Fun and relatively easy climb up the red gully to the saddle. Easy scambling to the peak and East Crestone. Cottonwood Creek trail was semi-bushwhacking but very scenic with many waterfalls. We camped near treeline just before it got steep and it was a good decision. Could be done as a day trip with good weather (13 miles RT)
MarkDidier - Oct 24, 2012 8:42 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2012
Via Broken Hand Pass and Red Gully
I really enjoyed this peak. We backpacked in to South Colony Lakes. The climb up Broken Hand Pass was the toughest part of the day - too much scree!!! The red gully was a lot of fun, and the final scramble up the ridge crest wasn't all that exposed. While definitely a tough day, it wasn't as difficult as advertised.
milan - Oct 21, 2012 5:53 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2012
Great
After a day on Culebra, this mountain hit the spot! Beautiful, fun, the Red Gully was relentless.
with Faith. Arrived night before & set up camp slightly lower than lower lake (~11,600'). Rain during hike in reminded me of previous attempt, where we got shut down by rain (&had one of my most miserable camping experiences (& Faith's worst) ever), & made me nervous. Hard to sleep night before.
Left @ 5.23. Started climbing @ 8.00. Started on R-side off-width that Rich had been nagging me to do ever since he did it. Full-value, & kicked my ass (although it was short- ~15'), but got through it w/o hanging. Major scrapes on my R leg, as had shorts on... Rest of climb easier but fun- great combo of face & cracks!
Rock was mostly quite solid, & delightful to climb on! Not as runout as the Prow. Belay ledges comfy & spacious too (except for P2 belay- 195' above belay 1). Belayed 4 pitches & simul'ed rest. I led pitched-out stuff. Topped out on climb @ 13.15. Faith feeling shitty from cold & didn't like the look of remainder of climb to summit (& questionable weather).
I took off up N buttress alone @ 13.32. Fun to top of tower- class 4 traversing to notch exposed & OUTRAGEOUS!! Stoked to put it behind me (until way down...). Chill & fun from notch.
Summited @ 14.22. Great views- Crestones, Sierra Blanca, Pikes, Kit Carson, sand dunes, ... Left summit @ 14.41.
Summited E summit @ 14.49. Left @ 14.55. Drop-offs from E summit ridiculous!
Back where I left Faith (13,540') an hour later. Packed up our stuff & took off. Enjoyed sunny, blessed late afternoon descent. Back @ camp @ 18.54. LONG but GREAT day!!
Ken Dammen - Aug 15, 2012 12:01 am Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2012
Red gulley via broken hand pass
Climbed class 3 red gulley route with Dustin. Fun route with a little fun exposed scramble at the finish. Wear your helmet on this one.
I like it on top - Jul 24, 2012 1:10 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2012
Red Gulley
Great climb up the red gulley and beautiful summit.
Climbed the standard Red Couloir on Crestone Peak, easy but seems like it'll never end. Then did the traverse to Needle. Stayed fairly high, making the approach to the traverse a little more interesting.
Only the last technical section from the Black Gendarme was fun, in my opinion. Fun C4 section. Down the majority of the East Gully (kind of like canyoneering when descending the lower part).
Tried for Humboldt the same day. Plenty of time but rained off.
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
Trailboss88 - Jul 20, 2013 1:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2013
via Cottonwood CreekFun and relatively easy climb up the red gully to the saddle. Easy scambling to the peak and East Crestone. Cottonwood Creek trail was semi-bushwhacking but very scenic with many waterfalls. We camped near treeline just before it got steep and it was a good decision. Could be done as a day trip with good weather (13 miles RT)
MarkDidier - Oct 24, 2012 8:42 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2012
Via Broken Hand Pass and Red GullyI really enjoyed this peak. We backpacked in to South Colony Lakes. The climb up Broken Hand Pass was the toughest part of the day - too much scree!!! The red gully was a lot of fun, and the final scramble up the ridge crest wasn't all that exposed. While definitely a tough day, it wasn't as difficult as advertised.
milan - Oct 21, 2012 5:53 pm Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2012
GreatAfter a day on Culebra, this mountain hit the spot! Beautiful, fun, the Red Gully was relentless.
Diggler - Sep 29, 2012 8:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
North Pillar, North Buttresswith Faith. Arrived night before & set up camp slightly lower than lower lake (~11,600'). Rain during hike in reminded me of previous attempt, where we got shut down by rain (&had one of my most miserable camping experiences (& Faith's worst) ever), & made me nervous. Hard to sleep night before.
Left @ 5.23. Started climbing @ 8.00. Started on R-side off-width that Rich had been nagging me to do ever since he did it. Full-value, & kicked my ass (although it was short- ~15'), but got through it w/o hanging. Major scrapes on my R leg, as had shorts on... Rest of climb easier but fun- great combo of face & cracks!
Rock was mostly quite solid, & delightful to climb on! Not as runout as the Prow. Belay ledges comfy & spacious too (except for P2 belay- 195' above belay 1). Belayed 4 pitches & simul'ed rest. I led pitched-out stuff. Topped out on climb @ 13.15. Faith feeling shitty from cold & didn't like the look of remainder of climb to summit (& questionable weather).
I took off up N buttress alone @ 13.32. Fun to top of tower- class 4 traversing to notch exposed & OUTRAGEOUS!! Stoked to put it behind me (until way down...). Chill & fun from notch.
Summited @ 14.22. Great views- Crestones, Sierra Blanca, Pikes, Kit Carson, sand dunes, ... Left summit @ 14.41.
Summited E summit @ 14.49. Left @ 14.55. Drop-offs from E summit ridiculous!
Back where I left Faith (13,540') an hour later. Packed up our stuff & took off. Enjoyed sunny, blessed late afternoon descent. Back @ camp @ 18.54. LONG but GREAT day!!
Ken Dammen - Aug 15, 2012 12:01 am Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2012
Red gulley via broken hand passClimbed class 3 red gulley route with Dustin. Fun route with a little fun exposed scramble at the finish. Wear your helmet on this one.
I like it on top - Jul 24, 2012 1:10 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2012
Red GulleyGreat climb up the red gulley and beautiful summit.
blueshade - Jul 6, 2012 9:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2012
Crestone TraverseClimbed the standard Red Couloir on Crestone Peak, easy but seems like it'll never end. Then did the traverse to Needle. Stayed fairly high, making the approach to the traverse a little more interesting.
Only the last technical section from the Black Gendarme was fun, in my opinion. Fun C4 section. Down the majority of the East Gully (kind of like canyoneering when descending the lower part).
Tried for Humboldt the same day. Plenty of time but rained off.
Mooner - Jun 23, 2012 4:09 pm
Up I Go6/21/12 Climbing Ellingwood Ledges to the Needle. Needle to Peak
Pete Castricone - May 31, 2012 3:32 pm Date Climbed: May 30, 2012
Peak to NeedleThe Crestones...I finally found something that beats Snowmass as the worst 14er in Colorado.
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