Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point 9/7/07

(All Photos)

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Crestone Conglomerate

Altitude 10,565 ft (3,220 m)
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Weird fungus

Altitude 10,925 ft (3,330 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 10,989 ft (3,349 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 10,989 ft (3,349 m)
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Altitude 11,195 ft (3,412 m)
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Altitude 11,195 ft (3,412 m)
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Altitude 11,195 ft (3,412 m)
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Altitude 11,616 ft (3,541 m)
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Willow Lake

Altitude 11,836 ft (3,608 m)
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You can see the trail on the far side

Altitude 12,282 ft (3,744 m)
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Altitude 12,282 ft (3,744 m)
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Altitude 12,309 ft (3,752 m)
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Altitude 12,345 ft (3,763 m)
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Altitude 12,347 ft (3,763 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,388 ft (4,081 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,390 ft (4,081 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,391 ft (4,082 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,396 ft (4,083 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,401 ft (4,085 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,554 ft (4,131 m)
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Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,554 ft (4,131 m)
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A sharp point on the ridge across from Challenger Point

Altitude 13,555 ft (4,132 m)
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North of Willow Lake

Altitude 13,556 ft (4,132 m)
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The Valley to the west

Altitude 13,909 ft (4,240 m)
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North of Willow Lake

Altitude 13,909 ft (4,240 m)
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The ridge up to Challenger Point

Altitude 13,909 ft (4,240 m)
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Altitude 13,906 ft (4,238 m)
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Altitude 13,954 ft (4,253 m)
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Challenger Point

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Challenger Point

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Kit Carson Peak. The green stripes are lichens.

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Odd layers

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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The town of Crestone

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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The top of Kit Carson Peak

Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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Altitude 14,119 ft (4,303 m)
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The route up Kit Carson is along the "avenue" in the upper left. That's the big crack sloping up from left to right. It's actually pretty easy to walk on. It's bigger than it looks here.

Altitude 13,960 ft (4,255 m)
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The avenue

Altitude 13,959 ft (4,255 m)
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The saddle between Challenger Point and Kit Carson

Altitude 13,959 ft (4,255 m)
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The avenue

Altitude 13,903 ft (4,238 m)
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Lichen

Altitude 13,908 ft (4,239 m)
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Lichen

Altitude 13,911 ft (4,240 m)
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Orange lichen

Altitude 13,914 ft (4,241 m)
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Diamonds!

Altitude 13,928 ft (4,245 m)
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More of the avenue

Altitude 13,928 ft (4,245 m)
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Altitude 13,994 ft (4,265 m)
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The "avenue" goes around a corner and then slopes down. You have to walk down for a while unless you want to climb that cliff on the left.

Altitude 14,009 ft (4,270 m)
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Altitude 14,008 ft (4,270 m)
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A steep drop

Altitude 13,985 ft (4,263 m)
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Altitude 13,984 ft (4,262 m)
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A steep drop

Altitude 13,956 ft (4,254 m)
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A steep drop

Altitude 13,954 ft (4,253 m)
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A steep drop

Altitude 13,954 ft (4,253 m)
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Altitude 13,953 ft (4,253 m)
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Altitude 13,861 ft (4,225 m)
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Altitude 13,844 ft (4,220 m)
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Cracked Crestone conglomerate

Altitude 13,844 ft (4,220 m)
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Altitude 14,190 ft (4,325 m)
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Altitude 14,190 ft (4,325 m)
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Challenger Point, from Kit Carson Peak

Altitude 14,185 ft (4,324 m)
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Kit Carson Peak

Altitude 14,185 ft (4,324 m)
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That's willow lake. I hiked around the far end of it, then up the slope on the left.

Altitude 14,184 ft (4,323 m)
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Altitude 14,184 ft (4,323 m)
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Altitude 13,795 ft (4,205 m)
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Headed back up the avenue

Altitude 13,797 ft (4,205 m)
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Altitude 13,811 ft (4,210 m)
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Altitude 13,812 ft (4,210 m)
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Altitude 13,824 ft (4,214 m)
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Challenger Point from the east. I hiked along the ridge.

Altitude 13,956 ft (4,254 m)
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The avenue near the saddle

Altitude 13,961 ft (4,255 m)
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Green lichen

Altitude 13,899 ft (4,236 m)
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Altitude 13,967 ft (4,257 m)
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Altitude 13,901 ft (4,237 m)
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Altitude 12,806 ft (3,903 m)
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Kit Carson Peak on the right

Altitude 12,804 ft (3,903 m)
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Kit Carson Peak

Altitude 12,091 ft (3,685 m)
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Willow Lake is hidden in this valley

Altitude 12,089 ft (3,685 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,032 ft (3,667 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,032 ft (3,667 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,032 ft (3,667 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,032 ft (3,667 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,031 ft (3,667 m)
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Willow Falls

Altitude 12,031 ft (3,667 m)
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Altitude 11,752 ft (3,582 m)
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Altitude 11,752 ft (3,582 m)
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Bumblebee

Altitude 11,751 ft (3,582 m)
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The falls below Willow Lake

Altitude 11,603 ft (3,537 m)
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Altitude 11,479 ft (3,499 m)
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Altitude 11,478 ft (3,499 m)
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Altitude 11,017 ft (3,358 m)
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