Humboldt and the Sangre de Cristo Range. From Wet Mountain Valley, Colorado, 2015 (Humboldt is the high peak left of center and left of the Crestones. The big cloud and its pieces are pointing to it.)
“I ain’t never been lost…but I was bewildered for a week once.” —CCCarl, or Daniel Boone? (Yes, I’m recycling the quote yet again, but I love it. More on the this in the report below…yep, I was…uh…bewildered for a bit during the descent.)
Aside from the occasional “bewildering”, for me, there are almost always two key emotional moments during each specific quest to be at the summit of a 14er around sunrise time.
This trip was no different.
The first moment is that sort of nervous, anxious few minutes upon arriving at the trailhead, alone, at 1a.m. I turn the key to kill the truck’s engine and open the door and I am immediately plunged into a chilly, pine-scented, darkness and an ear-ringing silence as the warm, friendly cocoon of light and bad, late-night AM talk radio all disappear in an electric instant.
This abrupt transition from the artificial to the natural world always catches me a bit off-guard and it takes me a few minutes to mentally adjust. The big questions on my mind as I prepare my pack are always…Will the correct trail be easy to find? Will I be able to easily navigate the trail by headlamp or moonlight? Will I scare up a large, carnivorous mammal along the way? Will the weather cooperate? And, what could potentially go wrong today?
The second moment of high emotion–but sort of the antithesis of the first–occurs when I have climbed the roughly 2,000′ vertical feet through the shadowy forest and I suddenly emerge above the treeline into the wide-open and friendly (at least to me) tundra. When there is at least a half Moon, as there was this morning, I can usually turn off the headlamp and merge more completely into this stark and spectacular high mountain world. I can now navigate with greater ease–I can see most everywhere!–and the top-o’-the world setting of grassy tufts, rock and ice gives me new energy, and the tension of the previous two hours of route-finding fades instantly.
If you were with me, you would hear me give a happy little whoop of joy and say, out loud, something like, “THIS is what it’s all about! Life doesn’t get much better than this!”
Having such spectacular wilderness all to yourself (well, also shared with all the other non-human mammals, vegetables, and minerals in the area), if only for a few hours, is a privilege few get to experience, and I savor it with my heart and eyes wide open.
Trip Report: Humboldt Peak (14,064′)
Route:
I chose the Class 2 East Ridge Route as the rapid melting of the heavy spring snows made the higher 4WD trailhead at 9,800′ just recently accessible. The hike is about eight miles round trip and 4,200′ vertical.
Timeline:
I left Boulder around 9p.m. the night before (the 7th of June) and was on the trail at 1:20a.m. (Darn those early sunrise times in late spring/summer!)
I was at treeline by 3a.m. and on the summit by about 5:20a.m. (sunrise at 5:40a.m.).
After some photo fun up high, I was on my way down at about 6:30a.m. and finally dropped my pack at the truck at 9:15a.m.–this includes an extra 45 minutes of floundering through brush and deadfall as I ended up on the wrong, heavily cluttered, descent ridge.
Total time on the trail: almost 8 hours. If you subtract out the time I spent “bewildered” on the descent, and my many stops for photo ops, I’d guess my actual travel time was around 6 hours, Thus 4 up, 2 down might be typical in current conditions, assuming no major route-finding errors and you are in reasonable condition. So, this is a pretty short route as 14ers go.
Weather Conditions:
Perfect–for hiking, anyway (mediocre for image-making–no clouds to speak of). Temps in the mid-40s at the trailhead at 1a.m., not a breath of wind, and clear skies. Temps on top were probably in the mid to high 20s, but with no wind it was quite comfortable with a few layers on. Highs in the central mountains were projected to be in the 60s today.
The first cumulus clouds started forming at around 7a.m. but never overdeveloped into thunderstorms anywhere in central Colorado on this day–at least that I could see.
Trail Conditions:
First, a comment on the two mile stretch between the lower 2WD South Colony Lakes Trailhead (8,800′) and the upper 4WD trailhead (9,800′). This section definitely requires a 4WD with good clearance as there are some steep, rocky sections to bounce over. I know a couple of Arizona cowboys who could probably drive it with their ancient El Camino loaded down with rolls of fencing wire and a month’s worth of groceries–but I wouldn’t chance it with your new Subaru. Team up with someone with the right vehicle, or just suck it up and walk the extra mileage and vertical.
The 4WD road itself was dry–just a few inconsequential puddles from recent rains and snowmelt.
The Rainbow Trail pullout was well signed and had room for maybe 3-5 vehicles.
Once on foot, the 14ers.com route description is pretty accurate from here. After crossing the footbridge, I counted around 300 good strides on the wide trail then started looking for an obvious break in the woods to the left to start up toward the ridge. Once off the main drag, it all looked like thick forest but a pathway through always seemed to open up–I just tried to find, and stay on, what I perceived to be the ridge proper and kept going uphill, and it worked.
On the lower angle section of the ridge the walking was actually quite pleasant and Sherwood Forest-ish. I could see trail sections with my headlamp and cairns were plentiful, along with various nymphs and tree elves. On the steeper and more forested section climbing up to treeline, the trail seemed to fade out as hikers chose their “best” routes. I also started seeing random, small, snow piles.
I emerged from the trees a bit to the north of the “contorted bristlecone” mentioned in Roach’s book (p.192) and had the one and only hip-deep posthole incident on the entire trip as I was forced to cross a larger snow pile between some thick trees.
Once above the trees, the route was obvious, although you don’t see the actual summit until you gain the big hump up around 13,200′. You could generally choose to walk snow or tundra through this area. I chose snow because it was frozen, but with enough of a crispy crust to get good traction in my hiking boots. (Hiking on snow minimizes tundra damage as well.)
The final mile and 1,000+’ vertical is the best part of the route. You have views up and down the magnificent Sangre de Cristo Range and you can almost smell Crestone Needle and Peak just beyond Humboldt Peak. There was one short, flat, section of the ridge, just before the last climb to the summit, that very vaguely reminded me of the Catwalk on Eolus. It wasn’t nearly as exposed or difficult, mind you, but it would be a good introduction for those wanting to try a spectacular, but still very secure, Class 2 climb. (Walk closer to the cliff on the north edge for thrills…move to the south for comfort.)
The descent is quick–if you stay on route! I entered the trees at a good spot and followed a few human tracks for a while, then used my impeccable judgement to follow down what I thought was the main ridge. I ended up drifting too far north and following another ridge down to the Rainbow Trail–a route that was much more overgrown and epithet-inducing. A GPS track would be good to have here. So, I missed that wonderful walk back down through the Sherwood Forest with the elves.
Luckily, no matter which way you go down, you’ll eventually run smack mack into the Rainbow Trail and then it is an easy walk to the south back across the bridge and up the hill to the parking area and grandmother’s house.
A winter walk on this route will obviously require traction and, especially, flotation through the trees as well as an extra 4 miles and 1,000′ vertical, so plan accordingly. Currently, though, your hiking boots will work just fine. I would highly recommend poles also since most of this route does not follow a maintained trail.
Photography Issues:
–Focusing at night is always a pain in the brain. If you have a Moon, that can work to help you find infinity with autofocus. Magnifying the screen after a test shot is probably the best check–or even use live view. Just in case, I have the infinity focus setting memorized at both 24mm and 70mm on my 24-70mm zoom (be warned, infinity focus very often is NOT where the infinity symbol lines up on your lens).
–I always moan about the lack of clouds on these clear, cliché blue, Colorado days. Sure, there is very little risk of a surprise thunder storm in such conditions, but the sky is blue-booooring. I guess I’m a cloud guy at heart…head and heart in the clouds?
Unusual Events/Comments:
–Humboldt was a good choice for a first fearless foray into the Sangre de Cristo Range. It’s a fairly straightforward hike and you get to check out two of the more ominously difficult 14ers up close–Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak.
–I have had Humboldt on my sonar screen since March. I had the tenuous hope that I would be able to find the right snow conditions and the empty space on my calendar to climb the peak in winter, but the stars never winked their approval. Then, the many wet snowstorms of May closed the door for another four weeks–too much danger of wet slab avalanches (see example in image below)…and the storms kept rolling through every other day it seemed.
–At around 6:30a.m., just as I started down, I spotted a solo climber starting up the Southeast Flank Gully Route (see image below). If he was coming up for a ski, he will have to start some 50′ vertical below the summit and his run will likely end about treeline. With these warm temps lately, this week may be the last chance to ski the line as the spring/summer melt accelerates.
–Other than the solo climber/skier, I was alone on the mountain with only the occasional deer and grouse as company.
—Colorado 14er Senior Challenge summit count: 31 of the basic list of 58 (p. xxiii in Gerry Roach’s 14er “Bible”, Colorado Fourteeners, 3rd Ed.); 37 of the long list of 73 (pp. 347-348, with South Wilson added, also in Roach’s “Bible”.
Selected Images:
This exposure is pretty close to what I was seeing with the naked eye during the night with the 60% waning Moon. A faint bit of Milky Way dust can be seen as well as a setting Scorpio and the lights of Monte Vista. Now above 13,000′, the final ridge leading to Humboldt’s summit is visible…
Humboldt by Moonlight. East Ridge, Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
It seems like first indication of morning light appears eons before scheduled sunrise at this altitude and this time of year. The high point on the far horizon (left) is Pikes Peak with the lights of Colorado Springs spilling out to the right of it…
First Light. From Humboldt Peak’s East Ridge, Colorado, 2015
Playing with long exposures on the tripod…
Ghost Hiker. Humboldt Peak’s East Ridge, Colorado, 2015
Here was the section that sort of reminded me of the Eolus Catwalk–Lite…
Summit Ridge, Narrow Section. Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Looking back along the East Ridge as sunrise approaches. The lights of Westcliffe in the Wet Mountain Valley, over 6,000 feet below, are visible…
Dawn Light on the Ridge. Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Comfy on the summit with two thin wool layers, a down jacket, and wind parka. A photographer has to dress for standing around for long periods. There was, thankfully, almost zero wind…
Summit, Awaiting the Sun. Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
A Colorado 14er cliché…
Greeting the Sun. Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Left to right: Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak, Kit Carson Mountain/Challenger Point…
The Crestone Group. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
How many peaks can you identify?…
The View North. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
How about the peaks to the south? Can you spot Little Bear (far distance in the Blanca Group), perhaps one of the scariest of the 14ers to climb? Or East and West Spanish Peaks …
The View South. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
A closeup of two on my “To Do” list…
Kit Carson and Challenger. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
And two more for the “To Do” list, these a bit more difficult…
Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Left to right: Lindsey, Blanca, Ellingwood, Little Bear…
The Blanca Group, Close-up. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
At least I’m pretty sure it is Mt. Adams. Lacking just 70 feet to be a 14er, and a very beautiful summit. I’ll get there someday when I start visiting the 13ers…
Mt. Adams. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
The sun lights up the pathway down to higher oxygen levels, and home…
Humboldt, Upper East Ridge. Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Here is the reason I didn’t try climbing anything in May. This is the bowl directly east of Kit Carson/Challenger…
Spring, Wet Slides. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
Shadow play in the valley below…
Wet Mountain Valley. From Humboldt Peak, Colorado, 2015
On the way out…The 2WD parking lot is just out of the frame to the right. This is where you would start hiking/skinning in winter. The two miles from here up to the Rainbow Trail intersection is pretty rough and requires a 4WD with good clearance. That is Humboldt just left of the road line, but the actual summit is hidden by its 13,000′ “hump” on the East Ridge…
The 4WD Road. South Colony Road, Colorado, 2015
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