Crestone Peak

Hit the road in the van with $100 and the dog on Friday and we headed back down to Westcliffe (night outside #34).  We met Kircher down there, and he and I were going to hit a 14er or two on Saturday.

We decided to do Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle.  Crestone Peak ended up kicking our ass pretty good and we ended up doing just that peak.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday though, getting your ass kicked in the mountains.  My watch ended up clocking out at 19 miles and eleven hours, and we still had at least another mile to go.  Other than a 45 minute break at the top, we were moving the entire time.  My 34th Colorado 14er.

The long approach.  That's Kircher leading the way with Crestone Needle in the background.  

Saw a bunch of mountain goats on our way up to Broken Hand Pass.  Another 14er, Humbolt Peak, in the background.

The top.  Helluva climb to get here.  Really pushed the line between steep scrambling and actual rock climbing.

Another view from the top.

On the way down. 

You can see a red streak going up the mountain, that's what we went up and down.  Crestone Peak just to the left as you look at this pic.

Broken Hand Pass.  Sketchiest part of this hike, of which there were many sketchy parts, was the climb just to the east of this pass.  Lots of potential to get skulled by falling rocks.