Climbing Kit Carson Peak via Challenger Point

My journey to the summits of Sangre de Cristo 14ers Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point on September 15, 2022. This was a very, very long day, but the scenes were as captivating as the day was daunting and exhausting. Starting from the Willow Creek Trailhead west of the peaks, the trip takes me through the lower wooded environs, then around the striking lower Willow Lake, whose east end is girded by cliffs that harbor an amazing alpine waterfall. The rugged and challenging slopes of Challenger Point were next - an area that on this occasion was largely enshrouded by fog. While this made route-finding harder, I thought it added to the overall ambience. After that was the airy traverse of Challenger's northwest ridge, followed by the circuitous final ascent up Kit Carson by way of a ledge known as "Kit Carson Avenue," then a final gully ascent to the top. The summit views are awesome, as you can see the vast valleys to the east and west, the high and rugged Crestones, the Great Sand Dunes, and much else. In this video, as always I provide maps and route description and statistics, as well as some of the history of these mountains. Finally, this is a very long route with a very high elevation gain, so it is crucial to be physically prepared. Also, these mountains present navigational challenges and potential pitfalls, which I learned the hard way on this occasion. In this video I present my screw-ups in detail so that maybe someone else won't commit them. Maintain awareness of your direction and whereabouts, especially at the crucial junctures. The state 14er initiative has a good video where a rescue team member explains the exact foul-up I did, and how not to, and previous consequences of doing so:    • Introduction to 3rd Class: Avoiding N...  . For my climb of neighboring Crestone Peak:    • Crestone Peak - Climb to the Summit v...  . For Crestone Needle:    • Climbing Crestone Needle's South Face...  . Here is the table of contents for this video:
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0:00 Different views of the peaks, and bits about their history
3:28 Route overview and statistics, and directions to the Willow Creek TH
4:20 Going up the road by car
4:55 Lower approach hike, ~8,900' to ~10,900'
15:04 Upper approach hike, ~10,900' to Willow Lake, near 11,600'
19:21 Hiking around picturesque Willow Lake, from ~11,600' to the trail junction near 11,900'
23:34 Challenger Point's rugged crux north slopes, from ~11,900' to the notch in the ridge at ~13,900', including my first mess-up
43:31 Traversing the ridge to the top of Challenger Point, from the notch at ~13,900' to the summit at 14,086'
48:54 Views at the top of Challenger Point
50:15 Descending from Challenger Point to the saddle at ~13,800', then heading up the first stretch of the Avenue to the Prow, near 14,000'
54:53 Descending the 2nd stretch of the Avenue from the Prow at ~14,000' to the entrance of the final gully near 13,600', to the summit at 14,167'
1:06:43 Scenes at the top of Kit Carson Peak
1:10:03 Descending the final stretch, and my 2nd mistake of the day
1:13:23 Descending from the Prow and back up to Challenger Point
1:14:35 Descending from Challenger Point back down the north slopes
1:18:29 Final thoughts
1:19:44 Final scenes of the day
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Music selections:
1) "The Blue Danube" - Strauss (YouTube audio library)
2) "Barnyard Surprise" - The Whole Other (YouTube audio library)
3) "Vespers on the Shore" - The Mini Vandals (YouTube audio library)
4) "Spirit of Fire" - Jesse Gallagher (YouTube audio library)
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Additional sources:
1) For maps: U.S. Geological Survey - USGS
2) "A Climbing Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners" by Walter R. Borneman and Lyndon J. Lampert. Pruett Publishing, 2nd edition, 1988.
3) "Colorado's Fourteeners - From Hikes to Climbs" by Gerry Roach. Fulcrum Publishing, 3rd edition, 2011.
4) 14ers.com: Kit Carson Peak/routes
5) For signs: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture - USDA
6) "Colorado's Highest - The History of Naming the 14,000-Foot Peaks" by Jeri L. Norgren. John Fielder Publishing, 2020.