Sangre de Cristo Mountains > Crestone Peak > Climber's LogCrestone Peak Climber's Log
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| RyanS | Route Climbed: South Face via Cottonwood Creek Date Climbed: July 22, 2002  | |
| Encouraged by success on Kit Carson and Challenger the week before, Erin and I returned to the Sangres to try Crestone Peak. We used the Cottonwood Creek approach, and we had an interesting time negotiating that trail in the dark. We reached Cottonwood Lake at daybreak, but ominous clouds greeted us in the morning light. After waiting for a break in the clouds, we summitted Crestone Peak. We were so excited, we forgot about East Crestone.... guess we'll be coming back someday! A trip report is available here. | |
| Posted Apr 12, 2004 11:52 am | ||
| Larry V | Route Climbed: South Face Date Climbed: August 1997 | |
| This is a good, manageable route on an exciting fourteener peak. Climbed the Peak first, then Crestone Needle and Humboldt. It makes for a long but memorable day! Highly recommeded. | |
| Posted Apr 10, 2004 9:57 am | ||
| eckdoerry | Route Climbed: three 14ers Date Climbed: Augest 10, 2001 | |
| I climbed all three of the local 14ers this day in one long hard push. Real hardmen can add in Kit Carson too, but, ah well, maybe next time. Did a wierd variation up a sketchy couloir on the SE face of the Needle, then traversed to Crestone Peak summit --- also sketchy in places; couldn't see the simple ridge route the guide described (need better guide!) -- and then slogged up Humboldt, which is the least interesting in terms of climbing, but a nice relaxing grind to end the day. Started at 530am, got down by 130 to avoid lingering monsoon weather. | |
| Posted Nov 28, 2003 11:46 am | ||
| Grant | Route Climbed: Cottonwood Lake TH Date Climbed: Sept 7, 2002 | |
| Finally starting to run out of easy fourteeners and now it’s time to start the harder ones. From reading and talking to people Crestone Peak sounded like a good start because of its class 3 area is on solid rock and there isn’t much probability of rock fall. In the morning I started up a good trail after about two miles the trail wasn’t in the best shape and it was hard to follow. At timberline the trail was fading quickly, and the willows were covering it. I was happy to get through the willows because my legs were getting beat up pretty good. I finally met the main trail where the majority of people come from South Colony Lakes via Broken Hand Pass. The weather wasn’t the best but I came this far and I wasn’t going to quit until I heard thunder. Looking up at the red chute it didn’t look as intimidating as I thought, but my adrenaline and confidence were running high. I started up the chute and there were some areas where I had to think and finding hand and foot holds wasn’t a problem, plus the rock fall was almost nonexistent. After 1000 feet of very fun scrambling I made it just below the notch where I turned left (west) for the last 200 foot scramble to the summit. The Summit was very small and with seven other people on the peak it was very crowded. The exposure to the north and east was quite incredible and after about ten minutes of looking straight down a 800 foot vertical face I had enough. Further down the trail at the first waterfall I ran into a couple that told me that someone died near Crestone Peak last night. I remembered walking by a tent on my way up just past the willows and on the way back search and rescue was in this same place with a dead sled, and the tent was gone. It was raining when I past them so I didn’t chit-chat with them. The dead sled had something in it and I thought it was just equipment. I guess it was the person. | |
| Posted Oct 27, 2003 10:49 pm | ||
| Brice Neugebauer | Route Climbed: Red Coulier Date Climbed: 27 July 2002 | |
| Traverse from summit to Crestone Needle | |
| Posted Aug 30, 2003 9:54 am | ||
| big_g | Route Climbed: South Face/Red Couloir Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2003 | |
| Day 2 of my Crestone hikathon. Beautiful peak but I was a little disappointed in the route. It seemed like I was not using my hands enough for it to be a class 3 route. Maybe I am that good? | |
| Posted Aug 8, 2003 1:34 am | ||
| Alan Ellis | Route Climbed: South Face/Red Couloir Date Climbed: August 2, 2003 | |
| This is a classic class 3 route with a wonderful summit. Thanks to Andy for joining me on this climb. It was a great day in the Sangres, and this is a peak which rates as one of my favorites. See photos of this trip on my website. | |
| Posted Aug 3, 2003 3:45 pm | ||
| Andy | Route Climbed: Red Coulior Date Climbed: August 2, 2003 | |
| I had a great time climbing with Alan Ellis. We left camp at South Colony Lakes at 4:30 and were on the summit by 8:45. The weather was beautiful and the climb was a blast. We made it back to camp by 13:30. This was my first taste of the Sangre de Cristos. I'll be back! | |
| Posted Aug 3, 2003 1:18 pm | ||
| ctruscot | Route Climbed: easiest class 3 Date Climbed: July 2003 | |
| In a hurry to record all peaks I did last week, so skipping trip reports. I am so happy I never have to drive that Colony Lakes road again - I hate that road. Count on 2 hours of 4x4 - ug. Beautiful climb and first on summit that day. | ||
| Posted Jul 14, 2003 7:26 pm | ||
| charms | Route Climbed: South Face Date Climbed: July 20, 2002 | |
| After having reached the summit of my first 14er, the Crestone Needle, the day before, I was somewhat hesitant to climb Crestone Peak. I enjoyed the long hike from South Colony to the base of the Red Couloir, but once we got to the Couloir I began getting anxious to get this one behind me. I admit now that the Needle totally psyched me out for the rest of the weekend, and all because my climbing partner lead me up a difficult class 4 climb with the perception of great exposure on the way up the needle. I eventually settled into the Red Couloir and actually began enjoying the climb until we actually reached the summit. Then I began dreaming of the wide open spaces of Texas. I was glad to get off the summit and back into the couloir of which I really enjoyed hiking back down. | |
| Posted Jan 16, 2003 7:07 pm | ||
| mtnhiker13 | Route Climbed: Standard Date Climbed: July 19, 2002 | |
| A long day but worth the trip. The class 2-3 rock climbing was the most fun for me. The summit was great with wonderful views of the Sand Dunes, Kit Carson, Crestone Needle etc. | |
| Posted Dec 27, 2002 12:10 pm | ||
| rmjwinters | Route Climbed: Colony Lakes to N Coulair Date Climbed: July 6 1999 | |
| Approached to Bear's Playground and then traversed into the north chute. The snow was soft and ice axe used for safety. Only one on the Crestones today. | |
| Posted Oct 5, 2002 9:06 pm | ||
| xskier77 | Route Climbed: North Buttress Date Climbed: September 21, 2002 | |
| This was by far my most challenging 14er to date and was probably more challenging than it needed to be considering I forgot to bring a copy of the route description. I think we were close to the North Buttress route however several times it felt like the difficulty was pushing class five. Attempted to make the traverse to the needle and had to bail as the sun was setting. The trek back to South Colony lake was extremely difficult trudging through thigh deep snow at times and finally making it back to camp at 12:00am. | |
| Posted Sep 22, 2002 6:49 pm | ||
| Matt Mahoney | Route Climbed: Cottonwood - south couloir - traverse to Needle Date Climbed: Aug. 7, 2002 | |
| Climbed with Mike Bur. The trail up from Cottonwood is horrible, ended up bushwacking class 3 to treeline. The actual climb up the couloir was much easier. No snow. We met another climber who was climbing barefoot. It took us 5 hours from the Cottonwood trailhead to the summit, and 14 hours total including the traverse to the Needle and back down. | |
| Posted Sep 13, 2002 5:28 pm | ||
| coloradoclimber | Route Climbed: Northwest Coulior and Traverse Date Climbed: July 2001 | |
| This coulior was my first real snow climb. very nice! the traverse was difficult, that last summit pitch to the needle was incredible, i would highly reccomend ths route!!!!! | |
| Posted May 28, 2002 5:21 pm | ||
| jwclimbs | Route Climbed: North Buttress Date Climbed: Aug. 29, 2001 | |
| Very nice route. I'd take the 4th class knobby adventure over the wet, loose scree of the Northwest Couloir any day. | |
| Posted Apr 1, 2002 8:31 pm | ||
| miztflip | Route Climbed: North Chutes Date Climbed: April ?, 1999 | |
| This was my first alpine snow and ice climb. This still ranks as one of my all time favorite climbs. Lots of exposure but great snow. | |
| Posted Aug 8, 2001 2:54 pm | ||
| climbcolorado | Route Climbed: South Face | |
| I have climbed this route twice and know some tricks to make it safer and faster! You must climb to the trail used for the traverse of Crestone Needle to Crestone Peak which is to the right of the red couloir. Follow the trail left to the right side of the red couloir and climb up following faint climbers trail. This is solid 3rd class without the rock fall of the coulior about half way up you enter the red coulior to the summit. | |
| Posted Jul 17, 2001 10:06 am | ||
| theplugger | Route Climbed: South Face from Cottonwood Creek Trailhead Date Climbed: 08-18-92 | |
| Done as a backpack in to Cottonwood Lake, described by Gerry Roach as "arduous", thus totally redefining 'arduous' for my my husband, J and I!! By the time we got to our campsite at Cottonwood Lake, neither of us cared if we ever saw the top of that peak, only 1 mile/2000' away. Luckily, a good night's sleep was a great tonic, and we recovered enough to complete the climb in the morning and backpack out. Loose rocks falling, steep snowfield toward the top...I disliked this peak as strongly as I loved the Needle. | |
| Posted Jul 16, 2001 6:40 pm | ||
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