Crestone Peak

In late September I finally saw favorable reports that most of the high country snow had melted on the south facing slopes from the storm right after Labor Day. I would have liked to climb Challenger Point and Kit Carson Peak, but that trip need three days. So instead I decided to try Crestone Peak just to the southeast. I drove down to the Cottonwood Creek trailhead just north of the Great Sand Dunes then backpacked in a couple miles until the sun set and pitched camp in a grove of golden aspen.

I was using the Cottonwood Creek approach to the west which was three miles shorter than the standard approach via South Colony Lakes to the east, but also starts 1500 feet lower. I made up most of that difference with my backpacking in the night before. It was hard to get going the next morning—getting dressed in the cold and dark when you can't even stand up in the tent is not fun.

The trail up Cottonwood Creek is pretty well marked until just below timberline, when it appeared to go two different directions. I chose the option to the right and as I came out of the trees was treated to a wonderful view of the Crestone Needle and a waterfall.

But the trail seemed to stop there. I could not see any trail through the willows along the creek despite what shows on some maps, and continuing that way would take me to the base of the waterfall with no visible way around anyway. Instead I made my way up a gully to the left and gained a bench where I could now see Crestone Peak and the red gully that marks the trail to the summit. I worked my way along the base of the solid rock trying to avoid the loose boulder fields below them until I reached the basin at the base of the red gully and joined the standard trail from South Colony Lakes.

No one was camping in the basin today, but I could see a group descending down the gully. The red gully is 1300 feet of climb over four tenths of a mile, an average slope of 62%. It took me two and a quarter hours to go up (and only one hour to come down). Looking south I could barely make out the Great Sand Dunes through the smoke and haze, but the southern 14er peaks were above the clouds, including two of my successful summits earlier this summer.

Coming back down once I left the main trail that goes back to the South Colony Lakes, I tried to stay higher at the base of the cliffs like I did coming up. But it felt like I was too high and was going to miss the gully back to the waterfall viewpoint. Occasionally I would find a lone cairn but nothing that resembled a trail. Eventually I ended up right back at the junction where I turned right coming up, coming down the left-hand fork! The lft fork probably would have been a better choice on the way up, but I would have missed the view of the Needle and waterfall.

Continuing down I heard a peculiar and unique misting sound. I left the trail and explored over to the creek to find another waterfall from overhanging rocks that created a nice mist, lowering the temperature and creating a rainbow.

I finally made it back to my campsite at 6:30 p.m., only 15 minutes before sunset. Still two miles from the trailhead, I broke camp quickly (e.g. threw everything in my pack without bothering to sort, fold, or organize) and started hiking out. I didn't get far before I had to use my flashlight and I hiked the rest of the way in the dark. The day totaled 14 hours of hiking. No wonder I'm tired.

Even with a month off since my last climb, I was still surprised how hard the day was. Crestone Peak is rated as one of the more difficult climbs, but six and a half hours to go three and a half miles to the summit is slow even for me. Now admittedly, that also included 4,500 feet of climb (and I did have to come back down again).

"I feel a hint of pity for those who don't get to experience the crisp air and excitement of mountain climbing. Are they ever really awake?"
— Tommy Caldwell

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