Humboldt Peak (Colorado)
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.[1][2][3] 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.
Humboldt Peak | |
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Humboldt Peak (left of center) seen from Westcliffe, Colorado | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 14,070 ft (4,289 m) [1][2] |
Prominence | 1,204 ft (367 m) [2] |
Isolation | 1.41 mi (2.27 km) [2] |
Listing | Colorado Fourteener 37th |
Coordinates | 37°58′34″N 105°33′19″W [3] |
Geography | |
Humboldt Peak | |
Location | Custer County, Colorado, U.S.[3] |
Parent range | Sangre de Cristo Range, Crestones[2] |
Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Crestone Peak, Colorado[3] |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Hike/scramble |
Climbing
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 12-mile 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.
References
- The elevation of Humboldt Peak includes an adjustment of +1.790 m (+5.87 ft) from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
- "Humboldt Peak, Colorado". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- "Humboldt Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 20, 2014.