|
.:Getting to the trailhead:. The trailhead for the standard routes on Humboldt and the Crestones is at South Colony Lakes. To get to the South Colony Lakes trailhead from Denver, the quickest route is go south on I-25 through Colorado Springs, and on the south end of town take the Academy Blvd exit west a couple miles and take the exit south to CO 115, which runs southwest-ish through Penrose and over US 50 to Florence. From Florence, take a left at the junction of CO 115 and CO 96 (it's before you get into the town proper...there's a Carl's fast food joint at the corner), and head south for 11 miles to Wetmore. At the “T” junction in Wetmore, turn right (west) and drive to the hamlet of Westcliffe, about 16 miles away, over Hardscrabble Pass. Look sharp for the intersection of CO 96 and CO 69 in town, and turn left (south). Just about 4.5 miles down CO69 is the right turn onto Colfax Ln (it's signed). The road is paved for a few miles, then becomes well-maintained dirt. At ~6 miles from CO 69, turn right at the "T" intersection, and you'll be on on the S. Colony Lakes Road. The first mile or so is still pretty smooth, but as soon as you pass beyond the gated cattleguard (with parking are on the right), the road turns gradually steeper and rougher... plan on about an hour of slow, strategic and bumpy driving to get there. The next 1.5 miles are on private property, so pulling off to park is not an option. The trailhead is about 6 miles up the road, and the crux of the drive is about 3 miles up, where a series of steep slabs require some deft driving. Don't even THINK about attempting this road without a good 4x4. The trailhead is at the end of the far parking area, beyond a stream crossing that can be driven across, or hiked via a sturdy log crossing. .:The trail:. From the trailhead, the trail winds along the valley below the lakes, gently climbing through the trees and eventually to the South Colonly Lakes. From here you get incredible views of the Crestones on the left and Humboldt on the right. The magnitude of these peaks is made even more impressive by the contrast of the spiky Crestones to the rounded summit of Humboldt. The trail system around the lakes is extensive and includes dozens of good camping spots if you're doing this as an overnighter (highly recommended, just for the ambiance of the area!). To get to the trail for Humboldt, bear right when the trail forks and a sign points left to the Crestone Needle trail. You'll cross the creek on a series of solid stones and climb gently towards upper South Colony Lake, and from here start the moderately steep, switchbacking climb to the saddle southwest of Humboldt. This used to be a brutally steep, mostly straight trail, but the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative has made a great many improvements to cut down on erosion. The new trail is still steep, but the multiple switchbacks help greatly. From the saddle, follow the trail northeast (climber's right) to the summit. Where the trail loses definition, just follow the numerous cairns through the occasional boulder field. You'll start on the left side of the ridge, and gradually transitioning to the right side, skirting a false summit and then hiking an easy ridge to the real summit. .:Trip Report:. After an 11-year absence I decided to head back to Humboldt and revisit the hike that made me decide that I wanted to climb 'em all! It was way back in '95 when a chance climb with my coworkers at the time really turned me on to mountaineering, so this almost felt like a homecoming of sorts. Knowing it was a long drive and wanting to get an early start, I headed out of Denver at 3:00am under cloudy, drizzling skies. The forecast around Westcliffe was for a mostly clear day, so I was counting on the weather clearing by the tmie I made it down there. When I rolled through Westcliffe it was still lightly raining, and I was beginning to get a little worried that it might be a soggy day in the mountains. The morning gradually lightened as I navigated my way up the treacherous South Colony Lakes Road, but I was too busy concentrating on not losing automotive parts to notice that the clouds were burning off around me. Right at 7:00 I bounced into the parking area at the trailhead, and remembering fully how rough this road really is. Luckily my Jeep Wrangler didn't have too many issues with it, and I quickly geared up while letting my stomach settle back into place. Heading out on the trail that winds to South Colony Lakes, I was treated to spectacular views of Humboldt, Broken Hand Peak and Crestone Need as the clouds retreated down the valley. It was a clear blue chilly late-summer morning, with just a trace of a breeze. The air was full of pika and marmot chatter as I trekked towards the lower lake. The main trail forks just below the lower lake, left taking you to Broken Hand Pass and Crestone Needle, the right leading to Humboldt. The morning continued to warm up with the skies mostly clear as I continued past the lower lake and on towards the upper lake and then the steep switchbacks to the saddle. A few low clouds were snaking around Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak, but didn't look like they'd build up into anything signifcant. A couple shouts directed my attention to the pointy summit of Crestone Needle, where a couple climbers had just summited and gave out a whoop. Once on the saddle, I could see not only the rest of the climb along the broad ridge, but also beyond it to the east, where to my suprise the morning clouds had NOT burned off, but continued to hang low over the plateaus east of the Sangres...a rare phenomenon in Colorado! The next hour alternated hiking a defined trail and hopping boulders along a well-cairned path to the summit. I'd forgotten how boulder-y this part of the climb was, but it wasn't difficult or technical in the least. After passing the false summit and ambling the last few hundred yards to the true summit, I was treated to some of the most spectacular views (in my opinion) in the Fourteeners. Immediately to the south is the bulk of the Crestones, and Kit Carson immediately west. You can look beyond these to the distant Blanca massif and the flat San Luis valley. Looking eastwards, the vista east was still obscured by clouds, although the tops of the Spanish Peaks were poking out to the southeast, and far off to the north, Pikes Peak floated above the clouds. It was 10:30, making it just over a 3-hour hike from the trailhead. Amazingly, I had the summit all to myself - a rarity in the mountains these days. I kicked back on a comfy rock and enjoyed a Clif Bar, the crisp mountain air and the quiet of the summit. The clouds continued to build and swirl around the Crestones and Kit Carson, but still didn't pose much an immediate threat. Only when another couple came up over the ridge did I rouse myself and start the trek back down. The hike down was just as pleasant as the hike up, with the day staying cool and clear. Even by the time I reached the car, just before 2:00, there was still no real sign of any troublesome weather, although I knew that once I had driven off the mountain I'd probably be back in the gray, drizzly weather that I drove in all the way down. Of course, there was still the matter of driving outta here, and it was another hour of bone-jarring 4-wheel drive acumen to get back to blessedly smooth pavement. I caught a few glimpses of the Sangres, still basking in the sunlight as I headed home under gray skies, happy to have been fortunate enough to have a beautiful day in the mountains and above the weather. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
