Crestone Peak

August 16, 2020 / 14,294’

RT STATS: TOTAL TIME - 13 HR & 29 MIN, 20.96 MILES, AND 7,448’ ELEVATION GAIN

TIME STATS: 6 HR & 56 MIN TO SUMMIT, 44 MIN AT SUMMIT, 5 HR & 49 MIN BACK TO TH

RATING (HOW MUCH I LIKED THE HIKE): 10/10

CRESTONE PEAK #40 HOLLA, solo’d this bad boi. I loved hiking up the South Colony Lakes Rd from the 2WD TH so much that I came back for the third time in less than 2 months to knock off Crestone Peak. I actually was not planning on doing Crestone Peak until the day before. My plans changed from Snowmass to Longs to Crestone in a matter of a few days (particularly because of the fires shutting down roads and such). The more that I have done solo hikes, the more experience I have gained (which I told my parents before doing Crestone Peak which is class 3/ranked in the top 10 most difficult 14ers). I really do feel comfortable and not alone when I’m out here in the middle of nowhere though so whatever. Anyways, I woke up SATURDAY NIGHT at 11:50 pm. I got like no sleep and momentarily didn't feel like getting up, but I did and I am so happy that I did. I left the Springs at 12:25 am, parked at the 2WD TH, and started my hike at 2:30 am.

Now, this is the earliest that I have ever started a solo hike by 2 hours. Hiking in the dark alone at 2:30am is an odd feeling to say the least. I didn't really take any pictures in the dark because it was the same trail as Crestone Needle for about the first 4 hours. I made it up to the 4WD TH at 2.60 miles/55 minutes, I made it up to the Humboldt/Needle&Peak junction at 5.21 miles/2 hours and 3 minutes, and, finally, I made it up to the “Crestone Needle Standard Route” sign at 6.90 miles/2 hours and 58 minutes.

So right after I passed the “Crestone Needle Standard Route” sign is when it started to get light. So, here is where all the pictures begin…kind of ;). I saw the moon which was lit yo and I saw my main dawg, the Needle (2nd picture). I still was just starting at it and thinking “Wow, that is crazy I climbed up that.” I continued my journey on and started my ascent towards Broken Hand Pass. I put my helmet on around 12,650’ because this section is loose and I didn’t want to be hit by any rocks lol.

I made it up to Broken Hand Pass (elevation 12,950’) at 8.23 miles/4 hours and 22 minutes. This is where the routes for Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle split off! The descent down to Cottonwood Lake was pretty steep. Cottonwood Lake was at about an elevation of 12,350’, so I lost about 600’ elevation (yay amazing).

The hike around and past Cottonwood Lake was pretty flat for a bit as you can see in the pictures above. At around 13,000’ is where the fun class 3 part began!!!!! It honestly felt super easy compared to Crestone Needle BUT I think that was because Crestone Needle was my first kinda gnarly/high exposure/Class 4 14er. In other words, I now had a perspective to work with. Anyways, it was fun and finding the best route to take up the Red Gully was not difficult. Here are a ton of pictures below. Sadly no action shots because I am hiking solo. One thing I have to note is that the weather was amazing and warm today! No freezing hands or feet like on the Needle a few weeks prior. :)

10.62 miles/6 hours and 56 minutes later, I made it to the 14,294’ summit of Crestone Peak. YAY. There were about 5 people leaving when I got up there, so I was up there by myself for 8 minutes before these 2 dudes came. I stayed on the summit for 42 minutes because I was talking to them, which was fun! The summit was gorgeous and the weather was perfect (sunny/no smoke from the fires). I think I was being rewarded for dealing with a completely foggy and cold Crestone Needle summit a few weeks ago (where you could not see anything…no views :( ). I had great views of Crestone Needle (3 weeks earlier) and Challenger Point & Kit Carson (6 weeks earlier). It’s so cool seeing mountains that you have already hiked and climbed from afar!!!!

Soon enough, I started my descent down. Just a nice chill descent where I need to keep paying attention the whole time. It got me thinking during this part how cool it is do a 14er like Crestone Peak by myself. It requires a lot more responsibility, focus, and independence on solo hikes than when you hike with at least one other person. You really only gain a ton of experience when you are by yourself imo. I love company but not gonna lie, soloing is right up my alley. I took a mini break once I got to Cottonwood Lake before starting my 600’ ascent back up to Broken Hand Pass.

The ascent back up to Broken Hand Pass really was not that bad. From where I took my break at 12,323’, it was .46 miles and 27 minutes to ascend back up 600’.

I knew that once I got back down to “Crestone Needle Standard Route” sign, the hike would be (relatively) simple. I got back to the sign at the 14.04 miles/11 hours and 12 minutes mark. I took a dope kristin selfie with my main dawg the Needle in the background. Right after I took that selfie, it started raining kinda hard. It made me concerned about this group I saw earlier that looked very unprepared (to say it nicely) attempting Crestone Peak. I didn’t see them with any helmets so I hope that they made a safe decision….I turned up my hiking pace at this point because: 1) I wanted to be done already 2) Storms are amusing but not on hikes and 3) I wanted to be done already. Kinda joking though, I love doing this but some of these hikes are just soooo long.

At the Humboldt/Peak and Needle split off, it started hailing!!!!!!!! Yay, I love storms but I’m not tryna die on the easy part of the hike. I also plugged my watch into the portable charger at this point because my Garmin is my bff.

At 18.30 miles/12 hours and 40 minutes, I made it back down to the 4WD TH (so close yet so far lmao). It had stopped raining and was starting to get hot. I think I reached the laziest level ever: trying to hike in my warm NorthFace jacket because I was too lazy to take it off. Ya, no problem doing an insane hike/climb in one day, but I don’t feel like taking my jacket off hahaha. Anyways, I did eventually take it off. With a little less than a mile to go, I passed MY HOMIE: THE GATE. I talked about THE GATE in my Humboldt and Needle posts (check those out lol). I am thankful for this gate, ask me why and you might get a response. ;)

20.96 miles and 13 hours and 29 minutes later, I MADE IT BACK TO MY CAR. Another successful trip complete. 10th solo 14er, my hardest solo 14er, last 14er as a 21 year old, 2nd to last 14er in the Sangre de Cristo Range. This was another long day but it was worth it! Always happy to be out in the mountains. I made it back to the Springs around 6pm. Fun times. Next time that I come here, Imma rent a pony to take on the Crestone Traverse. End.