Go 13.8 miles south on Colorado 17 from Highway 285 in the San Luis Valley. If coming from the south, go 16.8 miles from the junction of Colorado 17 and 112 in Hooper. .5 mile south of Moffat, go east on a paved road 12.5 mile to Crestone.

Go past the Crestone Post Office SLOWLY, following signs along the way, enter the Rio Grande National Forest and the trailhead, 2.3 miles from the center of town. The road is a bit rough past the forest boundary.

Route Description

Route Map - Click for more information

Red numbers in the text correspond with the numbers in the map accompanying this description.

From the trailhead, hike east about 300 feet. The trail then turns south, leading you through the forest and across a couple of minor streams. On the other side of the forest is a clearing and a sign that indicates your turn-off for the Willow Lake trail, due east. A register precedes a long march ahead.

The trail climbs steadily through the clearing due east, then ascends a ridge with the first set (12) of 61(!) switchbacks to come. Once over this forested ridge, you drop gradually south into the Willow Creek drainage, contouring high above the valley below as you resume an eastward course.

Willow Lake & Kit Carson Mountain

As you draw close to the lake and you are north of the Kit Carson massif, many switchbacks wind up through rocky passages (1) before placing you in the basin just below Willow Lake. Things are a bit soggy through this stretch as you pass around the north side of the lake. Counting the marshy areas below Willow Lake, there are 61 switchbacks on this trail. Bashing through willows (2) will be brief as you come around the north side of the lake. If you're lucky enpough to find it, a higher established trail over stable slide rock will allow you to avoid the willows. Attaining the bench about 160 feet above, more camping spots are available. Pass over the creek just east of the spectacular waterfall (could be tricky) and into the basin to view your quarry to the south. The climb has just begun. You have come just over 6 miles and gained 2,700 feet.

In the next mile you will gain 2,000 feet. Serious climbing ahead! A great tundra ramp will be evident to your right sweeping up toward the end of Kit Carson's west ridge. Climbing this ramp will take roughly two hours. It is sustained and very steep Class 2+ climbing. Cairns will be present. Near the top, cairns may lead you astray to an overlook to your right (3), but this is not the route. The route goes left through some scrambling that takes you to the SW side of the ridge.

Here you will cross two gullies (4), contouring rock walls worn smooth by melting snow and running water. Crossing these gullies involve some mild exposure, but the illusion is much greater with the San Luis Valley 6,000 feet below. Stay focussed and cross the gully (Class 2). Occasional handholds are present, but good tread will allow an easy walk across. The second gully has a worn pathway that takes some study to spot (Class 2). A chasm below seems to yawn for a meal! Climbing out of this gully puts you on the ridge proper (Class 2+), where it's a fun jaunt to the top of Challenger Peak (14,081).

On the ridge, you'll pass through a notch at the top of the popular but increasingly dangerous alternative to this route. Be sure to read this trip report. Climbing out of this notch will be either Class 2 or 3, depending on your choice.

Kit Carson Avenue & The Prow

Kit Carson's summit is right there, but your entertaining route is not over yet. Drop 300 feet toward the mountain to the saddle and proceed up the obvious ramp called Kit Carson Avenue (5). This ramp is 10 feet wide, littered with rock, gravel and tundra. In snow and ice, it would be perilous as the exposure is tremendous (900 feet). At the top of the Avenue is a corner. You're at the top of the Prow (6), a towering corner of stone on Kit Carson's SW face.

Descending Kit Carson Avenue

The Avenue drops in altitude, maintaining its width. Keep an eye out on your left for the standard approach gully. Cairns will likely be present, but evidence of heavy traffic will be your first clue. Climb this ascent gully to the summit (7).

Jim Lierman on the summit of Kit Carson, September, 2000
35mm Photo by Aaron Johnson

You can return via the same route, or do the following variation. As you descend from the summit, you'll notice another gully before you enter the gully you climbed up. This gully returns you to the Avenue as well. It is slightly steeper but less traveled and has less loose material (8).

Western Couloir

Ascending the West Couloir

Once on the Avenue, retrace your steps over the Prow, around the mountain back to the Challenger saddle. From there, climb up about 150 feet and cut NW directly across the NE face of Challenger (9). Try to maintain altitude, but DO NOT LOOSE ANY ALTITUDE. The slope gets steeper the lower you go, and the slope is unstable. If in doubt, gain altitude slightly. Maintain altitude until you intersept the ridge line before or at the notch at the top of a long gully (10).

Hasty Descent Along Challenger Ridge

Be sure to intercept the notch in Challenger's ridge, following the route back across the gullies and escarpments encountered earlier, and then retrace your steps back down the mountain.

Alternate Descent Option
Please note that the following description, intended as an emergency descent route has now become the standard ascent and descent route. In certain conditions, execution of this route is certainly understandable, but from a safety aspect, returning via the prescribed route above will avoid potentially dangerous conditions that would exist in crowded circumstances often encountered on this route.

A descent alternative begins at the notch and descends the gully briefly, then angling left down a scree covered climber's trail. Cairns will be present, along with much evidence of foot traffic. Loose gravel and scree on a very steep slope (Class 2+) leads you to a shallow enclave which is easily downclimbed, followed by more loose terrain. This stretch will give your ankles a workout. Proceed carefully as every rock in this area is precariously loose!

Variations are plentiful and route finding is required. Cliffing out is a possibility. Move with much deliberate care!

Once out of the loose rock area, descend slightly left. STEEP tundra will be below you, and to the left will be a rock wall. Descend parallel to this rock wall back into the valley, staying on the worn trail whenever possible to minimize impact of foot traffic on the mountain. Once off the slope, the worn route will turn north and rendezvous with your original route.

Descending down this NE slope route described above saves time, but it has recently become very popular as both the preferred climbing and descent route. This situation has resulted in heavy use. Exercise extreme caution on this route if other climbers are present as rockfall on this route is a serious hazard!

Once in the basin, head back to camp or high tail it to your car, another 3-4 hours away.

Round trip mileage: 14 miles.
Elevation Gain: 6, 300 feet.

DANGER! Alternate Route Concerns

The alternate descent route described herein can be dangerous in wet and crowded conditions. In such conditions, the route (purple in above photo and only partially visible) is NOT RECOMMENDED. A recent return to climb and descend this alternate route almost met with disaster. The route described on this page (red in above photo) is the RECOMMENDED ROUTE.

See this trip report for a frightening account of my recent experience: Kit Carson via the West Ridge: Update 2004, 2007

Specifics regarding the approach to the trailhead were taken from Gerry Roach's book "Colorado Fourteeners: From Hikes to Climbs," as I fail to remember that stuff. I highly recommend it because it is instrumental in getting you to where you want to go. Recent amendments to the route mileages were made according to measurements made with TOPO! software, accounting for the 56 switchbacks encountered enroute to Willow Lake.

Essential Gear

Well stocked day pack for a 1 day attempt. Boots with good tread are essential, along with a dependable light source.

If backpacking: Good camping is available around Willow Lake, but please maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet from the lake. Good camping above the lake in an alpine environment is also available.

If you anticipate snow, ice axe and crampons are required.

Winter ascents are not recommended due to extreme avalanche danger on the climb from Willow Lake to Challenger's ridge. This route takes on epic proportions in snow and ice conditions. A full compliment of rope, rack, crampons and axes would be required, probably some screws as well, not to mention a full compliment of gear akin to an expedition.

A successful winter ascent is unlikely due to access issues.

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