| Capitol Peak Snow Squall Trip Report |
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| Capitol Peak Snow Squall   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.15030°N / 107.0825°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Aug 14, 2004 | Page By: skasgaard Created/Edited: Jan 27, 2006 / Oct 26, 2006 Object ID: 170802 Hits: 760 Loading... Page Score: 0% - 0 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
A brief Introduction...Before I launch into the actual story, successful summit, let me just say that this was my fifth attempt at this dam mountain. I've attempted Capitol Peak going back to 1997 with always the same results-turned back because of weather. I read somewhere that Capitol Peak is notorious for bad weather, perhaps Roach, I don't remember, however I'm inclined to agree.
I've been in some of the WORST thunderstorms ever at Capitol Lake, twice actually. Once, a bolt of lightning woke me from a dead sleep. It was pretty much like someone sticking a mag-lite onto each eye and turning them on for a second. Another time, I was supposed to meet a friend at the lake for an attempt at the mountain. I arrived at a lower site under greying skies and had basically just enough time to set a fire and eat before the slow drizzle progressively turned heavier and ultimately into a TORRENTIAL downpour later in the evening. I and David never did meet up. He did get up there but in the rain and thunder had missed the turnoff and camped somewhere else (hopefully safe if not dry). And one other time, dumbass (me) entirely forgot to pack a jacket of any kind or a long-sleeve shirt. Basically, only what I had on. The next morning was cold and grey and windy anyway. My two friends hiked up to the Capitol-Daly saddle and said,
"To hell with this." So I suppose that wasn't a total loss.
On this, my fifth attempt, believe me when I say, I was going to make it up that mountian regardless if it killed me. As usual, conditions worsened.
From a previous unsuccessful summit bid. |
The jaunt to Capitol LakeAs anyone who has hiked this trail (Capitol Peak) in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness, I'm sure the general consensus would hump this trail in the top 10 of the most scenic. Capitol Peak is in view for almost the entire seven miles into the lake. The trail in the Summer can be unbearably hot and miserably humid from all the water and downright annoying from the insects. The valley is lush green.
 Lower down in the Capitol Creek drainage.
The skies were partly cloudy when I set out that early afternoon but all together, quite nice. At least the clouds helped to keep the direct sunlight to a minimum. I took awhile gathering everything from the truck and making sure all was out-of-sight. The 300ft. drop down to the valley floor is a welcome sight but oh is it hell on the way out!
The actual hike in went pretty well. I covered the first 3-4 miles in quick succession and sweated profusely. From past trips, I was glad to bring a little hand-towel to wipe away the sweat instead of the old stand-by, my shirt.
I stopped just inside of the large coniferous forest patch and took my first break sitting on a large downed tree. The shade was REALLY nice to have. What I didn't like were the small pools of standing water on the trail. I was really hoping for dry conditions but c'est la vie.
After 10 minutes or so I put the water and powerbar away, lugged the pack back on and continued up the trail. Putting a pack on an already drenched back after its had time to cool off is brutal!
Just in case, I camped at a lower tent site just below the last little push to the lake proper. I didn't want to be out in the open again in case another storm rolled in. Plus I had a few trees to help break the rain and keep it shady. It had clouded up again and grown humid so I suppose shade wasn't a concern. It did mist for awhile and tried to rain but it only slicked everything over, nothing really of note. I had a long dinner. I stayed up for quite awile just staring at the fire. Hell if I remember what I was thinking of. Funny how staring at a campfire can be so memorizing, but comforting. I finally turned in after a few hours and remember not sleeping too good, lots of tossing and turning. But I was anxious to try Capitol again. Perhaps that's why I couldn't sleep.
Mt. Daly from the upper flanks of the Capitol Saddle. |
A successful summit!I got up the next morning and was greeted to the usual gray, overcast skies. It did rain overnight but lightly (I could hear it). I had a small breakfast of one of those Met-Rx powerbars and some orange juice and sat there mulling over if I should go up or not. It wasn't particularly warm but it wasn't cold out either. The cloud cover had a hand in that I assume. I just didn't want to get all the way up there and have to turn back again. I watched a small & slow but steady stream of people ascend to the Capitol-Daly saddle. It was somewhere in the vicinity of 7:00am. I deceided to have a go at it also. I was in the frame of mind that I was going to the summit, regardless. Didn't matter how long it took or if I even came back down. So I resigned myself and followed. I know that sounds matter-of-factly and ultimate but I've been caught in thunderstorms so much, clouds of any kind make me paranoid.  Looking back at K-2 from half-way across the Knife Ridge
Things actually went pretty good for most of the way. The hike up to the saddle was fine if not slippery. I skirted across along the ridge (lower down) and descended down that prominant couloir that greets you after, oh, what is it, 50 feet? I exited and continued to skirt across to the boulderfield. I thought hiking/climbing up that short, wide boulderfield just before you gain the upper ridge and K-2 was monotonous and droned on. I actually hated that part. On the ridge, climbing up and over K-2 was quite enjoyable. THAT was super-cool. Some pretty spectacular views also despite the grey skies. After that short 10ft traverse off K-2, I sat at the entrance to the Knife Ridge and contemplated for a short while. Some people were crossing over the Knife Ridge anyway (coming back). After they were over, I went across. I honestly have to say, despite the exposure which is a solid 10 out of 10, I didn't feel terribly threatened or in danger of falling. The rock is very solid and there are plenty of cracks, holds and lips in which to stand & grip. But, a fall from this Knife Ride would make for a very bad 15 seconds. A group of 4 people were stopped in the middle looking undeceided about what to do. I have no idea if they were coming down or going up. I didn't stop to talk. I was annoyed at their chosen place to stop though. I went around them and took a 15 minute rest break where it deposits you on the NE face. I wasn't tired but I was becoming more anxious and nervous with trepidation. There was a particular mass of darker cloud moving in, actually, I had watched it from the start of the Knife Ridge and it slowly setteled over the summit of Capitol. "Oh, this is fuc*ing wonderful" I thought. Well, onward and upward. I started to climb up towards the summit, the face is surprisingly longer then I thought. I've never been able to find good pictures of this last pitch to the summit. Roughly 100 meters from the summit it started to snow and grapple. Once in a while, a whisp of cloud would come streaming down the face and blow away. It was cold but nothing that I would say was unbearable. There was one other person up there and he was on his way down. Being that close, I went for it. After talking (very briefly) with each other, we wished each other luck
About 30 meters or so from the summit, my eyebrows started to tingle. Like running a straw lightly across the hairs. I slammed myself into the rockface (painfully) and heard the thunder within like two seconds. I never did see any lightning and that was the only instance too. I finished climbing up the snow-covered holds (I wouldn't call them ledges-well maybe if you were a Marmot I would) and I gained the summit in a virtual blizzard/whiteout. I signed the register in a cloudbank while it was snowing. Needless to say, I had ABSOLUTELY NO VIEW. I took the usual picture of myself at the summit (as I do on all the 14ers).
I looked down the NE face for as far as I could see and rested there at the top contemplating how long it would take search and resue to be called, seriously. I DID NOT WANT to downclimb class 4 rock in a snowstorm. Plus, I couldn't see anyway due to the snow and clouds (fortunately, I had all the equipment and clothing with me just in case!). I must have sat there for 15 minutes going back and forth with myself. In the end I downclimbed anyway, testing EVERY foothold and handhold. Quite a number of spots were nothing but clumps of snow. That made my heart race that much faster every time I found one. I definately took a long time descending back to the Knife Ridge. But one thing I did find interesting and noted it, like downclimbing (earlier) on the Needle during a thunderstorm, I was very focused on what I was doing. I hadn't even thought of what conditions were going to be like at 'The Ridge'.
I made it down to the Knife Ridge a bit shaken and fortunately, the snow was limited to higher up, only a few spots of snow were to be found on the ridge.
I skirted across the Knife Ridge and around K-2 on the other side this time. I marveled at the sheer drop below me! Surprisingly, I was more intrigued by it then scared. I was startled by a voice calling out to me asking how things were at the top. There were two girls at the top of K-2 in shorts and tennis shoes!!!! "You've GOT to be kidding." I thought. They were actually expecting to make it to the top of Capitol after I already told them how things were up there! I didn't see them again and contemplated calling the Forest Service in Aspen just in case.
The climb/hike out back to camp was a long blur. By the time I reached the boulderfied I was tired, hungry and cold. I found a nice large rock and sat down behind it out of the breeze and gorged myself on Tuna and Gatorade. After ~15 minutes I felt better and continued down to the saddle and ultimately back to my tent. Of course, it was wet with recent rain,
"What is it with this fuc*ing mountain and rain?" I said this out loud this time just absolutely beside myself & basically fed up.
I shook everything off, left a few scraps of food for the marmots in the area & packed everything up and started to hike out. God, finally, after five attempts I made it. It did rain, AGAIN on the hike out; a light but continous soaking drizzle. At least I got a chance to use the poncho I bought off e-bay. I had a late lunch/early dinner in Aspen at that Mexican Restaurant on the corner of Galena and US-84 (I forgat the name).
This was one of the most intense summits and physically demanding mountains I've completed but most rewarding--but for obvious other reasons.
Capitol Creek and Capitol Lake are exceedingly beautiful, make no mistake but I won't be back anytime soon.
O sun, where art thou? |
The connecting Snowmass Ridge from the top of K-2. |
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