Crestone Peak South Face difficulty

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Gertine
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Re: Crestone Peak South Face difficulty

Post by Gertine »

Does anyone have the info on gain/distance to Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle if you camp at South Colony Lakes? We are thinking about hiking in to South Colony Lakes, camping, and then trying to do Crestone Peak the next day and the day after that Crestone Needle. Thanks!
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Urban Snowshoer
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Re: Crestone Peak South Face difficulty

Post by Urban Snowshoer »

Gertine wrote: ↑Sat Aug 10, 2024 10:10 am Does anyone have the info on gain/distance to Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle if you camp at South Colony Lakes? We are thinking about hiking in to South Colony Lakes, camping, and then trying to do Crestone Peak the next day and the day after that Crestone Needle. Thanks!

I did both Crestones, on separate days, from South Colony Lakes awhile back and the stats your asking for don't tell the whole story.


The main issue with doing Crestone Peak from the South Colony Lakes approach is that you essentially have to climb Broken Hand Pass twice, which can make for a long day, though the Red Gulley is fairly straightforward.

Crestone Needle is shorter but definitely more technically difficult--both in terms of potential hazards (e.g. rockfall, exposure, etc) and routefinding challenges.
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randalmartin
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Re: Crestone Peak South Face difficulty

Post by randalmartin »

Gertine wrote: ↑Sat Aug 10, 2024 10:10 am Does anyone have the info on gain/distance to Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle if you camp at South Colony Lakes? We are thinking about hiking in to South Colony Lakes, camping, and then trying to do Crestone Peak the next day and the day after that Crestone Needle. Thanks!
Took me 2 minutes to plot that on Caltopo.

Crestone Needle from South Colony Lake RT 2.67miles 2488ft
Crestone Peak from South Colony Lake RT 4.59miles 3889ft
Total 2 day from South Colony Lake RT 7.26miles 6377ft
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seannunn
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Re: Crestone Peak South Face difficulty

Post by seannunn »

Consider the possibility of doing both, without a traverse, in one day. Long day but you would avoid having to climb Broken Hand pass twice. Do the peak first, then filter water at Cottonwood Lake for the Needle. My brother and nephew did this and it worked for them. If you were really shot after both, you could camp at S. Colony a second night and descend to your vehicle in the morning.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO
"Thy righteousness is like the great mountains."

--Psalm 36:6
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