Peak Condition Update | Crestone Needle

Peak:	Crestone Needle
Route:	South Face
Range:	Sangre de Cristo
Posted By:	lukedog
Date of Info:	7/18/2016
Date Posted:	7/21/2016

Details
My group climbed the Needle, the Peak and Humboldt on Sunday and Monday. Humboldt and the Needle were basically totally snow free. There were a few small snow fields on Broken Hand Pass, but you could get away without any snow gear. We were happy to have ice axe and microspikes in the Red Gully for a larger snow field near the top. Biggest news for us was the mosquitoes. Camping was flat out miserable. We really enjoyed the peaks and bugs were mostly absent up high, but all of the camping areas, areas near the lakes and anyplace low at all was inundated with mosquitoes.

Details

My group climbed the Needle, the Peak and Humboldt on Sunday and Monday. Humboldt and the Needle were basically totally snow free. There were a few small snow fields on Broken Hand Pass, but you could get away without any snow gear. We were happy to have ice axe and microspikes in the Red Gully for a larger snow field near the top. Biggest news for us was the mosquitoes. Camping was flat out miserable. We really enjoyed the peaks and bugs were mostly absent up high, but all of the camping areas, areas near the lakes and anyplace low at all was inundated with mosquitoes.

Comments or Questions

Turboprop	Road? 7/21/2016 11:32am Thanks for the report. How was the condition of the road?
lukedog	Tough road in my opinion 7/21/2016 1:33pm I guess it was normal. I've never been before but it was too rough for me to want to take my subie up it. There were the usual exceptions but most vehicles at the top were high clearance 4wd. It seemed nasty to me but probably in good shape compared to what is normal for that road.
jdillon3	Cottonwood lake 7/22/2016 10:08pm Were there mosquitos up in the cottonwood lake area? Thinking about going this weekend and don't want a bugfest.
lukedog	Yes a bugfest 7/23/2016 11:46am We were lower and thought it might be better up there but we spent a fair amount of time up there and it seemed just as bad and maybe worse. With all the sitting water and the willows... We literally ran through the the lower trail of broken hand pass and the other side on the Humboldt trail because we were getting eaten alive.
EastCoastTrekker	Hayden Pass Fire 7/23/2016 4:17pm Just wondering if there were any effects from the Hayden Pass fire? Thanks!
lukedog	Fire impact minimal 7/26/2016 12:39pm Maybe a bit of haze etc but no significant impact for out group.

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