Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
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connorhodes
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Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
My family and I are heading up to south colony lakes Friday-Sunday and camping at the lake... We're planning to knock out humboldt really early Saturday(summit around 4am if the weathers great to see the Perseid Shower from the top... Or at least get it at the sunrise)... Some family from out of state is coming in on Saturday and we're doing the needle on Sunday... So how realistic would it be to go Humboldt--> South Colony Lakes --> Crestone Peak in a day? I'm fine with a long and strenuous day of hiking and I would really like to knock out both Crestones before summer ends... If you've done either one or both from South Colony I would really appreciate some input... Thank you!
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connorhodes
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Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
We could also do Crestone Peak first and then Humboldt afterwards if that would be easier
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onebyone
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Re: Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
Well, looks like there will be storms this weekend so that is going to get in the way on a long day endeavor.
There is a descent route on Crestone that takes you down to Bear's Playground (opposite side you came up) which puts you on the ridge over to Humboldt. It is not technical, but if you go off route even slightly, it becomes technical and you can be in a bad situation real fast. If you haven't done any rock climbing, I would not do this.
Anyway, you want to do Crestone first. If you did Humboldt first then Crestone, then you would be reascending Broken Hand Pass late in the day, maybe during bad weather.
Also, it is much easier to get Humboldt another time form the actual trailhead. Whereas doing Crestone, it is a longer and harder route and beneficial to backpack in to South Colony Lake the night before. If you going to backpack in, I would focus on Crestone and the Needle way before Humboldt.
We did this:
1) Backpack in to South Colony Lake night before
2) Crestone> Needle Traverse one day
3) Kit Carson next day
4) Humboldt followed back pack out the last day (we we are back at the car by noon)
There is a descent route on Crestone that takes you down to Bear's Playground (opposite side you came up) which puts you on the ridge over to Humboldt. It is not technical, but if you go off route even slightly, it becomes technical and you can be in a bad situation real fast. If you haven't done any rock climbing, I would not do this.
Anyway, you want to do Crestone first. If you did Humboldt first then Crestone, then you would be reascending Broken Hand Pass late in the day, maybe during bad weather.
Also, it is much easier to get Humboldt another time form the actual trailhead. Whereas doing Crestone, it is a longer and harder route and beneficial to backpack in to South Colony Lake the night before. If you going to backpack in, I would focus on Crestone and the Needle way before Humboldt.
We did this:
1) Backpack in to South Colony Lake night before
2) Crestone> Needle Traverse one day
3) Kit Carson next day
4) Humboldt followed back pack out the last day (we we are back at the car by noon)
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Tory Wells
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Re: Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
If you have good weather and you have really good fitness, it can be done. Most of the 14er speed record people link these peaks PLUS Kit Carson and Challenger in a single push, although that is usually in a full traverse of the range. Eric Lee did it a few years ago using the S Colony TH.
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include
The wildcard is of course the weather. Being on the steep Crestone conglomerate is not a good place to be when it is wet.
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include
The wildcard is of course the weather. Being on the steep Crestone conglomerate is not a good place to be when it is wet.
"Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, am I." -David Gilmour, Pink Floyd
"We knocked the bastard off." Hillary, 1953
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." Hillary, 2003
Couldn't we all use 50 years of humble growth?
-Steve Gladbach
"We knocked the bastard off." Hillary, 1953
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." Hillary, 2003
Couldn't we all use 50 years of humble growth?
-Steve Gladbach
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Rambler
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Re: Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
Just be a man and do the Peak then Needle on Saturday then Humboldt Sunday pre sunrise
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Black Bear
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Re: Humboldt--> Crestone Peak in a day?
Yes, it is definitely doable, but it would be a long and strenuous hike. The tough part about also doing Crestone Peak would be going up and over Broken Hand Pass twice (unless you come from the north along the ridge). Broken Hand Pass adds a lot of extra vertical gain each time you climb it and can be a real time consumer when you are tired.
Just remember that it is ok to not summit a peak. This is a beautiful area and you can always come back.
Just remember that it is ok to not summit a peak. This is a beautiful area and you can always come back.
