Crestone Peak

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/16/2019, By: bosnian2014
Info: The route is almost completely dry, true summer conditions. Some water trickling down in the Red Gully but easily avoidable. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/3/2019, By: Hershel
Info: The route is clear of snow and the only thing to avoid is loose rocks and water running down the middle of the red gully. The water is completely avoidable, and most of the route contains rock free class 3 sections that can be navigated with some fun scrambling. To avoid loose rocks and water, you'll need some back and forth from one side of the gully to the other, as suggested in the route description. There are some segments in which the loose rocks can't be avoided.

Assuming you're comfortable on class three and with some form of rock climbing, then I think you'll find this to be very fun and 'easy' as class 3 goes. The exposure is low until you reach the notch at the top of the gully. The difficulties lie in the length of this route.

Be forewarned - If attempting from South Colony Lakes, this route is not super fun when returning over Broken Hand Pass. You'll mostly likely be tired which makes for some slow going. When getting back to South Colony Lakes, you'll have many high fives and cartwheels from the exhilaration of being done with the pass! 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 8/19/2019, By: polar
Info: Since there hasn't been any condition report in over two weeks, might as well give it an update. A tiny snowfield left right above the start of the Crestone traverse, but you don't need to go anywhere near it. A little bit of running water in the red gully from the melting snow, also completely avoidable. We encountered some mosquitoes at Cottonwood TH but not at Cottonwood Lake around 6pm (although we didn't camp at the lake), so hopefully the buggers are dying out.

Crestone Traverse is completely snow-free.

Photo #1: looking up the red gully.
Photo #2: looking down the red gully near the start of the Crestone Traverse
Photo #3: pulling over the crux bulge on the traverse 

Route: Crestones Traverse
Posted On: 8/2/2019, By: Cranfillpe
Info: S Colony 2WD > Crestone Peak N Buttress > Crestone Traverse > Crestone Needle S Face (w Gulley, SR) > BHP > TH

I "biked" from the 2WD TH to the wilderness zone at 11,000'. Was able to actually ride probably 2/3-3/4 of it. Would highly recommend. The descent from 11,000' (5.2 mi to TH) took 

Route: Crestones Traverse
Posted On: 7/31/2019, By: S-Parx
Info: Cottonwood Lake TH > C. Peak South Face > Traverse > C. Needle South Face

Route was nearly clear of snow with a lingering, unavoidable snowfield right above where the traverse starts on Crestone Peak Red Gully. Climbed it with spikes and an axe. I used the axe to self arrest on the descent, but many others made it up and down safely without axe/spikes, some without poles. Traverse was easy to follow with cairns, no lingering snow on the traverse nor on Crestone Needle.

Skeeters were hellacious at the Cottonwood Lakes TH and at the lakes proper. Worst I have ever seen in Colorado, hopefully not as bad for you. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/28/2019, By: LivingOnTheEdge
Info: Broken Hand Pass: Three snowfields to deal with, increasing in seriousness from the lakes. The last one is about 150-200ft long and goes right up to the choke on BH Pass. We brought axes and microspikes and this felt about right for the conditions. Saw others with crampons. There were people who used our bootpack to gain the pass without traction or axes - not sure if this would have been possible if we hadn't led. To each his own, but I wouldn't feel comfortable descending without an axe at the very least. Steps were blowing out left and right later in the day and this feels like the kind of conditions that results in injuries this time of year. My guess is that next weekend will hold snow and the following weekend will finally be summer-ish conditions.

Red Gully: Two snowfields on route, first is completely avoidable to the left with some nifty routefinding. Second is unavoidable, about 60 feet and managed easily with any sort of traction - crampons would be overkill. Both above 13,500. If you got up BH, I think the snowfields in the Red Gully were easier. LOTS of water so there less options than usual but still goes class three or easier the whole way. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/25/2019, By: JaredJohnson
Info: Still some snow up broken hand pass, manageable with axe and traction. I wouldn't do it without them, we ran into someone on his way down who did and he said it was a nightmare and that he was an idiot

On the peak there were two significant snow fields. The lower one could probably be completely avoided by sticking to a kinda loose route on climber's left. The upper one can be *mostly* avoided by taking the snow up to some rocks on climber's right and then sticking to the rocks to the top of the gully.

We spent more time on the snow than we had to and we regretted it, it was not very pleasant -- too hard, especially coming down. Crampons would have made the ascent on snow quicker but might not be worth carrying steel ones all the way up the long approach. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/22/2019, By: thadwalker
Info: Still lots of snow headed up to Broken Hand Pass, as well as in the Red Gully going up the peak. Hit the snow on Broken Hand around 630am, and made it up fine with axes and trail runners. Micro spikes would be good if uncomfortable on snow, but felt fine with just axes. The last few hundred feet to the pass was dry. The Red Gully still has a ton of snow, but we were able to avoid most all of it by staying on the left side of the gully on the way up. There are one or two small snow sections left between saddle and the summit, only about 5-10 feet long each. Snow in the gully was perfect for glissading down.

Photo 1: Looking up snowfield on Broken Hand Pass.
Photo 2: Looking down snowfield toward Colony Lakes.
Photo 3: Looking up Red Gully
Photo 4: Looking down Red Gully 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/14/2019, By: ian_havlick_mtnguide
Info: Pretty spicy conditions continue on the standard south face route. Steep snow still found on the lower 2/3rds of Broken Hand Pass as well as the upper half of the red gully on Crestone Peak. Full crampons, axe, and short-roping/short-pitching required yesterday (7/14) on successful peak ascent. The normally comfortable, flat, dirt platform at top of red gully still steep and deep snow. Snow familiarity still a must on this route- the snow is melting fast but lots of it to melt! Also caution for thin sun bridges is a must. Melt water under the snow is rushing pretty good. Micro spikes and no knowledge/practice of self arrest with proper axe would still a death wish. Mosquitos pretty rough at South Colony and Cottonwood Lakes, pretty much below 12,500ft. 4WD road seems rougher than years past.

Other routes:
Crestone Needle:
Standard route mostly dry on route proper.
Ellingwood Ledges, snow to the ramp sneek traverse and some spotty snow higher to Red Thumb.
Ellingwood Arete-mostly dry

North couloir looks horrible, rockfall ridden and spotty, intermittent snow and rotten ice.

Crestone traverse: looks great, mostly dry, weather prevented us from undertaking the traverse yesterday. surprisingly little snow even under the Black Gendarme, etc. Would still require carrying full crampons and light axe for red gully and BHP. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/6/2019, By: kastfamily
Info: Climbed the Crestone Peak via broken hand pass down to Cottonwood lake then up south side. Recommend ice axe and crampons. The top 1/2 of the south approach is still full of snow. Also getting up to broken hand pass is snow filled. The very last 25 feet or less at the top of the Peak is dry. Two photos of south gulley. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/8/2019, By: KyleRobison
Info: We went up to the South Colony Lakes hoping to climb Crestone Peak, but opted for Humboldt instead due to the considerable amount of snow still in the basin below Broken Hand Pass (see the pictures). The snow is melting quickly. On the way up to the lakes the trail was manageable for sure, but pretty wet with water trickling down and large puddles in some areas. I would say bring your snow gear (ice axe, crampons etc.) if you want to do either the needle or the peak within the next week or two. We ran into a party who attempted the needle with full winter gear and they turned back because of the amount of snow up there. The Ellingwood Ledges route seemed pretty much dry with the exception of some snow pack right at the base, although it's hard to say how conditions actually are on the wall without climbing it. There were two parties that did that route while we were there. Humboldt was summer conditions and very enjoyable. Incredible views of so many beautiful peaks from up there! 

Route: North
Posted On: 6/28/2019, By: pfiore1
Info: Just in case someone is seeking conditions on the Crestones and doesn't bother clicking on my Challenger and Kit Carson report, I am copying and pasting the Sangre's north aspect report with the Peak's title. For those who already read the Challenger report this is the same thing...


I can't title the peaks described as a group so I just picked one, plus Challenger has the most snow coverage on the north side, after the fact I realized I probably should've labeled it as Crestone Peak since I provided more info on that than Challenger, oh well.

Here are four photos and brief conditions for northern aspects of Kit Carson, Challenger, Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle and immediate surrounding peaks.

The northern aspects of these peaks obviously have more snow than the southern aspects which I showed in a previous report for Challenger and Kit Carson, but to be very clear the southern aspects are also far from dry. Expect average April Sangre conditions for awhile longer. We had a technical rescue on Crestone Needle's Ellingwood Arete on Sunday June 23 because much more snow was encountered than expected. And I'm sure most of you are aware of the tragic accident that occurred in between and on the south aspect of Challenger and Kit Carson. Even sections where it looks dry, there are pockets of snow in crevices that may not be seen until you're on them.

Take caution and prepare for snowier conditions than typical. Plan accordingly and be prepared to stay the night if needed. Ultra-light climbers need not apply.

Pat

Photo #1 North aspect of Crestone Needle to the left, Peak right of that followed by Columbia, Kit Carson and Challenger, #2 closer up north aspect of Kit Carson and Challenger (sorry the windshield frame is in the way of the OB Couloir but if you're wondering it's still in), #3 Crestone Peak's NW Couloir which is mostly, almost all, still in with a few thin sections, but note the approach to it is mixed, #4 a partially obscured by-the-window-frame view of both Needle and Peak but it should still give you a good idea of the snow from high, note the snow field on the Arete just below the Headwall and also the last couple hundred yards in the 3rd Class gulley to the summit is also mostly in snow. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/3/2019, By: RyGuy
Info: As seen from near the Great Sand Dunes with long range lens 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 5/26/2019, By: Will_E
Info: I started all the way at the bottom 2wd TH, road is dry up until Rainbow trail cutoff, then snow is off and on until the gate. From the gate there are dry sections, muddy sections, and finally becomes full on snowpack. From the trail sign on its consistent snow all the way to the peak, but is packed pretty well, I used snowshoes for a mile or 2, but it was as much to give my shoulders a break as anything else;), other than that I had spikes on. Most of Red Gully isn't bad with just spikes, but at the very top when it gets hella steep, the snow was really stiff and I struggled to get good bite. Don't be like me, take an axe and crampons. 

Route: North Couloir
Posted On: 4/10/2019, By: Pete Sowar
Info: Snow starts about 200 feet from the 2wd trail head. Only a couple of patches of dirt shortly after, otherwise snow all the way.

The peaks are STUFFED! Lines are filled in that I have never seen before.

Crestone Peak north couloir had excellent climbing conditions with great coverage. A small bulge of ice in the beginning led to perfect front pointing with the exit as clean as you have ever seen it.

We ended up skiing the south face because it just looked too good to pass up.