 | A Cottonwood Creek waterfall on the way to camp. | |
 | Boilerplate slabs on the way to camp. | |
 | Camp at 11,200 ft. Later that night I endured a torrential rainstorm with lightening striking the surrounding peaks. | |
 | A view of the traverse between Crestone Pk (14,294, 1/4 from left, left of the long Red Gully) and Crestone Needle (14,197, 1/4 from right). The hike up to the base of Crestone Pk from Cottonwood Creek was arduous. There was no trail, and hiking through the willows (which were wet from the previous night's rainstorm) left me soaked to the skin from the waist down. | |
 | Looking back down at a nice (but wet) meadow that I crossed on the way to Crestone Pk. | |
 | Crestone Needle (and a view of the bushwacking required to get closer to it). | |
 | The Red Gully is left of center. Crestone Pk is in the sun just left of the top of the Red Gully. | |
 | A closer view of the Red Gully (center). Crestone Pk is in the sun just left of the top of the gully. | |
 | Cresone Needle (center). You can also see the three gendarmes on the right side of the low saddle (1/3 from left). This will prove to be a particularly difficult area during the traverse from Crestone Pk later this day. | |
 | Looking back down the Red Gully. You can see the Great Sand Dunes as well as Mt Lindsey (14,042, on horizon, 1/3 from left), Blanca Pk (14,345, on horizon, just left of center), and Little Bear Pk (14,037, on horizon, to the right of Blanca, just left of center). | |
 | Two climbers making their way up the Red Gully. | |
 | Challenger Pt (14,081, center) and Kit Carson Pk (14,165, right of center) from the top of the Red Gully. | |
 | Self photo from the summit of Crestone Pk. | |
 | Crestone Needle from the summit of Crestone Pk. | |
 | Zoomed into the Great Sand Dunes from the summit of Crestone Pk. | |
 | Looking down the Cottonwood Creek valley from the summit of Crestone Pk. | |
 | Challenger Pt (left of center) and Kit Carson Pk (center) from the summit of Crestone Pk. | |
 | Getting closer to Crestone Needle during the traverse from Crestone Pk. | |
 | Baby bighorn sheep. | |
 | Baby bighorn sheep. | |
 | Getting closer to Crestone Needle during the traverse from Crestone Pk. | |
 | Looking back down to the Cottonwood Creek valley during the traverse from Crestone Pk. | |
 | The Black Gendarme. The traverse from Crestone Pk to Crestone Needle becomes difficult to navigate from this point on. A nasty-looking cloud over Crestone Neddle didn't improve the situation. | |
 | Self photo at the summit of Crestone Needle. I stayed only long enough to take three pictures (30 seconds) and then started descending. | |
 | Crestone Pk from the summit of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Humboldt Pk (14,064) above one of the South Colony Lakes from the summit of Crestone Needle. | |
 | A view of the South Colony Lakes approach during the descent of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Broken Hand Pk (13,573, foreground, left of center) during the descent of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Looking south during the descent of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Descending the west gully of the south face of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Climbers crossing from the west gully to the east gully of the south face of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Cottonwood Lake during the descent of Crestone Needle. | |
 | A view of the San Luis Valley during the descent of Crestone Needle. | |
 | Getting closer to Cottonwood Lake. | |
 | Humboldt Pk and one of the South Colony Lakes from the top of Broken Hand Pass. | |
 | Getting closer to Cottonwood Lake. | |
 | Cottonwood Lake. | |
 | Cottonwood Lake. | |
 | A view of the descent into the Cottonwood Creek valley. | |
 | Looking back at the Red Gully (1/4 from left) and Crestone Pk. | |
 | Meadow encountered on the way back down to the Cottonwood Creek valley. | |
 | Cottonwood Creek. |
