Crestone Needle/Peak

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
User avatar
supranihilest
Posts: 719
Joined: 6/29/2015
14ers: 58  42 
13ers: 709 1 8
Trip Reports (112)
 
Contact:

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by supranihilest »

Scott P wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 5:56 pm
CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 4:49 pm Little Bear never sucks.
I thought it sucked without the snow. Not challenging in a technical sense, but a huge pain in the a**.

What could be the only really interesting part of the climb (Hourglass) is tainted by the fact that rockfall makes it hard to enjoy since you can't spend time I the only interesting part.

I would assume that it's much prettier and fun with snow on it.
Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
User avatar
CaptainSuburbia
Posts: 1101
Joined: 10/7/2017
14ers: 58  35 
13ers: 125 9
Trip Reports (44)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by CaptainSuburbia »

supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 6:02 pm
Scott P wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 5:56 pm
CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 4:49 pm Little Bear never sucks.
I thought it sucked without the snow. Not challenging in a technical sense, but a huge pain in the a**.

What could be the only really interesting part of the climb (Hourglass) is tainted by the fact that rockfall makes it hard to enjoy since you can't spend time I the only interesting part.

I would assume that it's much prettier and fun with snow on it.
Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
Haha maybe too much rugby and hockey in my youth. I've only done the hourglass with snow. SW ridge and West ridge are better routes when the hourglass is dry.
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
User avatar
supranihilest
Posts: 719
Joined: 6/29/2015
14ers: 58  42 
13ers: 709 1 8
Trip Reports (112)
 
Contact:

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by supranihilest »

CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 7:18 pm
supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 6:02 pm
Scott P wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 5:56 pm

I thought it sucked without the snow. Not challenging in a technical sense, but a huge pain in the a**.

What could be the only really interesting part of the climb (Hourglass) is tainted by the fact that rockfall makes it hard to enjoy since you can't spend time I the only interesting part.

I would assume that it's much prettier and fun with snow on it.
Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
Haha maybe too much rugby and hockey in my youth. I've only done the hourglass with snow. SW ridge and West ridge are better routes when the hourglass is dry.
Southwest ridge is a great route for sure! I still haven't done the west ridge, but the southwest ridge is very Little Bear minus the crappy Hourglass. Your description of the west ridge sounds like fun too. Kind of funny that the standard route on LB is also the worst one.
Omatt89
Posts: 68
Joined: 6/2/2019
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by Omatt89 »

Anyone have a 4x4 to make this trip whenever? I've been up Humboldt and up the ellingwood ridge route on the needle. I need crestone peak. I'm down to climb the needle again and traverse over. Also need little bear and want to climb hourglass when dry. Don't want to hike from 2wd lots again , msg Matt 4439008741
User avatar
nyker
Posts: 3231
Joined: 12/5/2007
14ers: 58 
13ers: 25
Trip Reports (69)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by nyker »

Scott P wrote: Wed May 19, 2021 8:18 am
ladnerkm wrote: Wed May 19, 2021 7:39 am MSpin99: Was planning to do Little Bear or Capitol mid July if interested
Personally, I would suggest switching your Little Bear and Crestones dates since you mention that you have snow climbing equipment.

Little Bear sucks once the snow melts off. Dry conditions can be an advantage on the Crestones.

This is just a suggestion though.
+1

I don't know what the conditions will be like when you are there, and maybe there won't be enough snow for a "good" safer ascent, but if you have the option to potentially mitigate some of the main risk of Little Bear, i.e. rockfall, why wouldn't you do it? Then climb the 'stones in drier conditions as a bonus. Maybe you are a climbing ninja and move on snow like a fleet footed marmot, I don't know your background - Your remaining peaks on your list do require a bit more planning and have higher consequences if things go wrong so it pays to think ahead and try insofar as possible get them in better conditions. If you can't change your trip dates have a backup peak or two in you mind if conditions on your planned peaks aren't great.
User avatar
Will_E
Posts: 411
Joined: 8/13/2018
14ers: 58  58 
13ers: 210 37
Trip Reports (21)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by Will_E »

supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 7:35 pm
CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 7:18 pm
supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 6:02 pm

Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
Haha maybe too much rugby and hockey in my youth. I've only done the hourglass with snow. SW ridge and West ridge are better routes when the hourglass is dry.
Southwest ridge is a great route for sure! I still haven't done the west ridge, but the southwest ridge is very Little Bear minus the crappy Hourglass. Your description of the west ridge sounds like fun too. Kind of funny that the standard route on LB is also the worst one.
That bushwhack though. It’s the worst stretch in the entire state. If you could be airlifted to the start of the SW ridge it’d be fantastic.

Or maybe just do Blanca to LB then back to Blanca. That’s a fantastic idea.
User avatar
supranihilest
Posts: 719
Joined: 6/29/2015
14ers: 58  42 
13ers: 709 1 8
Trip Reports (112)
 
Contact:

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by supranihilest »

Will_E wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 1:34 pmThat bushwhack though. It’s the worst stretch in the entire state.
Maybe as far as 14ers go, but many of the lower peak and desert peak bushwhacks give LB's southwest ridge a run for their money or are worse. I've come home bleeding and with ripped gear frequently from those nasty little scrub oak and cactus covered monsters. And yes, I liked it. :twisted:
User avatar
angry
Posts: 662
Joined: 10/5/2017
14ers: 58  45 
13ers: 231 8
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by angry »

Will_E wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 1:34 pm That bushwhack though. It’s the worst stretch in the entire state. If you could be airlifted to the start of the SW ridge it’d be fantastic.
Meh, I've don't that bushwhack twice and didn't think it was as bad as people have made it out to be. Tomayto, Tomahto.
User avatar
justiner
Posts: 4396
Joined: 8/28/2010
14ers: 58  8 
13ers: 138
Trip Reports (40)
 
Contact:

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by justiner »

The 'schwack is fine. Coming hot off of being in Alaska, it was almost giggle-worthy. And then the ridge is just an altogether fantastic experience. There's not many places where you can just rise up from the valley floor like that.
User avatar
CaptainSuburbia
Posts: 1101
Joined: 10/7/2017
14ers: 58  35 
13ers: 125 9
Trip Reports (44)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by CaptainSuburbia »

supranihilest wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 1:43 pm
Will_E wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 1:34 pmThat bushwhack though. It’s the worst stretch in the entire state.
Maybe as far as 14ers go, but many of the lower peak and desert peak bushwhacks give LB's southwest ridge a run for their money or are worse. I've come home bleeding and with ripped gear frequently from those nasty little scrub oak and cactus covered monsters. And yes, I liked it. :twisted:
Having done it 3 times I've grown to like the bushwack. Wearing a helmet from the car makes it more pleasant. It's still not as nice as walking Como Rd though.
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
User avatar
greenonion
Posts: 1892
Joined: 10/3/2012
14ers: 50  1 
13ers: 2
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by greenonion »

CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 7:18 pm
supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 6:02 pm
Scott P wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 5:56 pm

I thought it sucked without the snow. Not challenging in a technical sense, but a huge pain in the a**.

What could be the only really interesting part of the climb (Hourglass) is tainted by the fact that rockfall makes it hard to enjoy since you can't spend time I the only interesting part.

I would assume that it's much prettier and fun with snow on it.
Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
Haha maybe too much rugby and hockey in my youth. I've only done the hourglass with snow. SW ridge and West ridge are better routes when the hourglass is dry.
Go Pens! Ahem… do you still plan on going back to LB west ridge direct to up AND down climb that ridge to see if doable-ish??
User avatar
CaptainSuburbia
Posts: 1101
Joined: 10/7/2017
14ers: 58  35 
13ers: 125 9
Trip Reports (44)
 

Re: Crestone Needle/Peak

Post by CaptainSuburbia »

greenonion wrote: Mon May 24, 2021 5:19 pm
CaptainSuburbia wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 7:18 pm
supranihilest wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 6:02 pm

Judd's gotten beaned in the noggin a few too many times by rockfall in the Hourglass, don't listen to him.
Haha maybe too much rugby and hockey in my youth. I've only done the hourglass with snow. SW ridge and West ridge are better routes when the hourglass is dry.
Go Pens! Ahem… do you still plan on going back to LB west ridge direct to up AND down climb that ridge to see if doable-ish??
Go Caps! Yes, I'll be heading up the west ridge very soon. Just waiting for a little more snow to melt...
Some day our kids will study Clash lyrics in school.
Nothing drives people crazy like people drive people crazy.
Save Challenger Point
Post Reply