Crestone Needle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crestone Needle |
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Crestone Needle, with the upper South Colony lake in the foreground.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,203 ft (4,329 m) |
| Prominence | 457 ft (139 m) |
| Isolation | 0.45 mi (0.72 km) |
| Listing | Colorado Fourteener 20th |
| Geography | |
 Crestone Needle
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Custer and Saguache counties, Colorado, United States |
| Parent range | Sangre de Cristo Range, Crestones |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Crestone Peak, Colorado |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | July 24, 1916 by Albert Ellingwood and Eleanor Davis |
| Easiest route | South Face: scramble (class 3+) |
Crestone Needle is a very high mountain peak. It is part of a group of tall mountains called the Crestones. These mountains are found in the Sangre de Cristo Range in the Rocky Mountains of North America.
This mountain is special because it is a "fourteener". This means its top is over 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) high. Crestone Needle stands at 14,203 feet (4,329 meters) tall. You can find it in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. It's about 11.1 kilometers (6.9 miles) east-southeast of the Town of Crestone.
The Crestones are a famous cluster of high peaks. They include Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point, Humboldt Peak, and Columbia Point. People usually start their climbs to these peaks from the same main paths.
Climbing Crestone Needle
Even though Crestone Needle is not as high as Crestone Peak, it is still a very popular mountain to climb. It is connected to Crestone Peak by a high, jagged ridge. Many climbers enjoy the challenge of reaching its summit.
Popular Climbing Routes
The simplest way to climb Crestone Needle is called the South Face route. It is also known as the South Couloir. Climbers usually get to this route by crossing a place called Broken Hand Pass. This pass is reached from the South Colony Lakes area.
This route involves some scrambling. Scrambling means you use both your hands and feet to climb over rocks. It can be a bit tricky in some spots. This route is known as one of the harder standard paths among Colorado's fourteeners.
Another very famous way to climb the mountain is the Ellingwood Arete. This route is also called the Ellingwood Ledges Route. It is a steep ridge on the northeast side of the peak. This path goes straight up from the Upper South Colony Lake basin to the very top.
The Ellingwood Arete is a technical rock climb. This means climbers need special gear and skills. It is rated as 5.7 on the Yosemite Decimal Scale. This scale helps climbers know how hard a route is. This route is very popular because it is in a famous book. The book is called Fifty Classic Climbs of North America by Steve Roper and Allen Steck.
Mountain Geology and Safety
The mountain is mostly made of two types of rock: granite and conglomerate. Conglomerate rock looks like pebbles stuck together. Near the top, you can often find knobby rocks that are good for holding onto. Even in summer, you might see patches of snow around the peak.
Climbing these routes, especially the technical ones like the Ellingwood Ledges, requires great care and skill. The traverse from Crestone Peak is also very challenging. Only experienced climbers should attempt these difficult paths.
