In the summer of 2019 I was part of a trail crew stationed below Willow Lake as we worked on a trail re-route up Challenger. It was my first summer in Colorado, and has since imprinted the Sangres as a special place in my heart. The idea for this circumnavigation first came to me that summer, while working away above treeline with some of the best mountain scenery Colorado has to offer all around. If one is camped at Willow Lake, one has great access both to Challenger to the south and Pt. 13546 and Mt. Adams to the north, which would allow one to circumnavigate the whole basin, from Challenger (or Pt. 13151) all the way around to Adams. (or Pt. 13546).
I haven’t done this circumnavigation in full, but in two parts a few days apart in 2020, ending at the same saddle: once from 13151 to Obstruction (and again from Challenger to Obstruction in 2023) and once from Adams to 13398. For the former, I chose to access Challenger and Pt. 13151 via the huge scree gully descending north from their shared saddle toward Willow Creek, a bit below the lake. From there I took Challenger’s west ridge, a fun little 3rd class scramble up to the summit ridge. Then over to Kit, a fun scramble to Columbia, and some talus over to Obstruction. The other side of the valley, 13398 to 13560 (or as I call it, Wavy ridge, as its profile undulates nicely) holds much more exposed scrambling and complex route-finding, but equally spectacular position. There are several points where you will have to decide whether you wish to stay on the hella exposed ridgeline or drop off and navigate the slabs to the west.
This full circumnavigation is going to require a full day, or the better part thereof. I’d recommend camping at Willow Lake on the night before and after if you are able, or just the night before if you have to high tail it back to Denver for work on Monday. Because of this, I’d recommend late August or September as the perfect time for this, with few storms to contend with and dry temps to allow for fantastic scrambling.
Panorama of Willow basin and the San Luis Valley.Looking up the last pitch of Challenger’s west ridge up towards the summit ridge.Looking north from Challenger’s summit ridge (or summit). You can see Pt. 13151 down and left of the summit ridge. From Challenger towards Kit and Crestone Peak. Looking towards Columbia from high on Kit. Notice the blade/arete that connects Kit to Columbia, which goes at 4th class. Columbia from Kit.Looking up Columbia from the Kit-Col. saddle.Looking back at Kit from high on Columbia. There’s a human somewhere in this photo.Looking across towards Kitty-Kat from Columbia summit, Needle and Peak in midground, Blanca and Little Bear visible behind the Dunes in the right hand extreme of the background.Descending Obstruction towards Pt. 13398, looking back at Kit et al. Upper Willow Lake in foreground, small bit of Willow Lake in background. The Peak and Needle from somewhere on Obstruction.An awesome slot at the saddle between the tower north of Obstruction and Pt. 13398. It goes! Columbia in the background. The photo doesn’t do the exposure justice. The crux bits of the south ridge of Pt. 13398 are, it seemed to me, literally overhanging on the east side. Phenomenal position. Looking across the valley from somewhere near Pt. 13398 towards Columbia, Kit, and Challenger (L-R). The lines up Columbia’s eastern towers seem incredible, not sure how well-protectable they are. The man himself, from (I believe) the summit of Pt. 13541. Thanks for all the advice and the beta, Gerry. (Taken July 2020). Looking south from Pt. 13517. Mt. Adams east face. Looks like fun scrambling and routefinding. Challenger and Willow Lake and the valley. If you zoom you can make out the old fall line trail and new ‘switchbacky’ trail to its right. I had to drop down on slabs between Pt. 13560 and Pt. 13517. Loch Ness spire (I call it so for it’s resemblance of the monster’s profile from the upper slopes of Challenger) visible on the right of the ridgeline. The summit of this pinnacle overhangs the valley opposite by several hundred feet. I haven’t climbed it (yet) and am curious if it would hold the weight of a human. Loch Ness spire difficult to discern, but seen in profile overhanging to the east.
