The Crestones are a group of four peaks (fourteeners) in the Sangre de Cristo Range above Crestone, central southern Colorado, comprising:

1. Crestone Peak ( )

2. Crestone Needle ( )

3. Kit Carson Mountain ( )

4. Humboldt Peak ( )

Snow is usually mostly melted by early July. Climbers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.

Climbing

• Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle are rock scrambles (Class 3) with some exposure.

• Kit Carson Mountain is a walk-up (Class 2), but only if the correct route is carefully followed; it has claimed more lives than Crestone Peak or Crestone Needle. Challenger Point ( ) and Columbia Point () are sub-peaks of Kit Carson Mountain.

• Humboldt Peak is the easiest of the four, with a straightforward walk-up route. Sometimes Humboldt is not included in the term "The Crestones."

Broken Hand Peak, , southeast of Crestone Needle, is included within the official name "Crestone Peaks". Mount Adams ( ) is a notable peak just to the north of the Crestones, and is quite rugged.

Note that Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle are somewhat more technical climbs than many Colorado fourteeners; caution is advised. About one person per year is killed on the Crestones; occasionally they are skilled mountaineers.

See also

Rocky Mountains

Southern Rocky Mountains

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

• Sangre de Cristo Range

Geography of Colorado

Mountain ranges of Colorado

• Mountain peaks of Colorado

• Mountain passes of Colorado

• Outline of Colorado

• Index of Colorado-related articles

References

External links

• The Crestones on TopoQuest

• Well illustrated trip report of climbs of Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak via Broken Hand Pass