Humboldt Peak (Colorado)
Encyclopedia
Humboldt Peak is a high peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range
in southern Colorado. It is the least challenging climb of the Crestone group of fourteeners, which include Crestone Peak
, Crestone Needle
, and Kit Carson Peak
. (Challenger Point
, a subpeak of Kit Carson Peak, is sometimes included in this list.)
Despite the rather impressive north face of Humboldt Peak, the standard route on the peak is not much more than a hike along a decent trail with some minor rock scrambling
(Class 2) near the summit. It is considered an easy climb and is recommended for those just beginning to climb the fourteeners. The trail climbs the peak from the South Colony Lakes basin, accessed from the east side of the range. This basin is a popular site that is also the base for most climbs of Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. A very rugged four-wheel drive
road follows the South Colony drainage to near the Lakes; however this road will be closed half-way up on October 13, 2009. There is a lower parking lot for two-wheel drive
access at the San Isabel National Forest
boundary. The climb involves 4464 feet (1,360.6 m) of elevation gain in a 14 miles (22.5 km) round trip when done from the two-wheel drive access point, but only 3100 feet (944.9 m) of gain in a 6 miles (9.7 km) round trip from the current high-clearance four-wheel drive access point.
As of 8/30/2007, 2WD lot has been moved back. From here climb involves 5200 feet (1,585 m) of elevation gain in an 18 miles (29 km) round trip. When hiking Humboldt be sure to stay right on the ridge because the left is the north face and drops steeply.
Sangre de Cristo Range
The Sangre de Cristo Range, called the East Range locally in the San Luis Valley, is a narrow mountain range of the Rocky Mountains running north and south along the east side of the Rio Grande Rift in southern Colorado in the United States...
in southern Colorado. It is the least challenging climb of the Crestone group of fourteeners, which include Crestone Peak
Crestone Peak
Crestone Peak is the seventh highest peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is the second highest peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range after Blanca Peak. It rises in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness above the east side of the San Luis Valley along the boundary between Saguache and Custer counties,...
, Crestone Needle
Crestone Needle
Crestone Needle is one of the fourteeners of Colorado, in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Range. It is part of a group of four fourteeners known as "the Crestones", headed by Crestone Peak and also including Kit Carson Mountain and Humboldt Peak.While not as high as Crestone Peak, and connected...
, and Kit Carson Peak
Kit Carson Peak
Kit Carson Peak is one of the 54 fourteeners in the state of Colorado. It lies in the Sangre de Cristo Range near Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle and is named after the frontiersman Kit Carson...
. (Challenger Point
Challenger Point
Challenger Point is a fourteener in the Sangre de Cristo range, located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Colorado. The summit is on the northwest shoulder of Kit Carson Mountain, and is a subpeak of the latter...
, a subpeak of Kit Carson Peak, is sometimes included in this list.)
Despite the rather impressive north face of Humboldt Peak, the standard route on the peak is not much more than a hike along a decent trail with some minor rock scrambling
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
(Class 2) near the summit. It is considered an easy climb and is recommended for those just beginning to climb the fourteeners. The trail climbs the peak from the South Colony Lakes basin, accessed from the east side of the range. This basin is a popular site that is also the base for most climbs of Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. A very rugged four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
road follows the South Colony drainage to near the Lakes; however this road will be closed half-way up on October 13, 2009. There is a lower parking lot for two-wheel drive
Two-wheel drive
Two wheel drive or 2WD describes vehicles with a drivetrain that allows two wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously.-Four wheeled vehicles:...
access at the San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 54 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado....
boundary. The climb involves 4464 feet (1,360.6 m) of elevation gain in a 14 miles (22.5 km) round trip when done from the two-wheel drive access point, but only 3100 feet (944.9 m) of gain in a 6 miles (9.7 km) round trip from the current high-clearance four-wheel drive access point.
As of 8/30/2007, 2WD lot has been moved back. From here climb involves 5200 feet (1,585 m) of elevation gain in an 18 miles (29 km) round trip. When hiking Humboldt be sure to stay right on the ridge because the left is the north face and drops steeply.
See also
- List of Colorado fourteeners
- Mountain peaks of ColoradoMountain peaks of ColoradoThis article comprises three sortable tables of the major mountain peaks of the U.S. State of Colorado.Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface...
- Mountain ranges of ColoradoMountain ranges of ColoradoThe following table lists the major mountain ranges of the U.S. State of Colorado.-Mountain Ranges:-See also:*4000 meter peaks of Colorado*Colorado mountain passes*Geography of Colorado*Lists of mountains*Mountain peaks of Colorado...