Follow the
Challenger Point - North Slope Route to the summit of Challenger. From Challenger, you can't miss Kit Carson -
1 and
2. Remember, you have to go to Kit Karson's summit and back to Challenger so be sure the weather will cooperate. Descend east to the small, 13,800-foot saddle
between Challenger and Kit Carson (
3) and climb onto a Class 2 ledge called Kit Carson Avenue that runs south along the side of the peak. Continue up the avenue (
4) to reach a small, 13,960-foot saddle between Kit Carson and a large fin called The Prow -
5.
From here you can see the next part of the hike - a longer section of the Avenue which descends east -
6. Hike down the Avenue and pass through a wide notch -
7.
8 looks back on the upper half of the Avenue. Your next goal is to locate the entry point into a broad gully on the left, before a rock rib, and near the end of the avenue -
9,
10 and
11. Near 13,650', Turn left
into the broad, shallow gully -
12. STOP! Before you leave the Avenue, look around and become familiar with the area so you know how to return to the Avenue because you need to go back over Challenger on your descent -
13.
From here, it's approximately 450 feet to the summit. Hike up the center of the gully on mostly Difficult Class 2 terrain -
14. As you hike higher, you will likely encounter a few sections of easy Class 3. Look for brief trail sections and small cairns as you take the easiest path up the center -
15. As you approach the ridge crest, angle left and pass some final rock-outcroppings -
16. Near 14,000' the terrain opens up and the summit is up to the left -
17. Continue to the summit ridge (
18 and
19) and over to the summit
-
20,
21 and
22. Taken from Crestone Peak,
23 shows the upper route. Descend the same way you came, back over Challenger.
