Isolation 1.41 mi (2.27 km) Elevation 4,287 m | Easiest route Hike/scramble Prominence 361 m | |
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Topo map USGS 7.5' topographic mapCrestone Peak, Colorado Similar | ||
Humboldt Peak is a high mountain summit of the Crestones in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,070-foot (4,289 m) fourteener is located in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 11.9 miles (19.2 km) south-southwest (bearing 204°) of the Town of Westcliffe in Custer County, Colorado, United States. The Crestones are a cluster of high summits in the Sangre de Cristo Range, comprising Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point, Humboldt Peak, and Columbia Point.
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Map of Humboldt Peak, Colorado 81252, USA
ClimbingEdit
Humboldt Peak is the least challenging climb of the Crestones. The standard route on the peak is an exhausting hike along a trail, with rock scrambling (Class 2) near the summit. 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 halfway 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 4,464 feet (1,361 m) of elevation gain in a 14-mile (23 km) round trip when done from the two-wheel drive access point, but only 3,100 feet (940 m) of gain in a 6-mile (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 5,200 feet (1,600 m) of elevation gain in an 18-mile (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.