Challenger Point
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This trail leaves the trailhead, crosses the creek and enters some
open grassland. There is a trail going straight here, do not take this,
but hike the trail that heads up the hill. There is a trail register
partway up this initial slope. The trail then makes 12 switchbacks to
the top of the hillside. As the trail crosses this crest it enters the
Willow Lake drainage, but stays well above the valley floor on the
north side. The trail continues its climb and crosses the Willow Creek
before climbing a distinct step in the valley on the south (right)
side of the creek. After reaching more level terrain, the trail again
crosses the creek and climbs more gently about a 100 m (vertical)
to Willow Lake.
Second, from Willow Lake to the summit:
From Willow lake, follow a good trail on the suth side (left) of the
lake as it climbs left and reaches the top of the cliffs that are at
the eastern end of the lake. From here one can see the slope of
Challenger over to the right, Kit Carson Peak is clearly visible as
the highest, fairly square looking peak to the left of Challenger.
The snowfield leading up to the col between Challenger and Kit Carson Peak
is also easily seen between the two summits. There is a fairly clear trail
that heads over to the Challenger slope and ascends it heading slightly
toward the right. What appears to be the highest point when seen from
below, is a rounded top with fairly steep rock. This is not the summit,
but the trail will climb the ridge to the right, then follow an
ascending traverse to the left that ends up in a gully below and slightly
to the right of this rounded, steep rock. Some easy class 2+ scrambling
gets you up this gully (heading right) and the route regains the main
summit ridge. From here the ridge is somewhat difficult to follow and
the trail drops to the opposite side of the ridge and traverses a couple
of gullies. The first of these is quite a bit exposed and crosses on solid
rock with good holds for hands and feet. I will still rate this passage
class 3 and, in fact, the most difficult part of the entire route from
Willow Lake, not only to Challenger Point, but to the summit of
Kit Carson Peak. The trail regains the top ridge and there is still some
way to go (surprisingly long) before Challenger Point is reached, however,
this part of the ridge is easy hiking. From the summit one can continue
to Kit Carson Peak along a very easy route. One should descend the same
way, see further comments under Kit Carson Peak.
Comments:
I did this hike with Pål Jørgen, age 12. This climb was
the first part of the climb of Kit Carson Peak, see this entry for
more details. There is a memorial marker at the summit in memory
of the 7 crew that lost their lives in the accident with the
space shuttle Challenger.