"I left the house at 3:20 AM, headed North to the town of Costilla then headed an hour east on highway 196 and parked at the corral parking area. (N 36.47.088 W 105.14.073) It was a 4 hour drive. The starting elevation was 9950 feet. It was a cool, (49 degrees) crisp, cloudy morning. I started hiking a 7:30 AM. I hiked straight up the south ridge of Costilla Peak and arrived at the top after a 2.5 hour nonstop hike, at 10:00 AM. The distance to the top was 4.2 miles. From Costilla Peak I headed straight to Ash Mountain North and arrived after hiking 4.5 hours and 7.1 miles. It was noon. The hike from Ash Mountain North to Ash Mountain South is almost continuous boulders! It was very, very hard hiking. You have to watch every step or risk twisting an ankle. You have to come off the mountain to an elevation of about 10, 775 then go back up again. It was very hard and tiresome going up boulders to get to Ash Mountain South. Finally I reached the top after hiking 8.25 miles in six hours. I did not really want to do more boulders, but I did not have a choice. Rather than going back down the way I came, which might be the best way to do the descent. I continued south along the ridge. I be..." — Phil-Robinson • Aug 27, 2011