Capitol Peak Trip Report
Trail: Northeast ridge II, Class 4 (5 thrown in for fun), 17 miles, 5800 ft elevation gain
Ah Capitol, I've been reading trip reports about this one for a year now, salivating at the very prospect of going and now I have done it. I had originally figured that the Elk Range mountains would have to wait for another year or so but being a member on 14erworld.com has brought me in contact with a host of good people. I have had the opportunity to hone my snow skills, my climbing skills, and my route finding skills above and beyond what I could have done on my own. Coupling this with the fact that I have backpacked and climbed for years along with my recent ascents of Pyramid Peak, Crestone Needle, and Wilson Peak I figured I would go and try Capitol. I should also add that I would never have attempted this one or Pyramid if not for my new climbing partner Brian Espe. Brian and I make a perfect match, we are both very fast hikers and move almost as quickly and casually over 3rd, 4th, and low 5th class rock as we do on dirt. While I value Brian's company greatly I think it was knowing that I would have the stoic, solid, and patient presence of Cardboard Rodney to calm and guide me on this journey that prompted this decision.
In any event, Brian arrived at my house at 8:30 on Saturday, July 24th, 2004. Jen made us a quick breakfast and then we headed out towards the city of Snowmass. Fortunately the traffic was very easy and we made surprisingly good time. The road to the trailhead it a pretty easy one and while passenger cars may have some trouble getting up it the semi outdoor class (Subaru's, CRV's, Rav-4's) should have no trouble. The road itself was also very pretty and was surrounded by Aspens on either side.
Two things strike you immediately as you prepare for the 6.5 mile hike into the Capitol Lake camping area. The first is how beautiful the area is. Capitol looms larger than life in the distance, it seems to be calling you through the groves of trees and miles ahead. The second is that you have an obnoxious 400 ft drop to the valley below and that you will, at the trip's end, have to reclimb it. It's not as bad as the drop awaiting you at the Holy Cross but then the Holy Cross is no Capitol.
As we started hiking I mentioned to Brian that I remembered something about cows. Well, no sooner had I said this than we came across allot of cows. It turns out that most of the trip would be punctuated by herds of cows. These are not timid cows either. I wouldn't say you should be overly worried about them as they mostly leave if you yell at them but if you should happen across a juvenile male you might want to skirt around. The biggest threat they present is the cow patties left in huge puddles over the hiking trail. I had thought this was a wilderness area so it must be that some past rancher was grand-fathered into grazing rights.
Brian, Rodney, and myself made very good time and arrived at the campsites near the lake around 5:45. We quickly picked a nice spot close to the Capitol trailhead and set up camp. There was some initial concern because I hadn't brought cookware and Brian's dinner required it. Fortunately a couple other campers lent us a pot. Cardboard Rodney declined dinner on the grounds that too much in his stomach would slow him down the next day. The views of Capitol were breathtaking and I spent a bit of time hoping that I wouldn't lose my nerve the next day.
A week or so before the trip I had been in contact with Rob Runkle. Rob is a 14erworld member who lives in Ohio but has been taking annual trips to Colorado to climb. He had expressed an interest in climbing Capitol and I had said that as long as he had a solid idea of what he was getting himself into then sure. We played a bit of phone tag the day before I left and I was hoping we would find each other at the area around Capitol Lake. As luck would have it, he spoke to the one couple I told to look out for him. They directed him up towards our area and when I noticed two hikers Brian and I wandered down to see if it was him. Sure enough it was Rob, he and his partner had just climbed Antero earlier in the day. Rob's partner had come along for the hike but was not interested in Capitol.
We talked for a bit and quite honestly I was a little concerned that Rob might be in over his head. He seemed to lack some of the experience that might be useful but was a gym climber and a marathon runner so I figured we would have to wait until the next day to see. As it turned out I didn't have to worry. Rob was a really solid guy and performed admirably under some conditions that I would expect to make allot of Elk Range first timers very nervous.
After awhile we headed to sleep. I spent the night waking periodically. The excitement of the next day made it very hard for me to rest. 4:15 came quickly and I left the tent to drink my requisite liter of coffee. All I can say about the site was WOW! Capitol loomed like some great sleeping giant under the vast and clear expanse of stars. The Milky Way stretched visibly across the sky with Cygnus gleaming in its dusty wake. I spent a good bit of time just looking at the sky and the dark expanse of forest and mountains. I'm not sure when I lost my love of backpacking and sleeping outside but I think it's back. I realize my playing tag with the tops of mountains is a stupid waste of all that they and the land they sit on has to offer. I am definitely going to start taking longer trips in and sleeping outside.
By about 5:00 Brian, Rodney, Rob, and myself were nicely packed up and ready to go. We headed for the saddle which marks the real beginning of the trek. Initially you have to gain about 1000 feet on steep but quite solid dirt. As soon as the saddle is reached the real trip begins. The entire trek consisted of hopping from boulder to boulder, walking across snowfields, climbing rock, and skirting over ridges. There is NO point after the ridge when you are 'walking'.
The initial part of the climb required that we make some rather sketchy moves over a slanted rock which overhung a drop. This move is the type where two fingers is all that is keeping you upright. As it turns out you are supposed to drop 50 to 100 feet and take an easier trail but the adrenaline it infused was a good wake up call. From this point we followed a cairned trail system over a boulder field until we reached snow fields.
Brian and I just pulled our axes out (I piggybacked Rodney) and walked across the hardened snow. The snow was especially hard due to recent precipitation and I was worried that Rob might not want to risk it without an axe but he just went right on ahead and carefully worked his way over and up the fields.
Once off the fields we took a short break for food and looked up at K2 which lay in the distance. The trek to K2 was more boulder hopping but we made it up by 7:20.
I am not sure if there is an easier way up K2 but we decided to avoid the loose rock and well worn path because it led over some nasty drops. Instead we did what I always figure is the best, head up the most solid rock even if the climbing is more difficult. Here is a sample of the climb.
On K2's summit we noticed some very nasty clouds dropping rain in the distance. I wasn't worried about lightening but considering the final approach to Capitol figured any precipitation would be a very bad thing. We decided to hang around for 30 minutes and watch to see what the weather did. Fortunately the clouds passed away and the wind was not bringing them or others towards us. We unanimously decided to go for the summit. I had heard and read many accounts of people freezing at the knife's edge. I said that we needed to be quick and not risk further weather so we agreed any hesitation at the knife's edge should mean that the person turned back and waited. We all agreed that this sort of mountain is not the place to be coddling people. Below is a shot of the approach to the peak from K2. It would turn out the knife edge was easier than much of the remaining trail.
We headed down K2 skirting some tremendous, and I mean tremendous, exposure. If you have a fear of heights don't even bother with Capitol, it will test you the entire way. Fortunately none of us were bothered and were all able to appreciate the magnitude of the drops and the magnificence of K2's enormous vertical face. We went single file over the knife edge and Rob even stopped on it to get some shots with his video camera. Oh yes, Rob video taped it and I will have a recorded memory of this awesome trip. Thanks Rob.
The knife edge was a bit of a joke. Well, if you can move comfortably on 4th class and easy 5th class over very exposed routes on other mountains then it is a joke. It required you grip it pretty tightly and a fall would lead to unequivocal, final, and certain death but if you are up here in the first place I think you'll probably be experienced enough not to fall. I mean you would really have to be show-boating to fall off off this. We all agreed it was pretty straightforward and made it across the sharpest part in a minute or so. A group behind us roped up and took 30 minutes crossing it. My personal feeling is that if you are at a skill level where you need to rope to feel comfortable then come back later. Rope would make me more nervous than comfortable. I don't mean to bash the edge, it was, without a doubt, the coolest knife edge I have ever experienced. If you like climbing then get up here and experience it. It just wasn't all that it was built up to be.
After the knife edge the real climbing begins again. You basically follow a system of cairns towards the peak. The traverse takes you over some stupendous drops and up allot of cool terrain. At one point I decided I didn't like the loose rock on allot of the path and headed right up to the ridge proper (I should have remembered this on the way back). I took the most vertical and direct route up to the ridge and contoured towards the summit.
Brian and Rob each took separate ways but Rodney stayed faithful and you can see him keeping me company on my back.
Here is another shot of some of the fun climbing.
We all arrived at the peak at about the same time, with the entire traverse from K2 taking about an hour and ten minutes.
At the top the views were just amazing. Below is a shot of the ridge connecting Capitol and Snowmass.
This is a shot of Capitol Lake and the groves which contain the surrounding campgrounds.
We all took shots with Rodney and headed back down quickly due to some building clouds.
ME BRIAN
ROB
The descent went pretty well at first but I was quickly given a sobering reminder of what it means to be on an Elk. I forgoed my original ridge route (stupid move, harder but more solid rock equals safer than easier but looser rock) and went back to the actual trail. I took one step and before I knew it a rock the size of a love seat slid out from under me along with a whole side of the trail I was on. For a brief and horrible moment the whole mountain was sliding towards an overhang and I thought I was done but fortunately Rob grabbed me at the same time another rock slid over my foot pinning me until the slid subsided. I was left with Rob's hand on my arm, a rock on my foot, and the thudding sound of a boulder tumbling thousands of feet. I don't think I would have gone even if Rob hadn't been there but I am really thankful he was. All I can say is that it will do anyone well to remember that these mountains like to fall apart on you. No matter how careful you are the Elk Range is a dangerous place. I would recommend staying high on stronger rock.
Below you can see Brian on the far side of the true knife edge. I wanted to show Cardboard Rodney mugging for the camera on the knife edge but he wisely suggested we head on as the clouds were moving in. It is good to have a selfless partner, I myself was disappointed not to have any shots on the edge but Rodney took it in stride.
We crossed back over the edge and went up and over K2. The trek back was straightforward and fun. The snow had melted enough that it was easy to go down even for Rob who didn't bring an axe. Below you can see Brian in the background as he prepared to glissade down the field. It looked like allot of fun but I was way to lazy to put on snow pants. Brian came flying down and picked up enough speed that he almost took Rob and myself out like bowling pins.
From the snow we headed back to the saddle, there was still allot of rock hopping and a final tricky climb to gain the saddle but it was pretty straightforward. We stopped for awhile to talk with some guys who were backpacking through.
Back at camp we said our goodbye's to Rob and he headed out. That is one guy I'd be glad to climb with anytime.
Brian and I packed up and headed out. The walk back took around two plus hours and we were pretty tired by the time we got to the car. The drive home went by and Brian and I said goodbye, we are going to aim for the Maroon Bells traverse in a few weeks.
Right now Rodney is making his way to Doug Shaw and another adventure while I am making my way to bed and work in the morning.
Capitol is a fantastic mountain, easily my favorite to date. The hike in was gorgeous, the ascent beautiful and challenging. I will absolutely go back and do it again. The only thing I can say is that it is not as bad as it is worked up to be. I really think all you need is good stamina, no fear of heights, and the ability to move confidently and QUICKLY on 4th class and this mountain will be your greatest adventure among the standard routes. I personally think Pyramid was more dangerous although it required less skill on rocks. My one main suggestion is bring a good partner, the rock here can be treacherous and no skill in the world will save you from bad luck.
Head out and claim this monster, it will be one of the most gratifying experiences you can have.