully and over Broken Hand Pass to make a loop of it. Nice area and an interesting route. Steep, but never scary steep.
skorpeo - Aug 29, 2010 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2010
From new parking lotThirteen hours from new parking lot. My partner, Paul could have easily taken 3-4 hours off that time.
From the saddle to the summit was a bit airy, but fun.
metal4lyf - Aug 16, 2010 11:08 am Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
N ButtressThe North Buttress is an amazing route and a great preparation for the Peak-to-Needle traverse (which is easier in my opinion than the crux of the buttress). Incredible!
BGL84 - Jul 4, 2010 9:34 pm
Red CouloirAwesome Climb, Missed out on the exposure, we were climbing in mostly fog and cloud cover, lite hail. Definately an experience. Hope to do the needle soon.