Colorado 14ers: Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle and Humbolt Peak

Crestone Needle

Distance: 2.91 mi	Points: 395	Calories: none
Total Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Crestone Peak

Distance: 3.84 mi	Points: 1047	Calories: none
Total Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Humboldt Peak

Distance: 3.57 mi	Points: 2122	Calories: none
Total Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

HUM001

Location: 37.964485, -105.561066
Head N between South Colony Lakes; traverse the lower SW slopes of Humboldt

CCH001

Location: 37.964500, -105.546005
From 4WD parking area, head SW on old road toward the rocky E face of Broken Hand Peak

CCH002

Location: 37.961700, -105.557701
Continue N into Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. In .2 mi., turn L to climb Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak

HUM002

Location: 37.969471, -105.567902
Start switchback climb to Humboldt's W ridge; views of Upper South Colony Lake (to the W) provide a picturesque backdrop

HUM003

Location: 37.970940, -105.567398
Continue climb to ridge; more great views of South Colony Lakes and Crestone Needle

CCH003

Location: 37.963428, -105.559555
Keep L @ Y. To climb Humbolt Peak, bear R and head NW

CCH004

Location: 37.963791, -105.562401
Skirt the S shore of Lower South Colony Lake. Follow climber's trail to begin ascent up small bowl to Broken Hand Pass, which lies between the rising pillars of Broken Hand Peak and Crestone Needle

HUM004

Location: 37.973358, -105.568199
Veer R on ridge; follow switchback trail toward false summit

HUM005

Location: 37.975498, -105.558701
Continue NE over false summit to reach Humboldt's true summit

CCH005

Location: 37.959324, -105.570030
Scramble up a narrow couloir with seasonal snow to reach Broken Hand Pass

CCH006

Location: 37.958759, -105.571098
Turn R @ Broken Hand Pass to summit Crestone Needle's S face. To tackle Crestone Peak, continue straight for descent to Cottonwood Lake

HUM006

Location: 37.976189, -105.555000
Humboldt Peak (14,064 ft.): Look to the SW for dramatic Crestones skyline, a stark contrast to E views of flat, Wet Mountain Valley

CCH007

Location: 37.959339, -105.572197
Traverse the ridge's W side, following climber's trail; great views overlooking Cottonwood Lake

CCH008

Location: 37.961929, -105.574203
Turn L on saddle to reach the E and W couloir

CCH009

Location: 37.961800, -105.575104
From the E (right) couloir, cross over to W (left) couloir; continue Class 3 climb to summit ridge

CCH010

Location: 37.962872, -105.575699
From the top of the couloir, begin NW scramble to the Needle's summit

CCH011

Location: 37.964531, -105.576500
Crestone Needle (14,197 ft.): Reward yourself with rare, eye-level views of jagged Crestone Peak to the NW and Humboldt Peak to the NE

CCH012

Location: 37.958111, -105.576202
Head W; traverse the grassy banks of Cottonwood Lake under rocky slopes

CCH013

Location: 37.958252, -105.583107
Head N to begin ascent of Crestone Peak's S face

CCH014

Location: 37.961929, -105.584000
From the bottom of the red couloir, scramble up rocky face on E side of couloir

CCH015

Location: 37.966961, -105.584503
From the top of the red couloir, turn L for final scramble to the summit

CCH016

Location: 37.966869, -105.585297
Crestone Peak (14,294 ft.): Savor the sky-high perspectives from this rugged summit; stark, barren peaks drop dramatically to the flat San Luis Valley to the W and Wet Mountain Valley to the E