Crestone Peak

Route: South Face
Posted On: 9/26/2011, By: pinhead
Info: I took the standard route to Crestone Peak, from Colony Lakes over to the red gully. The south side of Crestone Peak and Needle is devoid of snow -- except there is water running in the red gully. The northwest couloir is full of snow however. And the last stretch leading up to Broken Hand pass has some very awkward snow. An ice axe is recommended for the stretch below Broken Hand pass. 

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Posted On: 9/29/2011, By: sinyala1
Info: Hiked over Broken Hand pass on Friday, 9/23, climbed Crestone Peak and traversed to Crestone Needle on 9/24. The weekend weather was very fine, routes were almost completely free of previous weekend's snow, except for a couple small patches of snow in the gully alongside the Black Gendarme and the top several hundred feet of Broken Hand pass on the North Side of course. Even so, Broken Hand was negotiable with heavy packs and no ice axes or crampons, but I would recommend real hiking boots, as in Vibram soles or equivalent. The same is true for the small amount of snow in the gully on the traverse, though you can climb around most of this on rock. No ropes or equipment were used on the traverse, just hiking boots. As advertised, the last hundred feet on Crestone Needle was lower 5th class climbing with lots of exposure, easy for a rock climber, but a rope might be required for novices or those who fear height! Enjoy the Crestones while you can, snow will be coming soon.

-Chris Wilcox- 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 8/10/2011, By: apasquel
Info: Climbed this peak on 08/06/11. The rock was good and for the most part stable...you have to switchback and forth within the gully to find the more stable line up the route. Pay attention on your descent from the peak, and make sure you are listening to other climbers yelling out "rock"...I got naile din the leg by a rock and it hurt pretty bad. BHP was the worst though...it is loose dirt and rock, it royally sucked. Be careful on the way up and down this pass. 

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Posted On: 7/25/2011, By: Wentzl
Info: No ice tools needed at this time. 

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Posted On: 7/18/2011, By: taylorzs
Info: The Cresones are mostly dry now. The Ellingwood Arete was dry and there was no snow present. The traverse was dry as well. There was patchy snow and running water in the Red Gully in a few places. It was not difficult to go around. We brought axes and crampons, they were not necessary. I would not bring them any time soon on these routes. The south face of the Needle looked pretty dry from Cottonwood Lake and the summit. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 7/2/2011, By: Nelson
Info: I climbed this on the 1st of July. There was a good freeze the night before and crampons and ax were a must to get up Broken Hand Pass. There are two snowfields in the red gully. I needed ax and crampons to get up but as the sun hit (9 am) it softened quickly.

I climbed the Needle on 7/2. It was much warmer the night before and crampons and ax were not necessary to get up to or down from Broken Hand Pass.

Things are melting fast. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/26/2011, By: blues311
Info: I climbed Crestone Peak today. The Red Gully has two long stretches where crampons and an axe were necessary. In areas where there was no snow, water was running down the middle and for the most part I stayed to the left of it. Attached pic is the gully from the notch at 14100. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 6/12/2011, By: dmccool
Info: The climb up Broken Hand Pass was very solid snow early in the morning. There is boot pack through the snow field and up the couloir to the top of the Pass. The descent to Cottonwood Lake to is completely snow free. The Red Gully was a mixed bag of solid snow, ice, and rushing water (on top of snow and underneath it). The top of the Red Gully holds solid snow, but is a pretty steep snow climb. Be very careful on the downclimb of both the Gully and BH Pass in late morning/early afternoon because the snow is getting pretty soft. 

Route: South Face
Posted On: 4/3/2011, By: BillMiddlebrook
Info: Continous snow top to the bottom in the gully with the exception of a short (10') patch of rock approx. 1/3 of the way up. Once at the saddle, there was snow on the ledges up to the summit that ended about 30 yards from the top.

More info on the approach from South Colony Lakes TH:
Parked near 9,000 and the road was on/off snow for about a mile. Then it was continous snow all the way to SC lakes. Snow/bare spots from the lake up to 12,400' and then snow up through the difficulties leading to Broken Hand Pass (bare near the top of the pass). On the other side, snow starts 100' below the pass and was continous past Cottonwood Lake and up Crestone Peak.