14ers.com

We're eyeing a trip to knock out the Peak/Needle via the traverse this weekend, and after a couple days of researching I'm still unclear whether this is the best itinerary for leaving Denver early evening on a Friday and needing to be back home Saturday night.

How much time does it take to drive the South Colony road from the lower TH to the upper TH?

If arriving at night, does the road become more problematic with limited visibility?

Once there, is it a fairly obvious trail by headlight to get to the lakes to set up camp?

Thanks in advance,

The forecast seems like your biggest challenge at this point. Use the "select a peak" dropdown menu rather than typing in a town. Or get peak-specific forecasts from the homepage.
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/weather.php?ltype=1

To answer your questions...
Probably 30-45 minutes to drive the road. It will depend a lot on what vehicle you have, how cautious you are, etc. I don't think it's much worse driving at night. Again the rain will make the drive more challenging. You could get to the lakes fine by headlamp, but you'll be those jerks who are shining their lights on the tents of everyone who is trying to sleep while you hope to find the last available spot to pitch your tent (in the rain). Sorry that sounds mean. Your best bet might be to sleep in the car at the TH to avoid the extra weight up to the lakes and the time you'll spend looking for a spot and making and breaking camp.

In general, I think it's worth hiking the road and setting up camp in daylight with good weather. So yours wouldn't be my favorite itinerary.

Thanks Ben, good feedback. With the forecast looking like crap currently, I think we'll save the traverse for a better weather pattern. Probably will head to the Sawatch instead to get something logistically easier.

merrion13 wrote:We're eyeing a trip to knock out the Peak/Needle via the traverse this weekend, and after a couple days of researching I'm still unclear whether this is the best itinerary for leaving Denver early evening on a Friday and needing to be back home Saturday night.

How much time does it take to drive the South Colony road from the lower TH to the upper TH?

If arriving at night, does the road become more problematic with limited visibility?

Once there, is it a fairly obvious trail by headlight to get to the lakes to set up camp?

Thanks in advance,

I agree with the comments about the weather this weekend, BUT ... if weather is not an issue there is no problem with driving up S Colony Lakes Rd in the dark (less than 30 minutes from lower TH) and no problem with hiking to the lakes in the dark - I've done it 3 times. The trail is easy to follow. Also, there is a nice, though small, camp site on your right less than 100 ft after the "Sangre de Cristo Wilderness" boundary marker before you reach the lakes. You can set up camp there without disturbing anyone. From there it is approx 5 minutes to the S Colony Lakes and the Crestone Needle trail turnoff.

merrion13 wrote:Thanks Ben, good feedback. With the forecast looking like crap currently, I think we'll save the traverse for a better weather pattern. Probably will head to the Sawatch instead to get something logistically easier.

Smart move! The Traverse is not the place to be in heavy rain and intense storms and lightning. No peak is but the exposure gives very few places to duck in and hide.

I remember about ten or twelve years ago, this guy for one reason or another, climbed the Peak and then headed across on the Traverse and that decision cost him his life.

It was a very rainy, monsoon-like period at the time and the rains and storms seemed like they were relentless.

The Crestones, being somewhat exposed directly to the weather patterns coming in from across the San Luis Valley, pick up quite a bit of turbulence and intensity. One year, after climbing The Prow, we got NAILED by one of the worst rain and lightning storms I've ever been in and had to get down as fast as possible.

That was one heck of a very close call!

BenfromtheEast wrote:.
You could get to the lakes fine by headlamp, but you'll be those jerks who are shining their lights on the tents of everyone who is trying to sleep while you hope to find the last available spot to pitch your tent (in the rain). Sorry that sounds mean.

one of those jerks...ha. I can't count how may times I've driven up to a trailhead at night after work, hiked in and set up my tent in the dark. That's just the cost of doing business.

Hiked Humboldt last Tuesday. From the end of the 120 road it took about 25-30 minutes to reach the upper trailhead. I was in a Tacoma, but never used the 4wd. No problem driving in at night. On the trail before sunrise, it was no problem at all to see the trail. On a side note, the mosquitos were the worst I've seen in my 53 years of living in Colorado. TAKE A HEAD NET!! Even covered with DEET I was still spitting them out of my mouth constantly. Only saw 1 tent anywhere near the lakes.

richwill wrote:On a side note, the mosquitos were the worst I've seen in my 53 years of living in Colorado. TAKE A HEAD NET!! Even covered with DEET I was still spitting them out of my mouth constantly.

x2