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 Peak:  Crestone Needle
 Route:  Crestones Traverse
 Range:  Sangre de Cristo
 Posted By:  bdloftin77
 Date of Info:  8/28/2016
 Date Posted:  8/28/2016
Details

From the Red Gully on Crestone Peak, to near the Black Gendarme, snow is not an issue. There is some hard snow (10 am) below the Black Gendarme that can't be avoided. Some steps are kicked in. The class 5.2 move is slightly more tricky with snow above and below the rocks, but we were able to do it. Snow fills the gully to the right of the Black Gendarme that you climb up. There are some steps kicked in, but care needs to be taken. From above the Knife Edge to below the final class 4 crux wall up the Needle, there is snow on the ledges that is hard to avoid, and care needs to be taken. The class 4 crux wall is dry and snow free.

I made the traverse without any equipment. However, microspikes and an ice axe would be recommended. (some people in my group brought microspikes, but voiced that they would have felt safer with an ice axe as well). Snow was... at least a foot deep in places. (estimate) It probably won't melt out over the next few days, but might perhaps in more time.

Comment if you have any questions, or would like me to post some pictures. Thanks.



Comments or Questions
Tornadoman
User
Standard Route?
8/28/2016 9:45pm
That's some great intel on the traverse, I am sure it will come in handy for someone! How were conditions on the descent on the standard route of Crestone Needle?


bdloftin77
User
Std Route
8/28/2016 10:42pm
Thanks for the reminder. On the standard route of the Needle (which is southward facing) there were summer conditions.. No snow issues.

Side note... Climbing down the Needle. We stayed left and followed cairns down the East ridge. It naturally led into the East gully, and then we followed the exit toward Broken Hand Pass.. No gully crossing over needed, since we stayed in the East gully. I'd say it's a little steeper than the West gully in places, (maybe class 3+/4), however, it wasn't all that much more difficult than the West gully, or the lower East gully, in my opinion.



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