Costilla County High Point Trip Report

Blanca Peak (14,345 ft)

Date: July 3, 1998
Author: Ken Akerman

On Thursday evening I traveled with my climbing friend to the 4WD road on the west slopes of Blanca Peak. It was getting dark when we arrived (~ 9 pm). We drove about 1.1 miles past the end of the 2WD trailhead and camped at an open spot just off the side of the 4WD road.

We started hiking on the 4WD at 5:36 am and we arrived at Lake Como a few minutes after 8 am. We summited Blanca Peak (highpoint of Alamosa and Costilla counties) shortly after 11 am and stayed until about 11:25 am. We admired the great views of Mount Lindsey and Little Bear Peak and studied the etchings on the rocks that recorded climbing expeditions of the early 20th century (1908 and 1909).

Upon leaving the summit en route to Ellingwood Point, I studied the layout of the two connecting ridges (coming from the northwest and the northeast) and ascertained the point where they appeared to intersect. I thereby determined this to be the highpoint of Huerfano County.

Our round-trip time, including Ellingwood Pt., lunch at Lake Como and hiking out in a light rain, was about 10 hours 45 minutes.