Humboldt Peak Trip Report 10/04/2017

Peak(s):	Humboldt Peak - 14,068 feet
Date Posted:	10/04/2017
Date Climbed:	09/17/2017
Author:	asapp1973

Humboldt-My first 14er
First of all, I am a flat lander, born and raised, by way of North Florida for my first 42 years, and this is my first 14er. Mountains, snow, elevation, mountain lions and all the other things that come as second nature to most people out here, is not to me. I've been in CO for 15 months though, and the Eagle Scout/Outdoorsman in me has been pushing me to figure out a way to the top of a 14er, solo. Why solo? So THAT mountain is mine when I'm done, not a gift from someone else's experience. I was smart about it, reading a lot of trip reports and studying trail maps and mountaineering blogs. I chose Humboldt because it's in my back yard, I've looked at it with awe since arriving in the Wet Mountain Valley. If you've never been in the Sangre's or spent a summer afternoon in Westcliffe, CO, looking at these beautiful mountains, put it on your to-do list! As I said, I did my homework, and hiked to South Colony Lakes a couple weeks prior, to get familiar with the part of the trail I knew I'd be hiking in the dark and to check out what I was hearing was some hella-good fishing! The trail is very well marked from the start at the Upper TH and after a leisurely 3 hour hike, I made it to the lakes and saw the steep trail on up Humboldt. It looked tough, but from the lakes, it didn't seem nearly as tough as it turned out to be. By the way, the fishing reports I was getting were spot on, 10 in less than an hour with the help of my wife, who out-fished me! Fast forward to the night before my first attempt at Humboldt, and as life happens, I wasn't able to get to bed as early as I'd planned, but I was packed and ready, including my fishing pole for the return hike when I knew I could stop back by the lakes and snag a few more fish. My alarm went off at 1:30am, I was insistent I was getting an early start, as I lived by these mountains and I've seen the crazy weather up there. Humboldt had already gotten a couple �dustings� earlier in the week and I knew my warm southern blood would not handle snow very well on a steep mountain. Unfortunately, the snooze button was hit a time or three and I climbed out of bed at 2:20am, mad at myself for not going to bed much earlier the night before. I reached the Upper TH at 3:30am and was on the trail at 3:35am. The 4wd road to the upper TH is a beast in places, especially with only headlights to shine on rocks and holes in the road. That hill just before the Rainbow Trail is the worst with an exposed culvert and huge wash in front of it. If you aren't up off the ground in your ride, don't attempt it! I signed the book just before the bridge and struck out with my 40lb pack w/bear bell ringing, 4 flashlights, good trail grub and plenty of water (4 liters). The hike up to the old trail head was easy enough, as I had just hiked it 2 weeks earlier, and going solo, I was making good time. That is until my first and best flashlight died 40 minutes in to the hike, and I didn't pack extra AAA batteries, only AA. No worries, the trail/service road is not difficult to navigate even with a dim lantern as my first choice for back up. I made it to the first split in the trail in just over an hour, hung a right and kept rolling. It was still dark and the trail gets narrow at this point. There were a couple of trees over the trail but even with the dim lantern, the trail is easy to follow, albeit a bit steeper than the starting trail. Another hour and I was up near the lakes. The trail was still familiar enough and I kept rolling along, spying a set of lights going up Crestone, this was the first sign of other hikers I'd seen. Almost daylight at 11,700ft. I kept moving and reached a point above the Lower South Colony Lake where the trail seemed to split and I was not familiar with this spot, so I stopped to rest a minute and check my map. Not two minutes later, two guys came hiking up behind me and said they were heading to Humboldt so I followed their lead to the right at the split and they quickly disappeared. My pack was getting heavier with every step and I was really slowing down at this point. At least the sun was coming up and the cold air would be quickly gone, or so I thought. Crestone's as the sun was coming up The sun was up, the trail was easy to follow but steep, and the air was getting thinner. At about 12,400ft, I stopped, already feeling exhausted. It wasn't even 7am yet, and I could see that I had a long way to go. I made a tough decision, but one I felt confident about because I was determined not to make poor choices being there solo. I stashed my pack just off the trail (It was slowing me down significantly I felt), grabbed a liter of water, an extra layer of clothing (I was already wearing gloves, winter hat and 3 layers) and a trekking pole and decided to go for it, knowing I could turn back at any point I felt it was too much. The trail keeps rising and once I reached the rocks I was whipped. I made my way up a little way further, around 13,200ft, and accidentally dropped my water bottle. That was it. I was done. I was feeling tired and my bottle was rolling downward and rested about 30+ feet below me down the rocks I'd just struggled to cross. I saw a group of 3 coming up behind me when I'd stashed my pack and they were quickly gaining on me. I rested and waited until they were near my water bottle and I called down and asked if they wouldn't mind bringing the bottle to me. They obliged and handed it off to me on their way past. I told them to not be surprised when they didn't see me on their way down, as I was turning back in a few minutes because there was no way I could make it the rest of the way up. They kept moving and I watched them quickly gain elevation above me with ease��at this point the wind was blowing and the sun was shining bright, from the OPPOSITE side of the mountain than I was on! My hands were cold and scrambling rocks was making them colder. I stopped every few feet for another 20 minutes, determined to make it a bit higher, but being in Humboldt's shadow was mentally challenging, I just wanted to warm up! Looking back at lower South Colony Lake A long way to go still I took another long break around 8am and let my hands thaw enough to check my cell phone for a signal and disconnect from the mountain for a few minutes. The guys that passed me at the first split before daylight were now passing me on their way back down. My liter of water was also going faster than I thought it would. This is when I realized I'd forgotten my sunglasses in my pack, along with a trail bar that I was now starving for. Hasty decisions lead to mistakes, I thought to myself. I cauht signal, messaged my wife to let her know Humboldt was kicking my butt and I was cold, and that I didn't think I could make it. She quickly messaged back and said, �I know you can do it, unless you are freezing or hurt, keep going.� That's all the inspiration I needed, she knew how bad I wanted my first 14er. I decided I could keep going and went back to scrambling. This part of the climb is well marked with cairns, but as a novice, I would definitely suggest to stop often on the steeper parts, because seeing a large cairn up above doesn't mean you will find the right spot to get there. I stopped every few upward climbs and regrouped, ensuring I was tracking the right trail. I did get off course a couple times, but thanks to the large cairns, I was back on track quickly. When the false summit finally came in to view above me, I was just under 13,900 ft, and there was that beautiful orange orb in the sky shining on me, I was feeling energetic now. I grabbed for my water bottle and realized I'd dropped it again somewhere. No matter, I was almost there. Another climber passed me at some point and said that he saw my water bottle on his way up�..good, I'll definitely need it on the way down. Once I passed the false summit, I knew I was close, but thought I still had a tough bit to go. I kept my head down as the wind was really blowing, and kept following the trail. Staying to the right is the best advice I'd read in the trip reports, so I followed it. I kept moving and all of a sudden I heard, �Hey, you made it!!� There was the crew of 3 that had brought my water bottle up to me after I'd dropped it. They were hunkered down behind the small rock wall on the summit, just getting ready to start back down. It was 9:39am��6 hours and 4 minutes to the summit. They offered me a Gatorade (much needed, thanks guys) and they snapped a couple of pics for me with the Crestones behind. What a feeling! We talked for a few minutes and they took off back down. Made it, my first 14'er! Looking NE toward Westcliffe, CO I hung out up top for a good 30 minutes, had a quick live chat with my wife, talked to a guy from LA that was in town for business and was bagging his 31st 14er, and did a quick Periscope broadcast so my buddy that's a hiking guide in Moab, UT could see me (shout out to Micah from High and Mighty Hikes @HighMightyHikes), and I started back down. This is where it starts getting sketchy for me. My legs were done, I was getting cramps and my knees were a bit weak feeling. I weigh around 250lbs. and although I think I am strong, that's a lot of weight to step down with! It was slow going, but much easier to follow the trail from above. I started passing people that were on their way up and the sense of accomplishment was huge, but I was worried about these people going up because clouds were starting to top Crestone. Storm rolling in Less than 45 minutes in to my descent, the winds picked up to 30-40mph gusts and the snow/sleet/hail started falling. There was nowhere to go so I just kept moving down as fast as my tired legs could carry me. I was still without my pack and without any kind of wet weather protection. The weather was gnarly, although I was getting passed by people scrambling for the trees, I kept my slow careful pace, especially now that the trail was wet. When I finally reached my pack it was still snowing, but I didn't care, it was time to eat! I scarfed down the grub snapped a couple pics slammed on that heavy pack and kept moving. From the Lakes on down to the original split in the trail was uneventful except for mud and wind. When I reached the split, I dropped my pack for one last rest before the home stretch. Two hikers I had seen earlier on the ascent came up from behind and started talking with me. One I recognized as the guy that passed me near the summit and he made sure I found my water bottle he set up on a cairn. We talked for a few minutes while we rested and I told them it was my first 14er. Out they came with a beer for me to celebrate and we toasted the accomplishment and an awesome day in the mountains. From there we loaded out packs back on and hikes, the three of us, the last stretch back to the TH. That last hour having companionship made the whole day come together for me, sharing the struggles I had and listening to their accomplishments excited me even more for my next 14er. Thanks guys! Snow on my pack when I got back to it Celebratory beer, thanks guys! Making it back to the truck I was beat, parted ways with my last hour hiking companions, and I headed home. It was 2:30pm��11 hours, and my feet and legs felt it. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Humboldt-My first 14er

First of all, I am a flat lander, born and raised, by way of North Florida for my first 42 years, and this is my first 14er. Mountains, snow, elevation, mountain lions and all the other things that come as second nature to most people out here, is not to me. I've been in CO for 15 months though, and the Eagle Scout/Outdoorsman in me has been pushing me to figure out a way to the top of a 14er, solo. Why solo? So THAT mountain is mine when I'm done, not a gift from someone else's experience. I was smart about it, reading a lot of trip reports and studying trail maps and mountaineering blogs. I chose Humboldt because it's in my back yard, I've looked at it with awe since arriving in the Wet Mountain Valley. If you've never been in the Sangre's or spent a summer afternoon in Westcliffe, CO, looking at these beautiful mountains, put it on your to-do list!

As I said, I did my homework, and hiked to South Colony Lakes a couple weeks prior, to get familiar with the part of the trail I knew I'd be hiking in the dark and to check out what I was hearing was some hella-good fishing! The trail is very well marked from the start at the Upper TH and after a leisurely 3 hour hike, I made it to the lakes and saw the steep trail on up Humboldt. It looked tough, but from the lakes, it didn't seem nearly as tough as it turned out to be. By the way, the fishing reports I was getting were spot on, 10 in less than an hour with the help of my wife, who out-fished me!

Fast forward to the night before my first attempt at Humboldt, and as life happens, I wasn't able to get to bed as early as I'd planned, but I was packed and ready, including my fishing pole for the return hike when I knew I could stop back by the lakes and snag a few more fish.
My alarm went off at 1:30am, I was insistent I was getting an early start, as I lived by these mountains and I've seen the crazy weather up there. Humboldt had already gotten a couple �dustings� earlier in the week and I knew my warm southern blood would not handle snow very well on a steep mountain. Unfortunately, the snooze button was hit a time or three and I climbed out of bed at 2:20am, mad at myself for not going to bed much earlier the night before.

I reached the Upper TH at 3:30am and was on the trail at 3:35am. The 4wd road to the upper TH is a beast in places, especially with only headlights to shine on rocks and holes in the road. That hill just before the Rainbow Trail is the worst with an exposed culvert and huge wash in front of it. If you aren't up off the ground in your ride, don't attempt it!

I signed the book just before the bridge and struck out with my 40lb pack w/bear bell ringing, 4 flashlights, good trail grub and plenty of water (4 liters). The hike up to the old trail head was easy enough, as I had just hiked it 2 weeks earlier, and going solo, I was making good time. That is until my first and best flashlight died 40 minutes in to the hike, and I didn't pack extra AAA batteries, only AA. No worries, the trail/service road is not difficult to navigate even with a dim lantern as my first choice for back up. I made it to the first split in the trail in just over an hour, hung a right and kept rolling. It was still dark and the trail gets narrow at this point. There were a couple of trees over the trail but even with the dim lantern, the trail is easy to follow, albeit a bit steeper than the starting trail. Another hour and I was up near the lakes. The trail was still familiar enough and I kept rolling along, spying a set of lights going up Crestone, this was the first sign of other hikers I'd seen.

I kept moving and reached a point above the Lower South Colony Lake where the trail seemed to split and I was not familiar with this spot, so I stopped to rest a minute and check my map. Not two minutes later, two guys came hiking up behind me and said they were heading to Humboldt so I followed their lead to the right at the split and they quickly disappeared. My pack was getting heavier with every step and I was really slowing down at this point. At least the sun was coming up and the cold air would be quickly gone, or so I thought.

The sun was up, the trail was easy to follow but steep, and the air was getting thinner. At about 12,400ft, I stopped, already feeling exhausted. It wasn't even 7am yet, and I could see that I had a long way to go. I made a tough decision, but one I felt confident about because I was determined not to make poor choices being there solo. I stashed my pack just off the trail (It was slowing me down significantly I felt), grabbed a liter of water, an extra layer of clothing (I was already wearing gloves, winter hat and 3 layers) and a trekking pole and decided to go for it, knowing I could turn back at any point I felt it was too much. The trail keeps rising and once I reached the rocks I was whipped. I made my way up a little way further, around 13,200ft, and accidentally dropped my water bottle. That was it. I was done. I was feeling tired and my bottle was rolling downward and rested about 30+ feet below me down the rocks I'd just struggled to cross. I saw a group of 3 coming up behind me when I'd stashed my pack and they were quickly gaining on me. I rested and waited until they were near my water bottle and I called down and asked if they wouldn't mind bringing the bottle to me. They obliged and handed it off to me on their way past. I told them to not be surprised when they didn't see me on their way down, as I was turning back in a few minutes because there was no way I could make it the rest of the way up. They kept moving and I watched them quickly gain elevation above me with ease��at this point the wind was blowing and the sun was shining bright, from the OPPOSITE side of the mountain than I was on! My hands were cold and scrambling rocks was making them colder. I stopped every few feet for another 20 minutes, determined to make it a bit higher, but being in Humboldt's shadow was mentally challenging, I just wanted to warm up!

I took another long break around 8am and let my hands thaw enough to check my cell phone for a signal and disconnect from the mountain for a few minutes. The guys that passed me at the first split before daylight were now passing me on their way back down. My liter of water was also going faster than I thought it would. This is when I realized I'd forgotten my sunglasses in my pack, along with a trail bar that I was now starving for. Hasty decisions lead to mistakes, I thought to myself. I cauht signal, messaged my wife to let her know Humboldt was kicking my butt and I was cold, and that I didn't think I could make it. She quickly messaged back and said, �I know you can do it, unless you are freezing or hurt, keep going.� That's all the inspiration I needed, she knew how bad I wanted my first 14er. I decided I could keep going and went back to scrambling. This part of the climb is well marked with cairns, but as a novice, I would definitely suggest to stop often on the steeper parts, because seeing a large cairn up above doesn't mean you will find the right spot to get there. I stopped every few upward climbs and regrouped, ensuring I was tracking the right trail. I did get off course a couple times, but thanks to the large cairns, I was back on track quickly. When the false summit finally came in to view above me, I was just under 13,900 ft, and there was that beautiful orange orb in the sky shining on me, I was feeling energetic now. I grabbed for my water bottle and realized I'd dropped it again somewhere. No matter, I was almost there. Another climber passed me at some point and said that he saw my water bottle on his way up�..good, I'll definitely need it on the way down. Once I passed the false summit, I knew I was close, but thought I still had a tough bit to go. I kept my head down as the wind was really blowing, and kept following the trail. Staying to the right is the best advice I'd read in the trip reports, so I followed it. I kept moving and all of a sudden I heard, �Hey, you made it!!� There was the crew of 3 that had brought my water bottle up to me after I'd dropped it. They were hunkered down behind the small rock wall on the summit, just getting ready to start back down. It was 9:39am��6 hours and 4 minutes to the summit. They offered me a Gatorade (much needed, thanks guys) and they snapped a couple of pics for me with the Crestones behind. What a feeling! We talked for a few minutes and they took off back down.

I hung out up top for a good 30 minutes, had a quick live chat with my wife, talked to a guy from LA that was in town for business and was bagging his 31st 14er, and did a quick Periscope broadcast so my buddy that's a hiking guide in Moab, UT could see me (shout out to Micah from High and Mighty Hikes @HighMightyHikes), and I started back down. This is where it starts getting sketchy for me. My legs were done, I was getting cramps and my knees were a bit weak feeling. I weigh around 250lbs. and although I think I am strong, that's a lot of weight to step down with! It was slow going, but much easier to follow the trail from above. I started passing people that were on their way up and the sense of accomplishment was huge, but I was worried about these people going up because clouds were starting to top Crestone.

Less than 45 minutes in to my descent, the winds picked up to 30-40mph gusts and the snow/sleet/hail started falling. There was nowhere to go so I just kept moving down as fast as my tired legs could carry me. I was still without my pack and without any kind of wet weather protection. The weather was gnarly, although I was getting passed by people scrambling for the trees, I kept my slow careful pace, especially now that the trail was wet. When I finally reached my pack it was still snowing, but I didn't care, it was time to eat! I scarfed down the grub snapped a couple pics slammed on that heavy pack and kept moving. From the Lakes on down to the original split in the trail was uneventful except for mud and wind. When I reached the split, I dropped my pack for one last rest before the home stretch. Two hikers I had seen earlier on the ascent came up from behind and started talking with me. One I recognized as the guy that passed me near the summit and he made sure I found my water bottle he set up on a cairn. We talked for a few minutes while we rested and I told them it was my first 14er. Out they came with a beer for me to celebrate and we toasted the accomplishment and an awesome day in the mountains. From there we loaded out packs back on and hikes, the three of us, the last stretch back to the TH. That last hour having companionship made the whole day come together for me, sharing the struggles I had and listening to their accomplishments excited me even more for my next 14er. Thanks guys!

Making it back to the truck I was beat, parted ways with my last hour hiking companions, and I headed home. It was 2:30pm��11 hours, and my feet and legs felt it.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Trotter	congrats 10/4/2017 10:45pm but 40 lb pack for a day trip? You are seriously overpacking. You'd have a lot more fun and more energy if you find a way to cut down that weight by 20 or 30 pounds. for one thing 4 liters is a lot. pack water treatment tablets or a filter, and get water at the lake or creek
BillMiddlebrook	Humboldt 10/5/2017 5:57am Trotter is right, you should be able to do hikes like Humboldt with a much lighter pack. And once you get your pack trimmed down, NEVER leave it that far down the mountain. Keep it with you at all times in case you get injured. Congrats on your 1st 14er!!!
asapp1973	Thanks 10/5/2017 6:47am Thanks for the advice, I learned a lot from this hike. Definitely do some things different for my next hike.
rob runkle	pack 10/6/2017 11:28am Very cool. Good job!! Agree on the pack, and 20 lbs or less should be easy. Much less if you get creative.
Landon Hunsaker	Nice! 10/12/2017 7:33pm Congrats man! But be Careful, you might get addicted like the rest of us.

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