Crestone Needle Trip Report 08/18/2008

Peak(s):	Crestone Needle - 14,196 feet
Date Posted:	08/18/2008
Date Climbed:	08/13/2008
Author:	PC12Pilot

Crestone Needle > Sea Level to 14,000+ in 23 hours!!
Just in case climbing a 14er isn't tough enough, due to scheduling our group decided we had to squeeze it into 48 hours from San Diego! Luckily we had air transportation into Westcliffe airport, so the drive to the 4WD road was minimal. A couple of nice rides..... Our group consisted of 5 San Diego guys (one who is 69 yrs old, has completed all 55(?) 14ers, and is doing his first on his 8 month old new hip!!!), and 1 guy from Boulder - who volunteered the under carriage of his Suburban for the drive. Thanks to all of you who posted trip reports earlier, we felt like we knew the route perfectly! Although, if we had to hear the old guy say.."Y'know, when I started climbing these things...we didn‘t have this internet thing".... one more time, a couple of us would have jumped! Not much to say about the road, it has some tougher spots, but it is easily passable if you have even average clearance. There are about 10 very nice spots to camp, we slept out under the stars, it got very cold, but was a great way to pass the night - with the right sleeping bag. Perfect setting.... Picking some pro...safety first Being from Sea Level, we did a quick hike up to the lake that evening to try and get some thin air acclimatization...BEAUTIFUL... Your trip reporter....and photographer The next morning we left camp at 5:15am, we reached the turn off at 6:00am for the sunrise.... and were up to the saddle of Broken Hand pass in 1 hour 45 minutes. No problems on the pass, we had about 10 steps across a snow field. The trail across the high tundra to the East Gully is VERY apparent and easy to follow. You will reach the gully in about 10-15 minutes. Maybe I was paying extra attention due to so many trip reports saying they missed the crossover from the East Gully to the West Gully.....but I found it without any problems at all. When you start to see small chutes to your left, just look carefully at each one, about the 3rd or 4th chute is the correct chute, marked VERY clearly with a blue/orange ribbon - and of course the sharkstooth formation. The move up to the ribbon is the crux only due to exposure. The wonderful Sangre de Cristo rock makes the 4 step move relatively simple, just don't look down too long to find the foothold . Using "pro" for the new hip...again, safety first.. Up over one more little rib and you drop into the West Gully. 3 perfect little cairns mark your exit back over to the East Gully on your way down. At the top of the West Gully another ribbon marked cairn takes you out and towards the final summit push. Topping out in the West Gully... ANOTHER ribbon marked cairn takes you out of the final summit push area and onto the ridge, at which point you are 50 yards from the top - and the only move you might have to make is the summit marmot! Are you gonna move, or am I??? We topped out at 9:45am - keep in mind we were at sea level 23 hours earlier - your trip may be a bit quicker! I have climbed about 25 14ers, and this mountain - while certainly not the easiest one I have climbed - was one of the best marked climbs I have ever taken. Just read a few of these trip reports, print one with some photos, and trust yourself - you won't get lost! Enjoy! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Crestone Needle > Sea Level to 14,000+ in 23 hours!!

Just in case climbing a 14er isn't tough enough, due to scheduling our group decided we had to squeeze it into 48 hours from San Diego! Luckily we had air transportation into Westcliffe airport, so the drive to the 4WD road was minimal.

A couple of nice rides.....

Our group consisted of 5 San Diego guys (one who is 69 yrs old, has completed all 55(?) 14ers, and is doing his first on his 8 month old new hip!!!), and 1 guy from Boulder - who volunteered the under carriage of his Suburban for the drive.

Thanks to all of you who posted trip reports earlier, we felt like we knew the route perfectly! Although, if we had to hear the old guy say.."Y'know, when I started climbing these things...we didn‘t have this internet thing".... one more time, a couple of us would have jumped!

Not much to say about the road, it has some tougher spots, but it is easily passable if you have even average clearance. There are about 10 very nice spots to camp, we slept out under the stars, it got very cold, but was a great way to pass the night - with the right sleeping bag.

Perfect setting....

Picking some pro...safety first

Being from Sea Level, we did a quick hike up to the lake that evening to try and get some thin air acclimatization...BEAUTIFUL...

Your trip reporter....and photographer

The next morning we left camp at 5:15am, we reached the turn off at 6:00am for the sunrise....

and were up to the saddle of Broken Hand pass in 1 hour 45 minutes. No problems on the pass, we had about 10 steps across a snow field.

The trail across the high tundra to the East Gully is VERY apparent and easy to follow. You will reach the gully in about 10-15 minutes.

Maybe I was paying extra attention due to so many trip reports saying they missed the crossover from the East Gully to the West Gully.....but I found it without any problems at all. When you start to see small chutes to your left, just look carefully at each one, about the 3rd or 4th chute is the correct chute, marked VERY clearly with a blue/orange ribbon - and of course the sharkstooth formation.

The move up to the ribbon is the crux only due to exposure. The wonderful Sangre de Cristo rock makes the 4 step move relatively simple, just don't look down too long to find the foothold

.

Using "pro" for the new hip...again, safety first..

Up over one more little rib and you drop into the West Gully. 3 perfect little cairns mark your exit back over to the East Gully on your way down.

At the top of the West Gully another ribbon marked cairn takes you out and towards the final summit push.

Topping out in the West Gully...

ANOTHER ribbon marked cairn takes you out of the final summit push area and onto the ridge, at which point you are 50 yards from the top - and the only move you might have to make is the summit marmot!

Are you gonna move, or am I???

We topped out at 9:45am - keep in mind we were at sea level 23 hours earlier

- your trip may be a bit quicker!

I have climbed about 25 14ers, and this mountain - while certainly not the easiest one I have climbed - was one of the best marked climbs I have ever taken. Just read a few of these trip reports, print one with some photos, and trust yourself - you won't get lost!

Enjoy!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

chetterbob	Crestone Group 8/18/2008 8:17pm 14,000 in 23 hours... Nicely done, that is quite a feat. Great photos too. Hopefully the fishing was as successful as the climb. I‘ll be sure to join you next time. -C Jr.
sgladbach	4 hours...... 8/19/2008 3:09am to the summit of the Needle including time for belays and a new hip? That‘s impressive in my book! Good Job guys.

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