Crestone Pk
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Crestone Pk
by jmbrooks8 » Fri Oct 17, 2025 2:41 pm
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jmbrooks8 - Posts: 83
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Re: Crestone Pk
by Scott Patterson » Fri Oct 17, 2025 7:58 pm
Hopefully no one is thinking "Oh no, not another West Crestone vs East Crestone thread", but I wanted to start this one as a separate topic free from the clutter on the other threads. This one has to do with the first ascent of Crestone Peak only. Let's keep the lively debate on reclimbing the peak, etc. on the other thread.
I was curious as to which peak the Ellingwood team climbed on the first ascent of Crestone Peak back in 1916. Did they climb the East, West, or both?
I opened up my Borneman and Lampert Book and here's where it get's interesting (word for word, but adding the italicized and bold text):
On July 24,1916, the quartet got an exceptionally late (8:10 AM) start and proceeded up Crestone's north arete and into the north couloir, reaching the main peak at 12:40. After constructing a cairn on each of the twin summits (Ellingwood incorrectly guessed that the eastern point was higher), the party gingerly began the traverse to the Needle.
Notice the bold print in the account above. It seems that 109+ years ago Ellingwood knew all along (OK, maybe just suspected if you must go there). He was just another old time climber that showed us moderns that maybe they had a trick or two up their sleeves after all. Well played Mr. Ellingwood, well played.
(I just thought this was interesting).
I was curious as to which peak the Ellingwood team climbed on the first ascent of Crestone Peak back in 1916. Did they climb the East, West, or both?
I opened up my Borneman and Lampert Book and here's where it get's interesting (word for word, but adding the italicized and bold text):
On July 24,1916, the quartet got an exceptionally late (8:10 AM) start and proceeded up Crestone's north arete and into the north couloir, reaching the main peak at 12:40. After constructing a cairn on each of the twin summits (Ellingwood incorrectly guessed that the eastern point was higher), the party gingerly began the traverse to the Needle.
Notice the bold print in the account above. It seems that 109+ years ago Ellingwood knew all along (OK, maybe just suspected if you must go there). He was just another old time climber that showed us moderns that maybe they had a trick or two up their sleeves after all. Well played Mr. Ellingwood, well played.
(I just thought this was interesting).
- Scott Patterson
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Re: Crestone Pk
by westbr » Sun Oct 19, 2025 10:46 am
July 24 - Albert, Bee, Eleanor Davis and Jo begin the climb of Crestone Peak by the north arete. Where the arete turns west "we tied in on the rope" which led to the northeast summit. They traversed to a saddle and found an easy route to the northwest summit. Built a cairn. Off the summit by retracing their steps to the saddle "and pushing up on easy rocks to the main peak." Another cairn left.
from 14ers.com report on Gibbs Peak excerpted from Ellingwood's "Notes on 1916 Sangres Trip" at the A.A.C. Library and the article Albert wrote in 1925, "Climbing in the Sangre de Cristo" in the Colorado Mountain Club's "Trail and Timberline" magazine
So they climbed all three Crestone Peaks (NE, NW, and Main)
from 14ers.com report on Gibbs Peak excerpted from Ellingwood's "Notes on 1916 Sangres Trip" at the A.A.C. Library and the article Albert wrote in 1925, "Climbing in the Sangre de Cristo" in the Colorado Mountain Club's "Trail and Timberline" magazine
So they climbed all three Crestone Peaks (NE, NW, and Main)
- westbr
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