Crestone Needle (Sangre de Cristo Range, Colorado)

Looking south from the summit of Crestone Needle.

Trip date: Sept 14, 2019

Caltopo map here: caltopo.com/m/PLL3

This trip was more "by the books" than normal.  A friend wanted to do the South Face of the Crestone Needle (Class 4 variation) so I obliged.  

Ultimately, this trip reminded me of why I avoid 14ers in the first place: they attract tons of inexperienced people who see mountains as something to conquer instead of something to love.  

That said, the scenery is stunning and the rock quality is spectacular.  It is very likely the best rock quality I've scrambled anywhere.

We had to park at the 2WD but 14ers are so popular it's easy to find a ride. Getting a ride each way saves a total of 4.2mi and +/- 1120'.

The first glimpses of the Crestone Needle

Humbolt Peak above South Colony Lakes

Humboldt Peak

Near South Colony Lakes I was dismayed at the dozens of tents I saw.  And the piles of human feces and toilet paper on the ground.  I think the entirety of 14ers culture is fundamentally misguided.  The adherents seem to view mountains as an athletic event to be conquered and this seems to attract bad behavior.   

As we worked up the gully to Broken Hand Pass we were greeted by about 40-50 (seriously) Air Force Cadets from Colorado Springs coming down.  Their bloviating "leader" talked about the importance of getting them out of their comfort zones.  There is surely a time and place for that but is it really the best idea to put 50 inexperienced people in a gully full of loose debris?  It would have been so easy for them to knock loose rocks down onto their friends...or us.  I waited out of the way until the last of the group had passed.  

The last of the Air Force cadets.

Cottonwood Lake

Wildfire that started on Sept 08, 2019:  ​https://www.outtherecolorado.com/wildfire-burns-with-0-containment-near-mountain-town-in-colorado/

This fire blew up fast. I was sure it was man made due to no lightning being in the area that day but it was apparently natural. It apparently was started by lightning 6 days prior on Sept 08, 2019.

As we were coming down we heard other hikers tell us about a small group of 2-3 that had reached the summit of the Crestone Needle but had made a wrong turn.  They had called search and rescue and were apparently freaking out.  They said they were all wearing shorts and muscle tank tops...why am I not surprised?