Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · Over Obstruction Peak from the East
Overview
Columbia Point is reached from South Colony Lakes by way of the Humboldt Peak trail. You climb to the saddle west of Humboldt, follow a rugged ridge over Point 13,290 to Bears Playground, then continue west. Kit Carson Mountain's eastern summit area has two points: Columbia Point and a slightly lower one called Kitty Kat Carson.
It is Class 2+, with loose rock on the ridge above the Humboldt saddle and steep Class 2 slopes higher up.
The round trip is about 13.5 miles with 4,900 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5 a.m. from the South Colony trailhead.
Turnaround
Be at Bears Playground by 10 a.m.
Crux
The rugged ridge between Point 13,290 and Bears Playground.
Route-finding
Moderate. Stay on or near the crest past Point 13,290. From Bears Playground, head north before angling up to Obstruction's ridge.
Head south out of Westcliffe on Colorado 69. Colfax Lane goes right after 4.5 miles; take it 5.5 miles to where it ends. Go right on the dirt road for a mile to a junction, and keep straight on road 120 a short 0.3 mile more to the 2WD parking (about 8,800 feet).
Vehicles with good clearance and 4WD can continue 2.7 miles to the South Colony Lakes trailhead, where the road has been gated since 2009 (about 9,950 feet). There are parking and camp spots before the river crossing.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeTalus and screeScramblingExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
South Colony trailhead 9,950' · 0 mi
Pass the sign, cross the footbridge and walk up the old South Colony Lakes road.
2
Humboldt trail junction 11,050' · 2.5 mi
At a signed junction, turn right onto the Humboldt Peak trail into the forest.
3
Lower South Colony Lake 11,650' · 3.4 mi
Cross a rocky area, leave the trees and pass through willows north of the lower lake.
4
Junction above the upper lake 11,900' · 4 mi
Turn right and stay on the Humboldt trail.
5
Humboldt saddle 12,850' · 4.8 mi
Zigzag up a steep slope to the saddle just west of Humboldt Peak.
6
Point 13,290 13,290' · 5.2 mi
Walk west to the base of a point and climb nearly 400 feet of somewhat loose ridge to its top.
7
Bears Playground 13,100' · 5.7 mi
Stay on or near the crest and scramble about 0.4 mile along the rugged ridge to a big, flat area called Bears Playground.
Watch for: Class 2+.
8
Obstruction Peak 13,812' · 6.2 mi
Head northwest toward Obstruction. Rather than going straight up the rocks, walk north a few hundred feet, then angle northwest to the ridge and turn left to the summit.
9
Obstruction-Kitty Kat saddle 13,350' · 6.4 mi
Descend west along the Class 2+ ridge to the saddle.
10
Kitty Kat Carson 13,973' · 6.65 mi
Keeping to the right side of the big bowl on Kitty Kat's east face, climb about 600 feet of steep Class 2 ground.
11
Summit 13,986' · 6.75 mi
Drop about 50 feet on the south side and climb to Columbia Point, named for the lost space shuttle. Kit Carson's other summit, Challenger Point, is named for the other.
Getting down
Return the same way over Bears Playground and Point 13,290 to the Humboldt saddle and down the trail.
If things go wrong
The Humboldt saddle has a good trail down to the lakes.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past the Humboldt saddle the route follows a rugged, trailless ridge. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up Columbia Point we list, with its class.
Columbia and Obstruction from the Eastthis routeClass 2+ 13.5 mi
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.