Trip Report
Fear, Hatred, And Regret in the Crestones

by Edge
Wednesday July 6, 2016 6:09pm
"We're gonna die!"

Actually there was none of that, but now you've managed to click on this otherwise second rate TR. I'll try to keep it interesting with lots of pics.

With my sheep herders wagon project finally over, I was finally able to schedule some time with my daughter Meaghan. A middle school math teacher in Denver, Meg has been busy with climbing and camping trips throughout the state during her summer break, as well as enjoying a slew of other activities.

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Happy.
Happy.
Credit: Edge
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Since she is off on Friday to Newfoundland for a 4 day above tree line backcountry trek in Gros Morne National Park, we only had a few days to get together. We hatched a bold and likely stupid plan to ascend Ellingwood Ledges, but really we just wanted to have a good time together.

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From the wide plains at 8000', drive to the west.  The Crestones look ...
From the wide plains at 8000', drive to the west. The Crestones look like my EKG on the hike in.
Credit: Edge
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The Sangre de Christos are only a 4 hour drive for me, and after parking at the trail head and a long slog we arrive at South Colony Lake, elevation 11,800'.

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Approaching Broken Hand Pass.
Approaching Broken Hand Pass.
Credit: Edge
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Interesting, but it is the afternoon of July Fourth and none of the scores of people hiking out have any beta on the Crestones, particularly the descent from the Needle down the back side. Hmmm.

A herd of locals signaled arrival at the lake, and assured us a good nights sheep.

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(Insert joke here)
(Insert joke here)
Credit: Edge
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No sign of the predicted storms, so we leisurely set up camp.

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Nope, no storms in sight.
Nope, no storms in sight.
Credit: Edge
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It thundered and lighteninged and hailed 1/4" from 6-7 pm. Meg fell asleep, and sometime after the storm passed I crept out for a reconnaissance. Hiking up the Crestone trail towards Broken Hand Pass, I gave myself an 8:30 turn around time. Being of dual Smith and Pearson blood, I surveyed the face in the style of my old school countrymen: lazing in the talus whilst contemplating the route over a pipe (this is Colorado, so this last bit likely deviates from Menlove-Edwards).

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A bit of snow, some seepage, but not too bad...
A bit of snow, some seepage, but not too bad...
Credit: Edge
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I got back to the tent just about the time I would have wanted my headlamp.

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Room with a view.
Room with a view.
Credit: Edge
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Meg woke up long enough to discuss our options: go for Ellingwood and trust that we wouldn't need the ice gear that we purposely didn't bring, hike over Broken Hand and see if Crestone Peak or Needle were snow free, or just hike humble Humbolt Peak, which we knew would go. We could then summit and get all the way down to the truck before any afternoon storms, and get home a day early. Meg liked the latter, as it gave her an extra day to prepare for Newfoundland, so we went to bed, slept in, and got a less than alpine start at 7:45 am.

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Like he Presidentials of NH, on steroids.
Like he Presidentials of NH, on steroids.
Credit: Edge
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Just kidding, it's nothing like the Presidentials.
Just kidding, it's nothing like the Presidentials.
Credit: Edge
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Woo!  My first 14er in Colorado.
Woo! My first 14er in Colorado.
Credit: Edge
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Sun dried tundra grass at the whistle pig cafe.
Sun dried tundra grass at the whistle pig cafe.
Credit: Edge
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2 1/2 hours up, then 1 hour down to break camp. Another 1 1/4 hour to the truck, and home in time to pick up dinner for the wife, who is picking up the dog from day care. We're so Boulder..

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Worth every penny to tucker him out. All the cool pups are there.
Worth every penny to tucker him out. All the cool pups are there.
Credit: Edge
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So we failed miserably on Ellingwood, but we're both ok with that.

  Trip Report Views: 2,522
Edge
About the Author
Edge is a trad climber from Boulder, CO.

Comments
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Jul 6, 2016 - 06:37pm PT
Srweet....nice witty account of father/daughter fun!
yanqui

climber
Balcarce, Argentina
  Jul 7, 2016 - 03:52am PT
Enjoyed it. I was there in 94 on an extended trip with José to a bunch of climbing areas in southern Colorado.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
  Jul 6, 2016 - 08:01pm PT
So many mountains, so little time but certainly good times, and nice TR thanks for posting up
MH2

Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
  Jul 6, 2016 - 08:26pm PT
Nice yellow-bellied marmot. Nice TR. The Presidentials are behind you but are they beneath you?
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Jul 6, 2016 - 08:34pm PT
That's good times right there!!!

Nice pics too.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
  Jul 6, 2016 - 08:46pm PT
Edge-
Classic.
I got denied on my intended route there once and ended up doing Humboldt instead as well.
The guidebook says
"It is a shapeless hump that's easy to climb."
Yeah, thanks lol!

It counts, though.
14,064'
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  Jul 6, 2016 - 09:02pm PT
I did the exact same thing on 6/13. At least we had 2 lbs of tooth rot



Cheers!
Edge

Trad climber
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2016 - 09:10pm PT
Classic photo bomb.

neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Jul 6, 2016 - 10:14pm PT
hey there say, edge...

thanks for sharing...

wow! these are wonderful clear, and very fun pics!

thanks again!
glad to hear it was so fun!
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Jul 7, 2016 - 07:21am PT
Very nice, thank you!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
  Jul 7, 2016 - 09:49am PT
Nice TR! I love those mountains. It's strange to see Eldorado-like rock but several times thicker. I did the Ellingwood Ledges a few years ago and it was one of the funnest days I've had in the mountains.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Jul 7, 2016 - 10:01am PT
Um, I have to call into question yer editorial ethics in that we have not been exposed
to yer method of dealing with the world class death choss rumoured to be rampant on
Crestone Needle. Are you just being modest or, now that you have joined the highest
order of the Chossumnati, have you succumbed to the Order of Obfuscation?
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Jul 7, 2016 - 10:34am PT
Excellent. Thanks much.

John
Jan

Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
  Jul 7, 2016 - 12:33pm PT
Thanks! A fun report. I've never made it beyond the town of Crestopne but beautiful scenery even there.
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
  Jul 7, 2016 - 12:53pm PT
Totally cool but I want to hear about the Newfoundland backpacking trip
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jul 7, 2016 - 04:36pm PT
Good family fun!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jul 7, 2016 - 04:40pm PT
Good stuff Edge!!
Edge

Trad climber
Author's Reply  Jul 7, 2016 - 06:37pm PT
A few more pics.






Turns out this was my second 14er ever, Mont Blanc in 1985 being my first. I guess Les Courtes or the Midi aren't all that high after all.


Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Jul 7, 2016 - 11:07pm PT
Who is photo bombing who?
Nice report, thanks for sharing!
slabbo

Trad climber
colo south
  Jul 8, 2016 - 07:19am PT
Edge-very nice..until the pictures of You !

How did the "locals" taste ?
Go