We Do Stuff: Crestones Traverse

Crestones Traverse

August 19, 2023

Crestone Peak NW couloir + traverse to Crestone Needle

Dr. Knoche and I were talking about mountains after our weekly Thursday morning breakfast. He asked when we could get out again and I told him I thought he may be interested in joining us for the Crestone Traverse Laura and I had planned for the weekend. The three of us confirmed plans and met at our house at 4 am. With a goal of being walking by 6 am, I leaned into the skinny pedal and had us at the upper South Colony Lakes trailhead by 5:50. The three of us laced up shoes and were walking at 6:06 am. Not bad!

Knowing we were in for a fairly long day, we hiked at a fast pace up the road to the kiosk and cutoff toward Humboldt Peak. Taking a short break for food and water, we were soon moving again and quickly reached the turn toward the Humboldt saddle and our intended route, the NW couloir on Crestone Peak. Laura and I knew the route well as we had just climbed it several months back while the couloir was still filled with snow.

Justin, Randy and Indra making their way across the ridge with Humboldt in the background

As we approached the Humboldt saddle, I encountered a hiker looking at his phone map. Indra seemed to be off route and looking for direction. He took our willingness to help as an invitation to hike with us for the remainder of the day and so on we continued, slightly concerned about being responsible for someone else, but happy to be able to help him out.

Laura, Randy and Indra making the way across the ridge to Bears Playground

As we reached the ridgeline, we scrambled across, making bears playground by 9:30. As we approached our intended route, we noticed someone coming across the flat area and catching us quickly. Wyatt had already climbed several peaks this day and was happy to see others heading to the Crestones as he was. He likely could have moved much faster than the pace the four of us were "cautiously" moving at but chose to stay close, likely enjoying the company after being out alone for a full day to this point. Now, as a group of five, we cut off shortly before reaching the saddle of the red gulley and climbed a fourth class line directly to the summit of Crestone Peak.

Wyatt, Randy, Justin and Indra climbing the northwest gully with Kit Carson peak in the background

Randy and Wyatt in the final section before the summit of Crestone Peak

We relaxed, ate some food and were quickly descending toward the traverse entry point and heading toward Crestone Needle. We quickly found where to exit the red gully descent from Crestone Peak and step by step, made our way over three different shoulders of rock bands and closer to the needle.

Randy, Indra and Justin descending the red gully before turning onto the traverse route

As we passed the halfway point of the traverse, we had two more hikers join our group. They had been off route on the traverse and were happy to have others to climb with and provide some route finding! Now...(as a group of seven!), we continued onward to the most difficult climbing of the day.

Our group on the final stretch of the traverse before the headwall to the summit of Crestone Needle

We all easily climbed past the 5.2 bulge and across a short knife edge to finally reach the headwall that leads to the summit of Crestone Needle. The two hikers who had joined us most recently had friends who were on the mountain earlier that day and had left a rope. As it hung down from the summit, I led our group 15 feet to the right on easier terrain and scrambled quickly to the summit.

Justin showing us the hard way to get over the bulge

Everyone finding their path up the final headwall of the Crestone traverse

Cheers! Fun times on the summit of Crestone Needle

Randy, myself, Indra and Wyatt enjoyed the summit and a sip of wine - Thanks Randy - while Laura helped to coil the rope with the other two climbers from the USAFA. A short celebration later, we decided it was time to descend. We made our way, stepping carefully down the gullies of Crestone Needle, eventually reaching a good trail to Broken Hand Pass. After descending the pass, we chose to go right at the Crestone Needle sign as Laura and I did in the snow several months back. We looked at the map after we returned home and it seems this way is quite a bit out of the way and likely takes much longer than going back by the Humboldt cutoff the way we came in. Anyways, after a long hike down the road and some good conversation with Randy to pass the time, we reached the Jeep at the trailhead at 6:30 pm.

Justin and Randy crossing the final bridge at the trailhead

We drove out and grabbed pizza and beer for the way home. We're happy to have good friends who also enjoy the mountains and today we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to make new ones. It was a great day in the mountains to be sure and for myself, completes the last of the four major 14er traverses.