Columbia Point is the eastern summit of the Kit Carson massif in the Crestones. Once known informally as Kat Carson, it was officially named in 2003 for the seven astronauts lost aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, a fitting pairing with Challenger Point on the same mountain's northwest shoulder. Many climbers pass right by it on the way to Kit Carson Peak, which is a shame, because the vantage over the Crestone group is superb.
From the east, the Bears Playground route starts at the South Colony Lakes trailhead, follows the old road and the Humboldt Peak trail past the lakes, then zigzags up to a saddle near 12,850 feet. A rugged, somewhat loose ridge leads west to the broad tundra of Bears Playground and on over Obstruction Peak to Columbia. It is difficult Class 2, about 13.5 miles round trip with 4,900 feet of gain. From the west, the Willow Lake approach needs no high-clearance vehicle and is a way to combine Columbia with Kit Carson and Challenger, though the connection to Kit Carson involves Class 3 terrain.
Bears Playground has no place to escape a storm, so turn around early if clouds build. The summit looks straight across at Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle, a view worth lingering over in low morning light.
