Doggler finally names his team

[Doggler]

After much deliberation, the ownership in Dogglerville has decided upon a name for their newly acquired SAC'd franchise:

The Crestone Needles

is that you might ask?

A few pictures of "THE peak and THE needle" as they are commonly called.
http://www.14ers.com/photos/Crestone...tonegroup.html

A detailed description of the route up the needle with some pretty sweet pics:
http://www.14ers.com/routeprt.php?ro...stone%20Needle


I plan to summit that bad boy some time this summer. A buddy and I attempted Crestone Peak last summer but were turned around 100 feet from the summit due to weather. But the Peak is generally considered a bit easier than the Needle.

[randilover]

Beautiful. God bless ya, I hope it goes well on the trip.

attempted = rock climbing?

[Doggler]

Originally Posted by randilover

God bless ya, I hope it goes well on the trip.

I'll be doing my anti-snow dance.

The trailhead is in one of the most amazingly beautiful valleys I've ever seen - a place called South Colony Lakes in the middle of the Sangre de Cristo range. The range is unique in that it is simply a long, narrow spine...maybe 200 miles N-S and only 20-30 E-W. To the west is the San Luis Valley, which is a pancake-flat expanse of land that averages 7500 ft. I guess a lot of hops is grown here. Anyway, to get to the South Colony Lakes trailhead, you pretty much have to trash your high-clearance stock 4x4 vehicle (my choice), or be a gearhead and have a tricked out monster truck or two. Because of that, it remains 'quiet' as not that many people get up there. The trailhead is at around 11,000 feet and holds snow well into June. There are 5 14ers within a few miles of the trailhead - the Peak, the Needle, Humboldt Peak, Kit Carson Peak, and Challenger Point.

Anyway. It's one of those places that warrants a look no matter where you live.

[Doggler]

Originally Posted by Skippy the One Eyed Beagle

attempted = rock climbing?

Not quite. The most difficult moves were Class 4, but the majority of the climb was Class 3.

Class 5 - roped climbs.
Class 4 - stretches of major exposure, requires 'moves' (scrambling is the majority of the route)
Class 3 - minor exposure, some scrambling involved.
Class 2 - nearly a walk-up, might involve hopping and such.
Class 1 - hands don't touch a thing, no big steps, basically just a long ramp.

What pushed us back on the Peak last summer was rain/wind/snow/sleet. We had entered a class 4 section and rock begun to get a little slick, and since neither of us had brought our climbing shoes we opted to live. The weather made for a long day, though - we started at 5:30AM and didn't get back to camp until 4:30PM.

[randilover]

Originally Posted by Doggler

The trailhead is in one of the most amazingly beautiful valleys I've ever seen - a place called South Colony Lakes in the middle of the Sangre de Cristo range.

Never seen the rockies. Hope to before the end. Never actually been west of Ohio.

[Burt the Butcher]

Originally Posted by randilover

Never seen the rockies. Hope to before the end. Never actually been west of Ohio.

Dude, I was 28 before I made it West of Reno!!

[Doggler]

Originally Posted by Burt the Butcher

Dude, I was 28 before I made it West of Reno!!

East, dude.....east.

Leftcoaster.

[Burt the Butcher]

Originally Posted by Doggler

East, dude.....east.

Leftcoaster.

Yah..can't tell my left from my right, without acting like Juan Marichal!