Preamble

On July 4th, I went on my first backpacking trip with my cousin Raychel, her girlfriend Lexi, and my Uncle Tim. We hiked about 4 miles from Crestone, Colorado to a campsite near Willow Lake. All this was for our goal of hiking two 14ers the following day, those being Challenger Point and Kit Carson Peak. Below is a chronological series of photos documenting that day, July 5th, when we summitted both mountains.

Morning view of Willow Lake

View of Kit Carson (peak on the right) from the ascent of Challenger Point

Terrain on Challenger Point ascent

More Challenger Terrain

View of Great Sand Dunes and Blanca group from the other side of Challenger

View towards Challenger Point’s summit, on the right. Kit Carson is the semicircular peak on the left.

The edge

Descending towards the Kit Carson avenue

Sign

Hiking up the avenue

Around the first corner of Kit Carson

Scramble to Kit Carson’s summit

Kit Carson summit.

Crestone Peak from Kit Carson’s summit

Another view from the summit

View of Challenger Point from Kit Carson

Hikers on Challenger Point Summit

View towards the valley we ascended from, with Upper Willow Lake at bottom

Curious marmot at Kit Carson summit

Willow Lake while descending, portrait

Willow Lake while descending, landscape

Mountain goats, from a distance

The end.

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