Region
Highlights
- Kit Carson Mountain is a Colorado 14er in the Sangre de Cristo Range near Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle.
- Named after the frontiersman Kit Carson and became part of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in 2004.
- Kit Carson is a complex mountain with several sub-summits.
- The standard route from South Colony Lakes starts by using part of the trail for Humboldt Peak, and then traverses a ridge and the "Bears Playground" plateau toward Kit Carson.
- A subpeak named Kat Carson is climbed and then descended with Class 3 moves on the way to the main summit.
Routes
/-105.602588174604,37.9795700001073,11,0.00,0.00/320x240@2x?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoicGVha2VyeSIsImEiOiJjampra3Z0bnAxeTVnM3FteHlybHY3b2p1In0.7a5dEa5-995VUv8ceHHNmw)
2 summits • 15.2 mi • 6,010 ft gain • 9 hr 31 min • Class 3
Latest summits
"Began at Willow Creek TH at 5:38. Reached Willow Lake camping area around 7:50, but didn't see Tom or Dave. I found them on the slope to the ridge of Challenger, reaching that summit at 11:06. After Tom and I climbed The Prow, Dave and I summited Kit Carson by 12:46. A little bit of rain happened near the base of the mountain, making rock a bit slick. I left their camp near a stream crossing at 6:00 before finishing at 7:33. Also, the area had a lot of mosquitoes in the gulch. " — xnatedawgx • Jul 27, 2019

"Thanks to a problem bear ar Willow Lake, this was the 2nd time climbing up Challenger as a day hike, but the first time summiting Kit Carson after! Left at 3 AM, summited Challenger at 9:30, summited KC at 10:30, and was heading back off Challenger at 11:16. Took my time getting back to the car after that!" — LGH-Dan • Jul 1, 2018

"Hiked in from South Colony Lakes and were originally set on doing the Prow. We reached the Bears Playground a little after sunrise but were stalled for a few hours waiting for the clouds to open up enough to see where we were going. We decided to stick to the regular route which suprised me a little by its complexities once past Columbia Point." — Yosemike • Sep 17, 2013

"Hiked to lakes the previous night and camped.
Start: 5:00am
Challenger Summit: 7:20am
Kit Carson Summit: 8:12
Sleet on Kit Carson descent, Challenger covered in clouds on descent. Great climb! 11th CO 14er." — Globetrotter87 • Aug 15, 2011

"And after a year, we are back, this time me Josh, and Phil. What a tough first day. So much hiking above 13,000 ft and a long, scrambling traverse. Ridic views of the Crestones from the high ridge. The best moment was making it back down to Colony Lakes and just collapsing by the side of the trail, passing out, and soaking in the sun." — scott • Aug 24, 2007