View of the Crestones from the road (the Needle is the third peak from the right)
Making breakfast at camp
The camp was surrounded by mountains, including Crestone Needle...
...and Broken Hand Peak...
...and Humboldt Peak...
...and Marble Mountain
The South Colony lakes trail head (11,050')
Heading off on the trail around 8:30am, going northwest
The first clear view of Crestone Needle (14,197')
The first clear view of Broken Hand Peak (13,573')
The first clear view of Humboldt Peak (14,064')
Follow the trail to Broken Hand Peak, then continue north along its base
Crestone Needle (right) and Broken Hand Peak (left)
A cool rock formation along the trail
At the base of Broken Hand Peak, looking back into the valley where we camped
Broken Hand Peak
Entering the San Isabel National Forest, after hiking the first 1.5 miles through private property
Some wildflowers along the trail
The Needle comes into better view as we begin to round Broken Hand Peak
South Colony Creek
Turning northwest around Broken Hand Peak, towards the South Colony lakes and Crestone Needle
The trail forks at the South Colony lakes
The route crosses to the other side of the mountain through Broken Hand Pass (the lowest point on the ridge in the background)
The lower South Colony lake
The trail gets a little rougher
Lower South Colony lake
Approaching Broken Hand Pass
Cross a small boulder field to get to Broken Hand Pass
Follow the trail around this rock and begin climbing up a 400 foot couloir to Broken Hand Pass
Entering the couloir leading to Broken Hand Pass
In the couloir, and the pass comes into view
Upper South Colony lake and the Humboldt Peak ridge
About halfway up the couloir
Looking back down the couloir
A marmot sunbathing on the trail
As we got closer he began to head into his burrow...
...but then he stopped and just stared at us. Mangy lookin' thing, ain't it?
Climb over some large rocks
The pass comes into view again
A look back down onto the lower South Colony lake
Humboldt Peak as seen from Broken Hand Pass
Almost over the pass
At the top of the pass, looking back down
The view from the other side of the mountain, after clearing the pass
A view of the trail, with Crestone Needle barely visible in the background
Cottonwood lake
A view of Crestone Needle through a small pass along the trail
Looking back southwest with Pico Aislado visible in the distance
Some simple scrambling is required at times along this part of the route
On the trail with Crestone Needle in the background
Upper South Colony lake with Colony Baldy (13,715') in the background, and the Humboldt Peak ridge in the foreground
The route continues up this face towards the summit (if you look close you can see some climbers just left of center)
A closer look at the route and some climbers
The trail ends here, and we begin the climb up the mountain
Enter the eastern couloir and begin climbing
About halfway up the eastern couloir, cross onto a rib and into the western couloir
A view of the rib in between the eastern and western couloirs
On the rib
A look back after clearing the rib
In the western couloir
Reach the summit ridge after exiting the western couloir (a climber can be seen near the top)
The route leading to the summit
Southwest from the summit
West from the summit
