Spencer and I went to the Sangre de Cristo range to climb Kit Carson Mountain, which consists of Challenger Point (high spot on the left ridge) and Kit Carson Peak (pointy peak in the middle). The trailhead is found East of Crestone, CO. This view is from the west side of the range.

 
 

Here's a great shot of the same peaks from the north, taken from Pico Guarte by climber Ryan Schilling. Kit Carson looks tallest at dead center here, and Challenger is the highest point on the ridge to the right.

 

And one more from the east, taken by climber Erin Burr from Horn Peak.

 

Spencer and I found the trailhead east of town and started hiking. After about an hour of switchbacks in the trees, this view of the distant peaks showed us that we still had a ways to go.

 

Our spirits improved as we got closer to the peaks surrounding Willow Lake, where we would camp.

 

This is about the halfway point. The trail takes you up and over this wall (left side of the photo, above the rubble) via more switchbacks.

 

We made basecamp below the lake at about 11,400'.

 

 

Day Two was deemed Acclimation Day. We took it slow and just hiked around Willow Lake, looking for the best route around it for our climb the next morning.

 
 

Willow Lake is a beautiful place. What a great place for a base camp.

Click on the image to see it in full size.

 
 

Here's what it looks like from above the waterfall, looking west.

Click on the image to see it in full size.

 
 

And here's a picture from about as close to the edge as you'd want to go.

Click on the image to see it in full size.

 

 

It started getting dark (and chilly) on the way back down. Our camp is about a quarter mile back down this valley.

 

On the way back, we came across this bighorn sheep. We scrambled for pictures, not realizing that a whole herd would maraud our camp the following day.

 

The waterfall that flows from the west (lower) end of the lake was the sound in our ears at night.

 

Until now I'd only seen chunks of conglomerate. The Sangre De Cristos are literally mountains of it.

About this time we were both feeling the effects of taking our bodies from sea level to tree line in 36 hours.

 

 

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