Kit Carson Mountain 14,165 ft (3,417 m)
Route: Outward Bound Couloir
Distance: 15.2 miles (24.5 km)
Vertical: 5,320 feet (1,622 m)
Date: May 02, 2022
Time: 16 hours
Partners: Alex Platt
This peak is difficult due to the combination of distance and elevation gain,
which poses a agonizing choice between an overnight or one hard push. Dawson's
guide dismisses the single day option and provides some information for
overnight camping. In recent years, however, many parties have completed the
single push option and some have also tacked on Challenger Point. We
ultimately deciced to sign up for one big day and thus found ourselves at the
trailhead the night before. We organized our gear and tried to go to sleep
around 8:00 PM.At some point in the early morning I was awaken by water on my face (I was not using a tent) and found that it was snowing lightly. The snowfall continued and my bivy sack was completely wet when the alarm sounded at 2:00 AM. It was also warm and very moist with low clouds. This was really bad news since we were relying on a cold clear night to properly freeze the snow, and I worried that our mission might be over before it started. Alex and I talked about the weather as we hurridly packed up our camp and ate a small breakfast. We ultimately decided to head out in hopes that it would be colder up higher (the trailhead is below 9,000 ft).
Our route.
Finally on skis after several hours of hiking.
A willow thicket.
Alex finds a grotto.
Willow Lake with its impressive ice falls.
Closeup of the ice falls.
Me skinning across the lake.
Difficult snow above the lake.
After 4.5 hours, our first view of Kit Carson Mountain (to left of center).
View from the top of the ice falls.
The upper basin with Columbia Point, Kit Carson Mountain, and Challenger Point on the skyline (from left to right).
Surprisingly thin snow in the basin.
Kit Carson looms large as we pass beneath it.
The Outward Bound Couloir comes into view.
A short break before starting the real climbing.
Wind sculpted snow on the apron.
Entrance to the couloir.
Alex sets a switchback.
Booting up.
Alex clears a steep section.
Top of the couloir in sight.
Traversing to get underneath the final headwall.
I'm leading the traverse.
Nearly there.
Finishing the headwall.
Looking back at our tracks.
Totally different snow on the southwest aspect above the couloir.
The summit comes into view.
Climbing though a mixture of rock, snow, and ice.
Alex finishing the summit ridge.
Me reaching the summit.
From left to right Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak.
Humboldt Peak at center, the Crestones to the right.
Challenger Point.
Amazing views.
The sand dunes and the Sierra Blanca in the distance.
Alex on the summit.
Me on the summit.
Willow lake (at center) looks quite distant.
Zoom of willow lake.
Me skiing the southwest face.
Booting back up to the col.
Alex riding the couloir.
Me skiing the couloir.
Soft snow on the lowest skiable section on the way out.
