That Awesome Rock on Crestone Needle

H & I climbed Crestone Peak in 2017. After two trips up Cottonwood Canyon to the Crestones, I’d had enough of that trail. For climbing Crestone Needle in 2019, we’d do the standard route from South Colony Lakes.

The road up to the South Colony Lakes Trailhead is not to be taken lightly. We had no problem in the jeep, but I wouldn’t’ve wanted to be in anything with less clearance. H & I were joined by Georgia for the drive, and Mike was meeting us in camp for the climb the next morning. The hike up the now-closed old jeep road to the lakes was quite sloggish at a steady and unrelenting 4.4 miles and 2,000′ of elevation gain. We made camp and Mike arrived shortly afterwards. Then the usual meal and to bed for the early rise.

We started in the dark to get a jump on any weather, and the sun was up by the time we were on atop the crappy rock going up Broken Hand Pass.

And then the fun began. No, really. The rock is sooooo nice. The Crestone conglomerate gives you just the best holds. And Needle gives a climber much more variety than Peak. For Peak it’s pretty much the Red Gully Show for many hundreds of the feet. Needle gives you two gullies, both much narrower. By the time you’re tired of the east gully, you traverse over to the west gully. And from there it’s a straight run up to the summit.

Climbing Starts on Crestone Needle — Starting Up to Broken Hand Pass

The top of Needle — Peak, too — is unique for Fourteeners. There’s four other Fourteeners — Peak, Kit Carson, Challenger, & Humbolt — grouped closely around. All so close you could almost reach out & touch them. Then to the south is Great Sand Dunes NP with the Blanca group rising behind it. It’s an iconic panorama. We had our summit snacks and enjoyed the view.

Blanca Group and Sand Dunes — Summit Snacks

The weather was good so we took our time and enjoyed the downclimb. We passed above Cottonwood Lake, where we camped when we did Peak.

Once at Broken Hand Pass, we knew the fun scramble was over. We picked our way down through the loose rocks & dirt, packed up camp, and began the backpack out.

Normally, we would’ve taken a bit of a break but we had to make time. H, Georgia, & I had to drive south and set up camp near the Lily Lake trailhead for our Mount Lindsey climb the next day.

Climbing Crestone Needle is definitely in the top 5 Fourteener experiences — to setting from camp to summit was memorable, the rock was solid, and the climb was just fun.

Crestone Needle from South Colony Lakes