Climbing Crestone Peak was very memorable for me, since it was my last of the 14ers in Colorado. I hiked up the South Face from Cottonwood Creek in September of 2003.
JB99 - Dec 9, 2009 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2009
Had a fine day; first the Needle, then back to Cottonwood Lake and around for my second try of the trip. With weather threatening, I made it from the big cairn at the bottom to the summit in 1:09 - zoom! I was quite pleased. BTW, the class 4 traverse to the East Summit that Roach describes is actually a class 2+ walkup.
Red Gully from S Colony Lakes to 214' vertical feet from the saddle and then thunder went BOOM! And we went bye-bye.
seano - Sep 7, 2009 9:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2009
Red Gully
Cruiser class 2-3, with a Colorado Fourteener Interstate to the base. Nice peak.
RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 14, 2009 11:52 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2009
This time via Traverse
Did the West summit last month, but had some unfinished business. This time we did the East summit from the traverse from the Needle. Descent of the NW couloir. (A LITTLE BETA: Save the NW couloir for a nice snow climb folks. It's about half class 4 and a loose pile of SH_T at this time of year - I had to be on belay for 2/3 of it as I am not a pro down-climber on loose, wet class 4!!! Toss in an ice field right where you must cross to the exit too, an axe AND belay was needed to safely cross w/o crampons)
rocketsredglare - Aug 10, 2009 1:07 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2009
Broken CO cherry
One of the best days in the mountains I have had. The Red Gully is a definite climb, this is not an easy one and it definitely gives you some exposure! The summit is a beauty and the climb down and out is not as bad as you think coming up :)
Started at 10 and out by 7 going pretty easy and waiting for my party for an hour and a half. Ran the last 2-3 miles out. PERFECT!!
strudolyubov - Aug 2, 2009 12:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Red Gully
Climbed Crestone Peak (both W and E summits) via Red Gully after climbing the Needle earlier in the morning. Perfect weather, awesome views!
mattpayne11 - Jul 28, 2009 1:51 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
Up and down the red gully w/ my friend Jake. There was considerable snow in places which required a lot of difficult Class 3 and some Class 4 to avoid - all on solid rock. Amazing views - particularly to the south. We saw only a handful of folks west of Broken Hand Pass.
Broken Hand/red gully up and down. (Did about 1/2 the traverse to Needle and then called it due to time constraints - had to pick up kids...too bad, had perfect weather...we'll be back!)
I did Needle the day before, and Peak the following day. Very crowded over Labor day weekend. They did fix the road up to South Colony, so many people drove all the way up there. There was no parking available...
SteveMarr - Feb 2, 2009 6:16 am Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2003
South Face
Summited via the Red Gully Route on the south face in perfect fall conditions. Great impromptu trip.
SarahThompson - Jan 6, 2009 6:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2005
In all 4 seasons
7/17/05 - Climbed the (mostly dry) standard Red Gully Route from camp at South Colony Lake. My partner refused to attempt the 4th class traverse to Crestone Needle so we climbed down Crestone Peak, hiked back to Broken Hand Pass, and climbed Crestone Needle via its standard route.
5/28/06 - Climbed the (somewhat snowy) Red Gully from camp along Cottonwood Creek. My 1st time in crampons! Afterwards we did the classic traverse to Crestone Needle and added on Broken Hand Peak before calling it a day.
1/15/11 - Grueling approach up Cottonwood Creek with heavy packs. Spent two nights camped at 11,800ft. Scrambled (in crampons) up snowy rock to the right of the couloir until about 13,800 ft. Entered couloir via a slabby traverse and followed it to the top. Final summit ridge scramble was exciting. The approach and climb were an absolute butt kicker.
12/2/12 - Traversed from Crestone Needle and descended the Red Gully. Dry for December.
I will return for the NW couloir.
Bob Bolton - Dec 16, 2008 12:39 am Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Red Gully
Joined Dave Covill's group intending to join them for the traverse from Needle to Peak. However the party seemed a bit large and unwieldy, and the weather didn't seem solid, so I opted at Broken Hand Pass to head for my top priority, Crestone Peak's west and east summits. Sure enough the traverse didn't happen due to fog, so I was very glad I made the decision I did. Fun peak!
Eric Holle - Jun 7, 2010 2:52 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2010
South CouloirThis was a great snow climb from South Colony Lakes. On our way back to Broken Hand Pass, we climbed Crestolita as well.
theREALCarpeDM - Apr 8, 2010 5:38 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Red GullyLove the Sangres!
utclimber - Mar 28, 2010 4:00 pm
Final 14erClimbing Crestone Peak was very memorable for me, since it was my last of the 14ers in Colorado. I hiked up the South Face from Cottonwood Creek in September of 2003.
JB99 - Dec 9, 2009 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2009
Climbed with my little brotherhttp://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=6600&parmuser=JB99&cpgm=tripuser
pyerger - Dec 4, 2009 1:08 pm
south face x3I have climbed this a few times Great scramble up the south face. Did the traverse, from peak to needle once.
Darren9 - Nov 7, 2009 1:28 am
Red Couloir rocksOne of my first real couloir climbs and very fun. Part of guides training for WSC in Gunnison
ElliottDavis - Sep 17, 2009 2:31 pm Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2009
Second time's a charmHad a fine day; first the Needle, then back to Cottonwood Lake and around for my second try of the trip. With weather threatening, I made it from the big cairn at the bottom to the summit in 1:09 - zoom! I was quite pleased. BTW, the class 4 traverse to the East Summit that Roach describes is actually a class 2+ walkup.
ElliottDavis - Sep 17, 2009 2:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2009
hail and thunderRed Gully from S Colony Lakes to 214' vertical feet from the saddle and then thunder went BOOM! And we went bye-bye.
seano - Sep 7, 2009 9:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2009
Red GullyCruiser class 2-3, with a Colorado Fourteener Interstate to the base. Nice peak.
RMdaytripsgrl - Aug 14, 2009 11:52 am Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2009
This time via TraverseDid the West summit last month, but had some unfinished business. This time we did the East summit from the traverse from the Needle. Descent of the NW couloir. (A LITTLE BETA: Save the NW couloir for a nice snow climb folks. It's about half class 4 and a loose pile of SH_T at this time of year - I had to be on belay for 2/3 of it as I am not a pro down-climber on loose, wet class 4!!! Toss in an ice field right where you must cross to the exit too, an axe AND belay was needed to safely cross w/o crampons)
rocketsredglare - Aug 10, 2009 1:07 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2009
Broken CO cherryOne of the best days in the mountains I have had. The Red Gully is a definite climb, this is not an easy one and it definitely gives you some exposure! The summit is a beauty and the climb down and out is not as bad as you think coming up :)
Started at 10 and out by 7 going pretty easy and waiting for my party for an hour and a half. Ran the last 2-3 miles out. PERFECT!!
strudolyubov - Aug 2, 2009 12:45 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2009
Red GullyClimbed Crestone Peak (both W and E summits) via Red Gully after climbing the Needle earlier in the morning. Perfect weather, awesome views!
mattpayne11 - Jul 28, 2009 1:51 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
Red GullyVia Cottonwood Creek TH.
csmcgranahan - Jul 19, 2009 5:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2009
Amazing viewsUp and down the red gully w/ my friend Jake. There was considerable snow in places which required a lot of difficult Class 3 and some Class 4 to avoid - all on solid rock. Amazing views - particularly to the south. We saw only a handful of folks west of Broken Hand Pass.
RMdaytripsgrl - Jul 16, 2009 2:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2009
Ain't No Joke!This is a mountain CLIMB! Sweet mountain.
Broken Hand/red gully up and down. (Did about 1/2 the traverse to Needle and then called it due to time constraints - had to pick up kids...too bad, had perfect weather...we'll be back!)
Liba Kopeckova - Jul 10, 2009 9:06 am
too crowded over Labor day weekendI did Needle the day before, and Peak the following day. Very crowded over Labor day weekend. They did fix the road up to South Colony, so many people drove all the way up there. There was no parking available...
Pablohoney - Mar 27, 2009 8:06 pm
Needle to Peak traverseOne of the best areas in Colorado
SteveMarr - Feb 2, 2009 6:16 am Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2003
South FaceSummited via the Red Gully Route on the south face in perfect fall conditions. Great impromptu trip.
SarahThompson - Jan 6, 2009 6:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2005
In all 4 seasons7/17/05 - Climbed the (mostly dry) standard Red Gully Route from camp at South Colony Lake. My partner refused to attempt the 4th class traverse to Crestone Needle so we climbed down Crestone Peak, hiked back to Broken Hand Pass, and climbed Crestone Needle via its standard route.
5/28/06 - Climbed the (somewhat snowy) Red Gully from camp along Cottonwood Creek. My 1st time in crampons! Afterwards we did the classic traverse to Crestone Needle and added on Broken Hand Peak before calling it a day.
1/15/11 - Grueling approach up Cottonwood Creek with heavy packs. Spent two nights camped at 11,800ft. Scrambled (in crampons) up snowy rock to the right of the couloir until about 13,800 ft. Entered couloir via a slabby traverse and followed it to the top. Final summit ridge scramble was exciting. The approach and climb were an absolute butt kicker.
12/2/12 - Traversed from Crestone Needle and descended the Red Gully. Dry for December.
I will return for the NW couloir.
Bob Bolton - Dec 16, 2008 12:39 am Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Red GullyJoined Dave Covill's group intending to join them for the traverse from Needle to Peak. However the party seemed a bit large and unwieldy, and the weather didn't seem solid, so I opted at Broken Hand Pass to head for my top priority, Crestone Peak's west and east summits. Sure enough the traverse didn't happen due to fog, so I was very glad I made the decision I did. Fun peak!