Advisable prerequisites to solo Crestone Peak & Crestone Needle? (no traverse)

[kmoss2]

Hey all! Looking for input from folks who have summitted Crestone Peak & Crestone Needle as someone who is hoping to take on both on separate days -- day hikes, no camping -- and solo. What skills/knowledge/preparation was most important to you to feel competent to successfully summit these mountains?

I have searched the forum as best I can to gather info but am still coming up short when it comes to advice for someone who is limited, but proficient, in Class 3 experience. College athlete and lifelong athlete, I feel confident in my physical & mental strength and endurance. And yet.. I'm still pretty new to the transition from hiking to climbing. Trying to do my homework here to gather the best input I can to start taking on more difficult terrain. I say this acknowledging that it's hard to speak in absolutes here, and that even having downloaded + studied the route and photos of it prior to a hike, different things come up on different days and it's important for a hiker to trust their own instincts too. This begs that question -- with respect to the Crestones / similar difficulty mountains, what elements contributed to that confidence + competence for you?

Context, as always, is important! I did Challenger + Kit Carson just over a week ago, Wetterhorn & Sneffels on separate days earlier this week. Have also done Father Dyer + Crystal Peak, but those were with a group. 36 Colorado 14ers down. Look, I'm a 4th grade teacher living her best life climbing mountains over the summer, and am really hoping to do the Crestones next week. I very much enjoy scrambling(!) and of the Class 3s I have done, I felt solid. The anticipation of "what does Class 3 look like/feel like?" was honestly the worst part. The beauty in hiking over the summer is that you can go solo but you're rarely alone. And yet - for both Wetterhorn and Sneffels, I had no one around for either climb! I enjoy connecting with others in the final ascent, but let's say I somehow have the place to myself around crux moves time.. that's the question I'm really digging at here. I get that it will be different for different folks, but would love to hear input from anyone who has experience here and is willing to chime in!

Many thanks in advance,
Kimmy

[Wentzl]

Reads like a statistic waiting.

You hike solo, but ask for others opinions. You have enough experience to know better.

Know the route, check the weather, carry what you think you need, go as far as you feel safe and are having fun.

The routes are all the same. The only variable is you.

[smrcka]

Sounds to me like you could do both without a problem as long as you’re able to up the ante a little bit in terms of exposure.

[justiner]

Sounds like you got "it"!

I would just read through the route description for Needle. When it comes to the descent, you don't wanna get off track. This is a very excellent write up from the local SAR,

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1f ... d659252189

Peak is easy in comparison if coming from the Cottonwood Lake side. If you're doing it from Bear's Playground, the couloir can be more treacherous and I would try to get a current condis report.

[nyker]

Hey all! Looking for input from folks who have summitted Crestone Peak & Crestone Needle as someone who is hoping to take on both on separate days -- day hikes, no camping -- and solo. What skills/knowledge/preparation was most important to you to feel competent to successfully summit these mountains?

I'd say:

* Experience, and ability to read terrain
* Aerobic fitness and pacing (i.e. leaving enough to reclimb BHP to get back from the Peak)
* Comfort scrambling for an extended period and route finding (Needle)
* An ability to know and acceptance of if and when you should turn around for whatever reason
* Reading the weather and reacting accordingly
* Acclimatization

They are fairly long days, but if you did KC/Chall in one day from the TH then you should be fit enough for them. The Class 3 section on KC is minimal so you'll have more on both and for longer periods. If you felt good on the last bit up Wetterhorn then that should give you some comfort but that's also a shorter section than the Crestones, particularly the Needle. Given your recent climbs, you should be acclimatized sufficiently. You may want a rest day in between both if you're doing each as a separate day trip.

[Istoodupthere]

Reads like a statistic waiting.

You hike solo, but ask for others opinions. You have enough experience to know better.

Know the route, check the weather, carry what you think you need, go as far as you feel safe and are having fun.

The routes are all the same. The only variable is you.

So you’re saying she shouldn’t ask questions?

[desertdog]

I think the mountains you've done gives you the experience you need. You will will find the climbing on these really solid. As others have said the route finding on these is essential as is a good weather day. There aren't any bail options up high. You really want to pay attention so you don't get off route on the descent. That is where most people get into trouble. You might want to consider going on the weekend, that way there will be other people on the mountain. Just in case. Have fun!

[kmoss2]

All, thank you for the feedback! Ultimately I get that the progression from brief Class 3 to more sustained Class 3, to Class 4 requires a leap of faith from the hiker. I'm physically fit and have a lot of grit but the truth is, I'm scared too. Hearing from others who have done it before gives me more than just valuable insight, it's also reassuring.

justiner -- appreciate the link. Been studying the route (especially the descent) like I'm back in college cramming for an exam! nyker -- appreciate every point you made.

Again, thank you to every response! Excited to give it a go, and hopefully return the favor to someone in similar shoes down the road. Cheers!

[pw]

Crestone Peak was most definitely the easier of the two, one of my 2 or 3 favorite fourteeners, no real route finding issues because you are climbing up that gully. Light scrambling, no real exposure issues that I can remember (the top felt a little airy to me). So solo probably ok.

The Needle, for me, quite a bit more demanding. I think the - You're never alone in the summer - is more applicable to the much busier Front Range and Sawatch peaks, where you are on an easy to follow trail and usually have quite a bit of the route, and therefore people, in front of you. Not quite the case on Crestone Needle. I think you would probably be happier, more comfortable, safer climbing with someone, and not just counting on there being someone in the neighborhood when you are on the mountain. A 2 heads are better than one situation when it comes to route finding, decision making. Maybe do the Peak first, see how comfortable you are on that one before mentally making the commitment to do Crestone Needle solo. But try to find a partner.

[CheapCigarMan]

All, thank you for the feedback! Ultimately I get that the progression from brief Class 3 to more sustained Class 3, to Class 4 requires a leap of faith from the hiker. I'm physically fit and have a lot of grit but the truth is, I'm scared too.

I appreciate your transparency and vulnerability here.
I’d agree. A plan to progress the peaks from Class 2 to 3 to 4 will give you the knowledge to know how you prefer to handle them in the future. When studying routes it will help you decide if you’d prefer to have a partner or not. Even if you can do Class 3 / 4 solo there are other factors that come into play. Exposer, route finding, feelings of loneliness etc can also be just as real for us.
There are many benefits of having a partner. In fact me and my partner were just discussing this. This is not only a physical sport but a mental one as well. The peaks and routes are daunting at times. They can get in your head. Having a partner to talk things through can get you in a better mental state. Having a partner when you’re initially progressing through will give you the experience to know what the Classes are and the confidence to know how you prefer to deal with future routes.

Give us a follow up here. We’d love to here about your experience with these peaks.