Kit Carson Mountain
Description
WikipediaKit Carson Peak, officially known as the Kit Carson Mountain, is a high mountain summit of the Crestones in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,165.2-foot (4,318 m) fourteener is located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) ESE (bearing 102°) of the Town of Crestone in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The name Kit Carson Mountain is used for both the massif with three summits (Columbia Point, Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point), or to describe the main summit only. The mountain is named in honor of American frontiersman Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson. The Crestones are a cluster of high summits in the Sangre de Cristo Range, comprising Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, Kit Carson Peak, Challenger Point, Humboldt Peak, and Columbia Point. They are usually accessed from common trailheads.
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger Point | 4,294 m | W 280° | 0.4 km |
| Columbia Point | 4,242 m | E 103° | 0.4 km |
| Obstruction Peak | 4,206 m | E 97° | 1.3 km |
| Crestone Peak | 4,359 m | SE 134° | 2.1 km |
| East Crestone Peak | 4,359 m | SE 131° | 2.1 km |
| Crestone Needle | 4,329 m | SE 126° | 2.8 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellingwood Ledges | Crestones, The | 5a | 2.1 km |
| Crestone Peak North Buttress | Crestones, The | 1+ | 2.1 km |
| India | Crestones, The | 5b | 2.1 km |
| North Ridge of Kit Carson | Crestones, The | 1 | 2.1 km |
| Crestone Peak / North Pillar | Crestones, The | 5b | 2.1 km |
| Merhar Direct | Crestones, The | 4c | 2.1 km |
| The Prow (Kit Carson) | Crestones, The | 5b | 2.1 km |
| 'Bag O Stones' | Crestones, The | 5b | 2.1 km |
| Septem Virtutum Anima Mea | Crestones, The | 5a | 2.1 km |
| Crestone Traverse | Crestones, The | 1 | 2.1 km |
| Red Gully | Crestones, The | 1- | 2.1 km |
| Analemma aka Northeast Ridge | Crestolita | 1 | 3.6 km |
| South Ridge | Music Mountain | 1 | 6.6 km |
| Unknown II | Crestone | 7a | 8.7 km |
| Unknown | Crestone | 5c | 8.7 km |