These are two 14ers located in the Sangre de Cristo Range. The plan was to link the two peaks using a 4th class traverse. It would be a hardest climb to date, and is often considered the hardest of the 54 14ers in Colorado.
After a five mile ride in Dave's FJ. We hiked 1.5 miles to the South Colony Lakes, our basecamp. On the way we passed a party who alerted us to snowy conditions and the need for crampons. Another party, closer to the lakes, advised of potential camping spots. We found one of the few flat spots, a little muddy but the view was incredible. After a quick dinner and beer we set out alarms for 4:15 AM and went to bed.
The alarm always goes off way too early. After a quick breakfast, accompanied with significant quantities of caffeine, we were walking at 5:11 AM. The first goal was Crestone Peak, which entailed ascending Broken Hand Pass and then descending into the adjacent basin. The trail was snow covered and required an early snow climb.
Sandy on the snowfield
David crossing the snowfield
Genevieve in the steep upper portion of the snow field, straight up is Broken Hand Pass
After ascending Broken Hand Pass and descending into the basin, we had to then ascend a gully and then a pretty steep snow field to get to the summit ridge. Snow conditions ranged from bullet-proof (i.e. hard and icy) down low to post-holing (i.e. soft snow you fall through up to your knee or thigh) up high. We stayed in the snow as long as we could, but eventually retreated into the rocks. We reached the summit nearly 6 hours after we began. The effort was far greater than expected, and the pace far slower. The picture on the right are Genevieve and in the couloir (snow filled gully on Crestone's south side).
The view from the summit is amazing. We could see 7 other 14ers, as well as the Great Sand Dunes National Park, after snapping several obligatory photos, including the 'flex shot' we headed down. From left to right, the view of Crestone Needle (upper right of picture), Genevieve on the summit with Kit Carson in the background, the flex shot)
We opted to stay on the rock for the downclimb, as we all felt this was better than downclimbing snow. Downclimbing the rocks allowed for up close lichen viewing! Amazing orange lichen - see below:
About 2/3 of the way down we saw a flight for life helicopter fly into the valley below us. The helicopter left, and then returned about 20 minutes later. We have all been in the hills enough to realize the helicopter indicated a serious situation, although we would not know what until much later. As we descended clouds moved in quickly (see photo below). We were all a bit tired and decided to abandon the traverse to the second 14er, Crestone Needle.
We cruised across the flat valley and back up Broken Hand Pass. Brandon had left a second pair of shoes at the top of the pass and it was now that we learned that marmot had chewed them up to obtain the salt deposited from sweat. Brandon was not pleased, but the rest of us found great humor in the situation. From here it was a matter of descending Broken Hand Pass, Brandon and David glissaded while Genevieve and I descended with a mixture of downclimbing and plunge-stepping (where you face away from the mountain and come down hard on your heel, kicking a platform when you land). It is awkward at first, but surprisingly fast and safe once you are used to it.
Genevieve crossing the last snowfield.
We stumbled in camp 10 hours after we began. We had all run short of water, not eaten enough food and were exhausted from the effort. Once in camp we ate heartily, filtered water and hydrated. I puttered around camp while the other three napped. After an hour I woke everyone up for dinner as it looked like it might rain and I wanted us to cook food while it was dry. We cooked dinner, ate and discussed the fact that no one would be climbing the next day, partly because we did not wish to reclimb Broken Hand Pass to get to Crestone Needle and the fact that we were beat from the day’s effort. We decided to pack up and leave a night early at the same time it decided to storm for 40 minutes. We dove into tents and it dumped rained, thunder crashed and lightning lit up the evening sky. The rain let up, we packed up wet gear and tromped an hour down the trail, reaching the truck right as darkness fell. After the 4wd road we got back to our car around 10:30 or 11:00 pm.
We decided to stay at a hotel in Pueblo, CO, but a street rod convention (think ZZ Top) had every hotel booked. We thought we could make it back to Denver, but even with a Red Bull and a 20 oz Diet Coke, I, the driver, was finding it hard to pay attention to the road. It didn't help that it started raining and we'd never really been on that road before...We hit a hotel in Colorado Springs, checking in at 1 AM, taking a quick shower and then immediately fell into a deep sleep. We capped the trip with a hearty continental breakfast and miniature golf.
On a sad note, it was over breakfast that we learned a 49 year old had died on Crestone Needle about an hour before we summited Crestone Peak. We had spoken with her briefly the night before as we were nearing our camp. Genevieve and I both remembered her as she had this striking and streaked long gray hair. The news of her death has slowed our hiking pace down, I wouldn't say we climbed with any significant bravado or carelessness, but the realization that accidents do happen has been brought back to the forefront of our minds.
After ascending Broken Hand Pass and descending into the basin, we had to then ascend a gully and then a pretty steep snow field to get to the summit ridge. Snow conditions ranged from bullet-proof (i.e. hard and icy) down low to post-holing (i.e. soft snow you fall through up to your knee or thigh) up high. We stayed in the snow as long as we could, but eventually retreated into the rocks. We reached the summit nearly 6 hours after we began. The effort was far greater than expected, and the pace far slower. The picture on the right are Genevieve and in the couloir (snow filled gully on Crestone's south side).The view from the summit is amazing. We could see 7 other 14ers, as well as the Great Sand Dunes National Park, after snapping several obligatory photos, including the 'flex shot' we headed down. From left to right, the view of Crestone Needle (upper right of picture), Genevieve on the summit with Kit Carson in the background, the flex shot)
We opted to stay on the rock for the downclimb, as we all felt this was better than downclimbing snow. Downclimbing the rocks allowed for up close lichen viewing! Amazing orange lichen - see below:
About 2/3 of the way down we saw a flight for life helicopter fly into the valley below us. The helicopter left, and then returned about 20 minutes later. We have all been in the hills enough to realize the helicopter indicated a serious situation, although we would not know what until much later. As we descended clouds moved in quickly (see photo below). We were all a bit tired and decided to abandon the traverse to the second 14er, Crestone Needle.
We cruised across the flat valley and back up Broken Hand Pass. Brandon had left a second pair of shoes at the top of the pass and it was now that we learned that marmot had chewed them up to obtain the salt deposited from sweat. Brandon was not pleased, but the rest of us found great humor in the situation. From here it was a matter of descending Broken Hand Pass, Brandon and David glissaded while Genevieve and I descended with a mixture of downclimbing and plunge-stepping (where you face away from the mountain and come down hard on your heel, kicking a platform when you land). It is awkward at first, but surprisingly fast and safe once you are used to it.
Genevieve crossing the last snowfield.
We stumbled in camp 10 hours after we began. We had all run short of water, not eaten enough food and were exhausted from the effort. Once in camp we ate heartily, filtered water and hydrated. I puttered around camp while the other three napped. After an hour I woke everyone up for dinner as it looked like it might rain and I wanted us to cook food while it was dry. We cooked dinner, ate and discussed the fact that no one would be climbing the next day, partly because we did not wish to reclimb Broken Hand Pass to get to Crestone Needle and the fact that we were beat from the day’s effort. We decided to pack up and leave a night early at the same time it decided to storm for 40 minutes. We dove into tents and it dumped rained, thunder crashed and lightning lit up the evening sky. The rain let up, we packed up wet gear and tromped an hour down the trail, reaching the truck right as darkness fell. After the 4wd road we got back to our car around 10:30 or 11:00 pm.
We decided to stay at a hotel in Pueblo, CO, but a street rod convention (think ZZ Top) had every hotel booked. We thought we could make it back to Denver, but even with a Red Bull and a 20 oz Diet Coke, I, the driver, was finding it hard to pay attention to the road. It didn't help that it started raining and we'd never really been on that road before...We hit a hotel in Colorado Springs, checking in at 1 AM, taking a quick shower and then immediately fell into a deep sleep. We capped the trip with a hearty continental breakfast and miniature golf.
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