Camping at South Colony Lakes for Kit Carson hike

[jltweedy4]

I've read numerous reports referring to camping at South Colony Lakes when hiking Kit Carson via the East Ridge route. I'm just looking for a few more specifics since I've never been in that area. Should we aim to camp toward the upper lake since our destination will be to follow the trail to the saddle west of Humbolt peak? Are there trees for bear bags? Is there any particular spot that's easier for obtaining water? What time is a good time to aim for hitting the trail from the upper 4WD parking lot in order to be set up by nightfall? We're in better than average physical condition for our ages (son is 19, mom 53) although the weight of camping gear is likely to slow me down. Any lifehacks or tips would be appreciated. I want to minimize the unknowns of overnight camping so that I can enjoy and concentrate on the hike to Kit Carson the next day. I've done plenty of tent camping through the years and hiked 14ers about 20 times, but I've never backpacked in for a hike. Thanks!

[pmeadco]

I hiked Kit Carson from SCL a few years back. There aren't many good camping spots once you get up past the lakes so I would stay down in the trees where everybody camps when they do the Crestones via Broken Hand Pass. It doesn't add much to the hike and you get the wind shelter from the trees. There are essentially no trees up by the lakes, so you don't get many options for hanging food up there. Water access is easy. I usually loaded up on water at the spot where the trail crosses the creek toward Humboldt. It is easy to get to and you aren't fighting thru bushes, etc., to find a good spot to fetch water. I don't remember our exact hike time, but I think it came in at around two hours or so -- it isn't a big hike to get from the trailhead to the camping area.

Study your route carefully. When we did it there wasn't much of a defined trail going up and over to Columbia Point and Kit Carson, and we were socked in with clouds which made it even harder to figure out where to go. This is a good place to use a GPS if you have one. It is a long day, but going over Columbia adds some interest and fun scrambling.

[jeffs]

Is that route really class 3/4? I've looked at it but haven't climbed it that way. The route pics show descending to Kit some class 4(Photo 31).... How does the steepness compare to the gully in the Peak or Needle?

[Jcole_]

Did this route from Humboldt the other day. If you follow the cairns down from Columbia, you wont run into any Class 4, though you are never far from getting yourself into that kind of terrain.
The steepness is less than either the Peak or Needle

[pmeadco]

Is that route really class 3/4? I've looked at it but haven't climbed it that way. The route pics show descending to Kit some class 4(Photo 31).... How does the steepness compare to the gully in the Peak or Needle?

Of course, the steepness depends on which route you take. If you go over the top it is definitely steep, much steeper than the standard routes on the Crestones. If you drop down to the south side it isn't bad at all. I'm not sure which picture 31 you are talking about, but if you are looking at the one that shows three gullies, we took the Gully #2 route which I considered to be middle class 3. If you are up to the challenge then go over the top via Gully #3 and have fun with the class 4 terrain.

[jltweedy4]

Lots of great info here! Just what I was hoping for. Thanks!

[Conor]

Camp at the lower lake with everyone else. I think I was about 2.5 hrs up doing the long way. It’s about 4.5 miles. Bike packing makes a lot of sense especially if you camp at the old trailhead. You can then say weeeeeeeee on the way down. I thought the route was class 3ish, but admittedly I don’t really understand the difference between 3 to 5.easy other than its people’s own pucker factor.

There’s no water once you leave the general camping area.