Broken Hand Peak is the Crestone Needle's direct neighbor to the southwest. The pass between the peaks shares Broken Hand's name and is used during climbs of the Needle's standard route. The peak is the 209th tallest peak in the state. The peak provides significant views of the Crestone Needle.With good route-finding, you can keep the peaks difficulty at class 2+. There's more than one way up the peak, but the most popular route heads up the west slopes from about 100' below the west side of Broken Hand Pass. Broken Hand is a fine destination in its own right, but since it shares an approach all the way to 13,100' with the Needle's standard route.
Broken Hand is one of the first mountains in sight on the South Colony Road. Its steep east face is a brilliant demonstration of the rock strata in the area. Its grassy west slopes are much gentler, punctuated here and there by Crestone conglomerate rock formations. Broken Hand is a fitting name because its spire-studded northwest ridge resembles a hand. One free-standing pinnacle on the east face in particular is referred to as "The Thumb."
The route gpx is logged from the true South Colony Lakes Trailhead (4 wheel drive) with a distance of 12 miles \ 4700 ft of gain
The lower trailhead (2 Wheel Drive) tacks on about an additional 2.7 miles each way
