Kit Carson Peak

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 7/12/2023, By: colekics
Info: Started at around 3:15 am from willow creek TH, at willow lake at about 5 am. Once the "trail" to the north ridge diverges from the standard route (via challenger), route finding is a bit messy. Once the actual trail ends, I ended up following sparse cairns to the left of all of the bushwhack. They guided me along rockier areas but then you have to cross a stream and then recross it again. Like the previous report said there are a few snowfields under Kirk couloir to cross to get up to OB couloir, but you can nearly completely avoid them by simply staying on the rocks and climbing to a point where the snow to cross is at a minimum. Once actually on the face going up to the ridge, there are some wet spots down low but the actual tough stuff higher on the face and on the actual ridge is completely dry. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 7/9/2023, By: triordie
Info: We did the North ridge route from a high camp at Willow Lake. A couple of snow crossings before you reach the class 4 portion. First, Kirk couloir lower potion, was icy and need both ice are and crampons or spikes. We only had axes and could not safely cross it, ended up going higher to get to a narrow crossing. Two more crossings were softer already at 7 am and were easily crossed with are only. The ridge portion is totally dry. From the summit of Kit Carson to the avenue there was absolutely no snow. The avenue had two tiny patches of snow but since the previous reports they shrank and did not present any challenges, can be crossed in boots easily. Going down from Challenger there are three snow field crossings. Not a problem late in the day, we didn't take our axes out for those, but imagine can be tricky early in the morning, traction would be helpful. The class 2 trail down has some running water and is loose as always but nothing extraordinary. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 7/7/2023, By: delaney_wo
Info: Echoing my Challenger post, not quite summer conditions yet. Ridge down to KC saddle from Challenger is snow-free, but the Avenue presents three relatively short snow crossings which we felt ice axe and micro spikes were needed. The first crossing is to access the avenue after traversing down to the saddle from Challenger. The next 2 are in between the prow and the wide notch. All other sections of the Avenue were dry or had avoidable snow. Other than that, its a fun, snow-free scramble to the summit. See attached photos for a preview of the snow crossings. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: Swerner
Info: Summer conditions up to the lake, then some snow up to Challenger. I'd recommend staying on the rocks on the left side of the big gully up to Challenger to avoid having to cross it a bunch. From Challenger to KC, the Avenue you can see from the summit looks sketchy but it's wider than it looks and it's ok. Around the corner from that there's a bunch more steep snow to cross, and I turned back there. Spikes were useful but I wasn't comfortable continuing further without an axe (which I conveniently left in the car) 

Route: Outward Bound Couloir
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: Gibson135
Info: The trail up to the lake is totally clear. The first snow I reached was somewhere near the Kirk Couloir which was pretty solid. I actually went halfway across it and realized it wasn't going to work and put crampons on just to cross it. The snow on OB was great heading up - firm, easy to get solid steps, but also never anything too hard to work with either. After the couloir its all dry from there to the summit. I felt like I stepped through a time machine leaving the ice and snow and suddenly in summer conditions on the other side viewing the top. Beautiful day! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: mapreader22
Info: Started from S Colony Lakes 2WD TH. From upper TH to the lakes lots of running water/mud, some downed trees, and minor snowfields on the trail - all easily crossable without poles or traction. Summer conditions from Humboldt saddle to Obstruction Peak. There is snow on the west face of Kitty Kat Carson, but easily bypassed on the right. Minor, unavoidable snow crossing (just a few steps) between Kitty Kat and Columbia Point - was fine without traction. Descended the third gully off Columbia Point on the way to Kit Carson and came back up the second gully - both had minor, avoidable snow. Final climb up Kit Carson snow was mostly avoidable with one minor crossing (similar to between Kitty Kat/Columbia Point) near the summit. Was carrying microspikes but never used them. Considered going over to Challenger Point but this was already a very long day starting from the lower TH so decided not to. Still some snow on the part of KC Ave seen from Columbia (see pic). I really enjoyed this route up KC but this is a very long day with several hours off-trail above tree line - good weather is a must for this route. Also highly recommend starting from the upper TH if doing this in one day - starting from the lower TH added ~2 hrs and makes for a very long day. 

Route: the Prow
Posted On: 6/21/2023, By: shattuckml
Info: Climbed Kit Carson via the Prow on Monday 6/19/23. Used Spanish Creek TH. A few things: - Mosquitos were horrible the first 2 miles; plan accordingly and make sure all skin is covered. We knew they were bad and we were still surprised by how horrible it was. - We camped at 11k; it took us ~2hrs to hike to the base of the Prow (13k). The sun hit the prow at approx. 7:30am - much more pleasant if you start in the sun! - Our advice for the descent would be to take the couloir down the whole way! We hopped off and onto the rocks skiers right of the couloir and it slowed us down a bunch. We hopped back on the snow after about 20 minutes on rock. Very nice glissade down the whole way. Got us back to camp in roughly 80 mins. - Still a good amount of running water close to the start of the prow if you want to avoid carrying it to the base. 

Route: Outward Bound Couloir
Posted On: 6/16/2023, By: sdkeil
Info: I didn't climb the Outward Bound couloir, but got a great shot of it from 13,580. I just thought I would update the community with a current picture. The appears to still be continuous from the valley floor. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 6/12/2023, By: ashleyelizabeth0312
Info: There are horrible mosquitos for the first mile and in the parking lot but dont worry they go away after that. We were able to summit Challenger Point but had to turn around for Kit Carson due to unsafe snow conditions sloping towards cliffs. There was a ton of snow going up to Challenger so we just climbed the rocks on the left side. Snow all along the ridge to the summit as well. If you have crampons and an axe to self arrest if needed Kit Carson may have been do-able but we didnt feel safe after trying to go up the avenue with that sloping snow, we ended up turning around. The most fun and longest glissade ever down Challenger with deep snow that made it easy to slow down and stop if needed! No snow until past the lake. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 6/11/2023, By: ashleyelizabeth0312
Info: There are horrible mosquitos for the first mile and in the parking lot but dont worry they go away after that. We were able to summit Challenger Point but had to turn around for Kit Carson due to unsafe snow conditions sloping towards cliffs. There was a ton of snow going up to Challenger so we just climbed the rocks on the left side. Snow all along the ridge to the summit as well. If you have crampons and an axe to self arrest if needed Kit Carson may have been do-able but we didnt feel safe after trying to go up the avenue with that sloping snow, we ended up turning around. The most fun and longest glissade ever down Challenger with deep snow that made it easy to slow down and stop if needed! No snow until past the lake. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 6/9/2023, By: NickMoline
Info: Didnt use snowshoes. Dry up until you start to leave the valley floor. Ridge had a ton of snow and so did the Avenue. I summitted Challenger successfully but only made it halfway down the Avenue before turning around. It was too warm to trust it on the way back and rocks began falling down from the wall as ice was melting. I tried to cut some steps in the beginning part since there was a WI1 you had to traverse. Dont recommend this route until the snow clears. Warming temperatures are just going to make it harder. If you do try it, climb through the night to avoid the unstable conditions. Crampons and axe absolutely necessary. 

Route: Kirk Couloir
Posted On: 5/29/2023, By: andy_schlichting
Info: I summited both Kit Carson and Challenger via the Kirk Couloir. Trail conditions past the lake are excellent--no need for snowshoes with just a few small spots of snow above the headwall that don't even need traction. The Kirk Couloir was in excellent condition. From the saddle to the summit, it was solid snow the whole way on Kit Carson. The entire avenue was filled with about 45-degree angle snow and crampons and an ice axe are an absolute must if you dare attempt it right now (pictures coming). If I would've been on it any later, it probably would've been too late as the snow was softening by mid-morning since much of the avenue is south-facing. Rather than go up the standard route on KC, I chose the couloir to the climber's left of the standard route and it was in good condition, but also starting to soften as I headed down (I assume this is the route people take from Spanish Creek since this couloir continues down--don't know the name though). Heading back over to the saddle was even a bit spicer as the snow was warming but I made it with no scares. From the saddle to Challenger, just follow the knee-deep postholes up to the summit. It's a slog, but it's short. The descent down the standard route of Challenger was pretty simple, although I took one variation. Rather than go down the standard route, I took the couloir to the skier's right and did a mix of speed walking down the soft snow and glissading (wasn't wearing the best pants for that or I'd have glissaded the majority of it except for the steep part near the top). By noon or so, all this snow was mashed potatoes and I imagine it would be anywhere on the mountain since this is north-facing. Left the trailhead at about 1:30 a.m. and summited KC around 9:50 and Challenger around 11:40. 

Route: Outward Bound Couloir
Posted On: 6/1/2023, By: KevinHadley
Info: Packed snow and ice - no flotation needed. Hike to Willow Lake had very little snow, packed down. Snow began at 12k at the entrance to the Couloir and was present to the peak. 

Route: Spanish Creek Approach
Posted On: 5/20/2023, By: 14er101
Info: I was aiming for Coles Couloir, but could not even make it a mile up the Spanish creek approach! High water levels made the trail a river and even the first creek crossing had stuff soaking wet. Lots of annoying deadfalls as well. We described it as "impossible unless you really really want to suffer and are OK getting soaked" Went and played around at the Sand dunes instead. 

Route: Via Challenger Point
Posted On: 4/24/2023, By: andy_schlichting
Info: This will mostly be irrelevant immediately after tomorrow's storm, but I imagine that snow will settle after a few warm days and the conditions will return to the way they were this weekend in the next week or so... The road is still closed 1.2 miles below the trailhead. From there, it was mostly dry with a few packed-snow spots until right around the Willow Creek crossing at 10,900. This is where the snow really starts. On the way up, it was good footing since everything was still frozen. Flotation is needed the last mile to the lake after the big ascent of the headwall. I went back to just boots when I reached the lake and added crampons at the trail junction and they were needed, as well as an ice axe after this. The standard route of Challenger is one of the steepest class 2 routes and in the winter is essentially a couloir. I stayed a bit left of the actual route to make it truly a couloir climb and it was great. Snow was solid through late morning. I ended up turning around 3/4 of the way up the route around noon because I realized I still had probably five hours before I'd begin the descent and I had two friends who were expecting to hear from me by mid-afternoon. Additionally, who knows if the snow would've remained steady late into the day. Looking over towards Kirk Couloir, there were some wet slides there. I'm hoping the snowpack returns to this state soon because I can't wait to go back there. It would've been a 17-hour day had I been successful so expect a slog, but a really fun day of alpine climbing.