This Crestone Needle hike is stunning and intense! I love the Crestone Mountains, but I’m pretty sure this hike is well above my pay grade. Thank you for taking me along virtually! I appreciate it!
I live in Canon City and I LOVE, LOVE the Sangre de Christo mountains. I go as often as I can, but to climb the Crestone Needles, no. You have a lot more hutzpah, and stamina than I do. But I am a lot older than you at 59. I like to hike, but mountain climbing especially the ones like the Needles is not my cup of tea. I will just admire them from below
Beautiful. Thank you for (1) no music and (2) no constant commentary! Part of the beauty of being outdoors is the sound of being outdoors. I’m far too terrified of heights to even consider this, so your video is as close as I’ll get!
Yeah descending is generally a little more difficult, though I also find that I'm warmed up and feel more comfortable with the scrambling on the way down
coming from Cottonwood, this was this the South face, or a variant (Crestone Peak southface to Needle)? What are you thoughts on a 4am start from Cottonwood Lake linking to Crestone Peak, descending the NW couloir to the East ridge to pick up Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point before back tracking to The Prow for a descent to the Spanish Creek trailhead ? This has been on my list for 12 years.
This was the standard class 4 route up the Needle, just coming up to Broken Hand Pass from the west side. That route you described is definitely above my pay grade! I don't know what the route looks like between Crestone Peak and Kit Carson, I'm sure it gets into class 5 terrain though (I know the Prow is class 5 too, I suspect downclimbing that would take a long time). Sounds like a long day so certainly a 4am or even earlier start is best during monsoon season, though waiting till Sept/early Oct will give you more time/better weather.
My thoughts are that you should make another plan. It's no wonder you haven't executed your plan in 12 years; that's your instincts hard at work keeping you alive.
@@ticklefritz5406 Thank you for your deep and insightful response. It will make this project infinitely better informed. Although, you did not directly share your personal experience with this proposed route, (or that of your peers who have completed this proposed route), which of these peaks have you summited? In what combination of these peaks have you summited. What is your ascension rate for peaks >15,000'? While I suspect that this proposed route is no 5.25 hr DeCaLiBron (2022), what is your personal FKT for the DCLB loop? As a 59 year old East Coast (688' elevation) hourly wage earner, I need all the good beta I can get when planning for the remaining sixteen 14ers on my Colorado list. Why should I make another plan? What plan would that be? How is it that are you so familiar with my instincts that you know they are striving to keep me alive? You know my instincts, but not my "terminal" cancer??? Tell me , what have I done in the last 12 years (really 14 years since my "terminal" diagnosis), that has not included these 4 peaks that could be done in 2 days? What have I done? You don't now. The more I write, the more I recognize you have your thumb up your ass. Instincts have nothing to do with this. Lets say I start the project and don't reach the Spanish Creek trailhead the same day. So what? I walk out the next morning. Fuck you.
Definitely more difficult technically. The angle of climbing is steeper and the exposure more severe. The trough has some loose rock, whereas the Needle has almost none. As far as mileage and elevation gain go though, they're comparable
This Crestone Needle hike is stunning and intense! I love the Crestone Mountains, but I’m pretty sure this hike is well above my pay grade. Thank you for taking me along virtually! I appreciate it!
I live in Canon City and I LOVE, LOVE the Sangre de Christo mountains. I go as often as I can, but to climb the Crestone Needles, no. You have a lot more hutzpah, and stamina than I do. But I am a lot older than you at 59. I like to hike, but mountain climbing especially the ones like the Needles is not my cup of tea. I will just admire them from below
Beautiful. Thank you for (1) no music and (2) no constant commentary! Part of the beauty of being outdoors is the sound of being outdoors. I’m far too terrified of heights to even consider this, so your video is as close as I’ll get!
Beautiful video! Thank you!
My first overhung face was done on-belay above a sea cave entrance.
Listening to Sea Lions inside the cave and louder crashing surf below.
Amazing views. Great video. Thanks for sharing. sub & 👍27
Would love to be able to do this!
Great video! When it is steep like that do you find it's harder going down compared with going up? Going down is more tedious for me.
Yeah descending is generally a little more difficult, though I also find that I'm warmed up and feel more comfortable with the scrambling on the way down
coming from Cottonwood, this was this the South face, or a variant (Crestone Peak southface to Needle)? What are you thoughts on a 4am start from Cottonwood Lake linking to Crestone Peak, descending the NW couloir to the East ridge to pick up Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point before back tracking to The Prow for a descent to the Spanish Creek trailhead ? This has been on my list for 12 years.
This was the standard class 4 route up the Needle, just coming up to Broken Hand Pass from the west side. That route you described is definitely above my pay grade! I don't know what the route looks like between Crestone Peak and Kit Carson, I'm sure it gets into class 5 terrain though (I know the Prow is class 5 too, I suspect downclimbing that would take a long time). Sounds like a long day so certainly a 4am or even earlier start is best during monsoon season, though waiting till Sept/early Oct will give you more time/better weather.
My thoughts are that you should make another plan. It's no wonder you haven't executed your plan in 12 years; that's your instincts hard at work keeping you alive.
@@ticklefritz5406 please qualify both claims
@@ticklefritz5406 Thank you for your deep and insightful response. It will make this project infinitely better informed. Although, you did not directly share your personal experience with this proposed route, (or that of your peers who have completed this proposed route), which of these peaks have you summited? In what combination of these peaks have you summited. What is your ascension rate for peaks >15,000'? While I suspect that this proposed route is no 5.25 hr DeCaLiBron (2022), what is your personal FKT for the DCLB loop? As a 59 year old East Coast (688' elevation) hourly wage earner, I need all the good beta I can get when planning for the remaining sixteen 14ers on my Colorado list.
Why should I make another plan? What plan would that be? How is it that are you so familiar with my instincts that you know they are striving to keep me alive? You know my instincts, but not my "terminal" cancer??? Tell me , what have I done in the last 12 years (really 14 years since my "terminal" diagnosis), that has not included these 4 peaks that could be done in 2 days? What have I done? You don't now. The more I write, the more I recognize you have your thumb up your ass. Instincts have nothing to do with this. Lets say I start the project and don't reach the Spanish Creek trailhead the same day. So what? I walk out the next morning. Fuck you.
Why did you only wear your helmet for the accent?
Same. Worse. Easier than Longs Peak Trough?
Definitely more difficult technically. The angle of climbing is steeper and the exposure more severe. The trough has some loose rock, whereas the Needle has almost none. As far as mileage and elevation gain go though, they're comparable
Longer but on Crestone Conglomerate. Super solid, almost completely bomb proof.