seano - Sep 7, 2009 9:15 am Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2009
from Peak
Fun class 3 knobs. You drop down surprisingly far to start (13,700'?).
Ingman - Aug 16, 2009 11:15 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
via Ellingwood Arete
w/ B. Gibbs & C. Treiber
Camp: 6:45am Summit: 10:40am
Very high winds rejected our planned traverse to Crestone Peak. Descended the standard route. Ellingwood arete is amazing!
RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 14, 2009 11:44 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2009
Love the Needle!
Standard route up from S. Colony Lakes camp w/Chad, made it in 3.0 hours flat - what a fun climb! Traversed to Peak. Did the East summit this time since we did the West summit last month. Descent of NW Couloir route.
strudolyubov - Aug 2, 2009 1:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Standard Route and Ellingwood Arete
Climbed the Needle via standard route from South Colony Lakes. Ascended steeper east gully and descended via west gully route. There was still some water running in the middle of the east gully. Great weather, incredible views!
08/17/2013: Climbed Ellingwood Ledges route with Ryan. Nice rock, beautiful setting, - classic!
Outstanding climbing, very airy, with beautiful views. I'm so gratefull to have the opportunity to climb it with my husband, Andy and Fabio. Thanks guys.
RC Cola - Jul 13, 2009 3:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2004
great climb!
One of my all-time favorites!
skyward22 - Jul 13, 2009 6:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2009
the arete
climbed w/Blumsky as his first 14er, my 9th? great climb but we got all the way up on ledges to the point where the face meets the arete, and in doing so passed the red knob. made for only about 3 technical pitches of climbing. got off-route on the downclimb and found some lower 5th downclimbing in one of the gullies. got down okay to find a marmot had chewed on my pack and had eaten by hat!
What a great climb, Ellingwood Arete with the traverse to Crestone Peak..This has to be one of the best areas of Colorado!
SarahThompson - Jan 6, 2009 6:35 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
In all 4 seasons, 5x total
7/16/05 - Climbed the standard route after backpacking from the 2WD TH and camping near South Colony Lakes. Dropped my camera and was able to rescue it but not the memory card :(. After fetching a new one at camp we capped off the day with an easy climb up Humboldt.
7/17/05 - Climbed the standard route again after climbing Crestone Peak so I could retake the pictures :)
5/28/06 - Classic traverse from Crestone Peak. Climbed down standard route and added on Broken Hand Peak before returning to camp along Cottonwood Creek.
2/21/09 - Winter ascent, standard route. Backpacked in along Cottonwood Creek. My most challening winter summit to date - quite an epic climb. Simulclimbed up the south couloirs, proper anchor/belay was necessary occasionally. Couloir crossover made for a spicy crux. Rapped/climbed down from 13,800 ft in the dark.
12/2/12 - Backpacked to South Colony Lakes, climbed Needle's standard route, and traversed to Crestone Peak. Very dry for December.
Fun route. The crux traverse between gullies was saucy. But for my money, the N Ridge of Kit Carson is still the best non-technical climb in the Crestones.
What a beautiful and challenging mountain! Originally planned to do the traverse from Crestone Peak, but high winds pushed us do the east to west gulley on the Needle. Climbed with long time climbing partner, Alan. Went on to climb Humbolt Peak that evening in beautiful Sangre de Cristo weather.
Asphazell - Sep 2, 2008 7:42 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Standard route
I never thought I would climb this peak when I first saw it on Roach's 14ers book. I have come a long way since then. The rock is outstanding and exhilerating! Excellent holds made this a pure joy! I'll be back for the Arete!
alpspitze - Aug 13, 2008 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2008
Standard Route
This is one that I have been looking forward to for a long time. Had the mountain to myself. Started at 6am and summited at 8am.
myrone - Jul 19, 2008 9:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2008
Crestone Needle via Upper S. Colony TH
Started up at 6:25AM. Route finding isn't the easiest on this peak, but prevailed with help from friends I met along the way; reached summit at 10:25. Rising clouds socked-in a good portion of the views from the summit. Started back down at 10:45 and back to the TH at 2:08PM as it started to rain. My 41st 14'er...sweet!!
seano - Sep 7, 2009 9:15 am Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2009
from PeakFun class 3 knobs. You drop down surprisingly far to start (13,700'?).
Ingman - Aug 16, 2009 11:15 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
via Ellingwood Aretew/ B. Gibbs & C. Treiber
Camp: 6:45am Summit: 10:40am
Very high winds rejected our planned traverse to Crestone Peak. Descended the standard route. Ellingwood arete is amazing!
RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 14, 2009 11:44 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2009
Love the Needle!Standard route up from S. Colony Lakes camp w/Chad, made it in 3.0 hours flat - what a fun climb! Traversed to Peak. Did the East summit this time since we did the West summit last month. Descent of NW Couloir route.
strudolyubov - Aug 2, 2009 1:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Standard Route and Ellingwood AreteClimbed the Needle via standard route from South Colony Lakes. Ascended steeper east gully and descended via west gully route. There was still some water running in the middle of the east gully. Great weather, incredible views!
08/17/2013: Climbed Ellingwood Ledges route with Ryan. Nice rock, beautiful setting, - classic!
pyerger - Jul 30, 2009 3:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2007
the needleClimbed this a couple of times, great scramble.
Alan Ellis - Jul 29, 2009 7:20 am Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2009
2nd Time on the AreteLucky we had good weather. :)
Thanks to Jackie, Andy, and Fabio for a great day.
mattpayne11 - Jul 28, 2009 1:50 am Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2009
Standard RouteAwesome mountain. Much easier than advertised.
cruzit - Jul 24, 2009 4:49 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2009
Arete via Ellingwood LedgesOutstanding climbing, very airy, with beautiful views. I'm so gratefull to have the opportunity to climb it with my husband, Andy and Fabio. Thanks guys.
RC Cola - Jul 13, 2009 3:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2004
great climb!One of my all-time favorites!
skyward22 - Jul 13, 2009 6:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2009
the areteclimbed w/Blumsky as his first 14er, my 9th? great climb but we got all the way up on ledges to the point where the face meets the arete, and in doing so passed the red knob. made for only about 3 technical pitches of climbing. got off-route on the downclimb and found some lower 5th downclimbing in one of the gullies. got down okay to find a marmot had chewed on my pack and had eaten by hat!
Liba Kopeckova - Jul 8, 2009 4:10 am
from South Colonyvia Broken Hand Pass. Done over Labor Day weekend, very crowded that day. My dog did jump better than a mountain goat.
Pablohoney - Mar 27, 2009 8:05 pm
EllingwoodWhat a great climb, Ellingwood Arete with the traverse to Crestone Peak..This has to be one of the best areas of Colorado!
SarahThompson - Jan 6, 2009 6:35 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2005
In all 4 seasons, 5x total7/16/05 - Climbed the standard route after backpacking from the 2WD TH and camping near South Colony Lakes. Dropped my camera and was able to rescue it but not the memory card :(. After fetching a new one at camp we capped off the day with an easy climb up Humboldt.
7/17/05 - Climbed the standard route again after climbing Crestone Peak so I could retake the pictures :)
5/28/06 - Classic traverse from Crestone Peak. Climbed down standard route and added on Broken Hand Peak before returning to camp along Cottonwood Creek.
2/21/09 - Winter ascent, standard route. Backpacked in along Cottonwood Creek. My most challening winter summit to date - quite an epic climb. Simulclimbed up the south couloirs, proper anchor/belay was necessary occasionally. Couloir crossover made for a spicy crux. Rapped/climbed down from 13,800 ft in the dark.
12/2/12 - Backpacked to South Colony Lakes, climbed Needle's standard route, and traversed to Crestone Peak. Very dry for December.
Hope to get back sometime for Ellingwood Arete :)
bmcnary1 - Nov 24, 2008 8:36 pm
RadGreat break from work with friends
Gahugafuga - Sep 14, 2008 11:36 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2008
S FaceFun route. The crux traverse between gullies was saucy. But for my money, the N Ridge of Kit Carson is still the best non-technical climb in the Crestones.
shanrickv - Sep 7, 2008 5:10 pm Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2008
Standard RouteWhat a beautiful and challenging mountain! Originally planned to do the traverse from Crestone Peak, but high winds pushed us do the east to west gulley on the Needle. Climbed with long time climbing partner, Alan. Went on to climb Humbolt Peak that evening in beautiful Sangre de Cristo weather.
Asphazell - Sep 2, 2008 7:42 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Standard routeI never thought I would climb this peak when I first saw it on Roach's 14ers book. I have come a long way since then. The rock is outstanding and exhilerating! Excellent holds made this a pure joy! I'll be back for the Arete!
alpspitze - Aug 13, 2008 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2008
Standard RouteThis is one that I have been looking forward to for a long time. Had the mountain to myself. Started at 6am and summited at 8am.
myrone - Jul 19, 2008 9:58 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2008
Crestone Needle via Upper S. Colony THStarted up at 6:25AM. Route finding isn't the easiest on this peak, but prevailed with help from friends I met along the way; reached summit at 10:25. Rising clouds socked-in a good portion of the views from the summit. Started back down at 10:45 and back to the TH at 2:08PM as it started to rain. My 41st 14'er...sweet!!
Sierra Ledge Rat - Jul 18, 2008 12:32 am
1990: S FaceWith Duane "Buzz" Inderdahl