Humboldt Peak

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A month after my first attempt was turned back by snow and wind, I decided to try again to climb Humboldt Peak. This time I hiked up from the lower South Colony trailhead and camped at the Rainbow trail junction with the plan to hike all the way up the road to the South Colony Lakes and ascend the west ridge, but return down the east ridge, which would bring me right back to my campsite.

I only had to cross a few small snowfields as I was heading up to the lakes, and all the snow had melted out above timberline. I saw a herd of bighorn sheep pass through a campsite across the lake. Without the wind and snow, the climb went smoothly, although I spent a lot of time looking back over my shoulder at the Crestone Needle. It seemed hard to believe that I had climbed that imposing peak 21 years ago.

When I got back to my tent the mosquitoes were out in force. I couldn't stop moving or I was labelled 'dinner' and covered. So I quickly packed up and started hiking out. That was probably a mistake, because I "hit the wall" about a mile before the parking lot at the trailhead. That last mile took almost an hour even though it was all downhill.

Pictures

• Crestone Needle above South Colony Lake
• Bighorn sheep
• Go toward the light....
• Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak
• Humboldt Peak's west ridge
• On Humboldt Peak (14,064')
• On Humboldt Peak (14,064') in front of (l-r): Crestone Needle (14,197'), Crestone Peak (14,294'), and Kit Carson Peak (14,165') at far right
• Southern Sangre de Cristo peaks: (l-r) Mt. Lindsey (14,042'), Blanca Peak (14,345'), Little Bear Peak (14,037'), and Ellingwood Point (14,042')
• Broken Hand Pass and the San Luis valley
• An inquisitive Marmot
• Looking down Humboldt Peak's east ridge
• Rocky Mt. Blue Flower (Sky Pilot)
• Humboldt Peak's east ridge
• Columbine
• Humboldt Peak approach (blue), East Ridge attempt (yellow), and West Ridge ascent with East Ridge decent (red)—5470' climb, 16.0 miles