North Face from the Broken Hand Saddle

Overview

Crestolita is a small, entertaining peak south of Broken Hand Pass, easy to add to Broken Hand Peak.

From the Broken Hand-Crestolita saddle you contour across tundra ledges to the great couloir on the north face, enter it by a small ledge, cross its loose boulders and climb steep tundra and rock to the ridge. One party took 35 minutes from the saddle. It is Class 3.

Over Broken Hand Peak, the round trip is about 12.4 miles with 4,900 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

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.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   South Colony trailhead 9,950' · 0 mi

   Cross the footbridge and walk up the old road, closed to vehicles.

2. 2

   Old road's end 11,000' · 2.8 mi

   At the creek crossing where the road used to end, take either trail to the lower lake. The one along the creek is a bit longer.

3. 3

   Lower South Colony Lake 11,650' · 3.9 mi

   Pick up the signed trail to Broken Hand Pass, the standard way to Crestone Needle.

4. 4

   Broken Hand Pass 12,900' · 5 mi

   A well-built trail climbs the last 400 feet of talus to the pass, where a rescue cable rig stands.

5. 5

   Contour 12,700' · 5.15 mi

   Lose about 200 feet on the far side, following the Cottonwood Lake trail, then contour south-southeast along the peak's flank below some rock outcrops.

6. 6

   Broken Hand Peak 13,575' · 5.7 mi

   Climb a shallow tundra gully, switching gullies as needed to weave around cliffs and towers of conglomerate rock. The small summit is rocky.

   Watch for: Class 2+.

7. 7

   Saddle 12,780' · 6 mi

   Walk down the ridge to the saddle between Broken Hand and Crestolita, mostly tundra.

8. 8

   Couloir 12,900' · 6.2 mi

   Contour west across the north face on tundra ledges to the big couloir. Climb a narrow tundra gully up the rock rib on its left about 100 feet, then follow a small ledge about 40 feet into the couloir.

   Watch for: Class 3.

9. 9

   Summit 13,264' · 6.4 mi

   Cross the steep, loose boulders, scramble out the far side, and climb very steep tundra and loose rock. Coming out just southeast of the higher west summit, turn right to the top.

   Watch for: Class 3. Snow or ice early in summer.

Getting down

Head down north along the edge of the couloir, entering it as late as you can, and pick carefully down the loose gully to tundra above Cottonwood Lake. Join the trail and climb nearly 500 feet back to Broken Hand Pass.

If things go wrong

Return to the Broken Hand-Crestolita saddle and the path back to the pass.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Crestolita we list, with its class.

• Crestolita North Face this routeClass 3 15.55 mi