Tag Archives: Crestone Needle

Crestone Needle: Ellingwood Arete Direct Start

      No Comments on Crestone Needle: Ellingwood Arete Direct Start

On our descent from Longs‘ summit a month ago, Tom and I laid down loose plans for our next trip to another alpine wonderland.  It didn‘t take long for the somewhat infamous Ellingwood Arete on Crestone Needle to surface in the conversation, this is a route I‘ve literally been drooling over since I first read about it four years ago.  It seems if you‘re into 14ers and alpine climbing, the Arete is one of those must-do routes. Tom headed down to Westcliffe Wednesday and booked a hotel and a Jeep rental as I had class until later in the evening.  After I got out I high tailed it on down to the Westcliffe Inn and let myself into the room to find a snoozing Tom and Aaron (he had plans to hit the Crestones the next day as well and conveniently bummed a hotel and ride to the upper TH). Keep reading…

Finishing the 14ers: The Crestones and Humboldt

T.j., Janet, Stu and I left the Mountain View Inn at 3:00am on Wednesday August 8. We drove our rental Jeep back up the South Colony Lakes road, arriving at the upper TH at 4:30am. The events of the previous day dictated that Stu and I would be heading for Crestone Peak first while T.j. and Janet headed for Humboldt. Stu and I would then traverse over to the Needle, drop down to South Colony Lakes and ascend Humboldt, meeting them on the summit for my finisher. We left a radio with T.j. and Janet and explained the route to them, the four of us said our goodbyes at the TH. Stu and I quickly ascended back to the Humboldt/Crestone Peak saddle and made our way to Bear‘s Playground. Keep reading…