BLong - Sep 13, 2012 11:14 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2012
Interesting Connection
I scrambled from Cathedral Lake up unnamed 13,828' and then traversed the 2nd - 4th class ridge-line to summit Conundrum Peak and Castle Peak. I was also hoping to summit Cathedral Peak from the ridge-line on 13,828, but did not have time. I descended via the main hiking trail on Castle Peak. The ridge between 13,828 and Conundrum Peak was a blast, including several towers to navigate over/around.
Started at about 4:20am and summited via the Northeast Ridge at about 7:30am or so. Then traversed over to Conundrum. Descended via the saddle through the nasty scree - it was only really bad for a hundred feet or so - the rest was just frustrating and tedious.
Kiefer - Sep 3, 2012 11:46 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
Extra Credit
4th time up this bad-boy. Went up and over to get "Castleabra".
Considered descending the Conundrum saddle but didn't feel like dealing with the scree.
Castle is a good peak.
pacojgarza - Aug 21, 2012 4:56 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
Perfect day!
Summited Castle and Conundrum via the standard route in perfect conditions. The scramble on the ridges was fun, the views were awesome. Descended through the loose scree to Montezuma Basin. These were the 5th and 6th out of 15 peaks on my 2012 CO. trip.
seanpeckham - Aug 5, 2012 4:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2012
from the footbridge
Parked at the footbridge 1.5 miles up the road, and did Castle from there.
Sarah Simon - Jul 28, 2012 5:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Standard route with Conundrum
The rain pounded on the roof of the Jeep all night and I worried his outing would be a post cause, but an early wake up and departure from camp put our feet on this summit! With Cheryl and Jill - hell yeah, ladies!
Diggler - Jun 28, 2012 6:42 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2012
3rd time's the charm!
Finally got this one taken care of! Decided to just do the quick & dirty NE ridge to git 'er done. Thanks to Eric for convincing me to get up early to do it & avoid the rains (which actually finally happened!). Left 'TH (campsite)' @ 4.51. After some interesting routefinding which slowed us down a little, finally got back on track, & on to the ridge. Summited @ 9.57. Enjoyed great views of Bells & surrounding Elk surroundings, & left summit @ 10.27. Uneventful descent put us back at the campsite (10,100') @ 13.43. Great day, & glad to be on another climb & peak again, bro.
Kiefer - Dec 24, 2011 12:47 pm Date Climbed: Dec 22, 2011
NE Ridge
Climbed in conjunction with Conundrum. Summited both peaks during the storm. UNGODLY cold (-8F to -13F) and windy. Sun came out just as we crested the summit of Castle. That was wicked cool! First 14ers of the winter season.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:33 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 1990
Castle
Not sure about the date.
ferdinandverboom - Oct 28, 2011 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2011
Snowy
Did Castle Peak with my wife in perfect conditions (both). There still was a lot of snow. All the way from the Castle Creek parking lot to the summit. That day there was one other party skiing. We just had our boots and crampons, which was quicker in the ascent, but 10 times slower in the descent. It was my wife's first 14er/4000er and she was very happy with it.
apachedino - Oct 27, 2011 11:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2011
Caslte Moat
Inadvertantly did the Castle Moat route and had a blast, combined with Conundrum for a splendid loop in perfect weather.
I like it on top - Oct 23, 2011 10:35 pm Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2011
Standard Route with Conundrum
The summit ridge was awesome, with some winds, but otherwise great day.
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 7:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2009
Nice, Moderate Elk Summit
Going to have to come back and ski this one.
Kara - Oct 3, 2011 10:31 am Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2011
Beautiful Fall colors & Castle
Nice hike from the Pearl Pass junction. The summit ridge had some snow, making some of the easier moves a bit dicey...plus had some clouds moving in to make it quick, and cut out Conundrum. The summit is beautiful, and the new snow & clouds added to the mountain perspective.
Matt Lemke - Sep 18, 2011 9:37 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2011
via NE ridge
A great day of clear fall weather after a week of not so great weather. Snow and ice on the ridge made the ascent interesting. We coupled in Corundrum as well.
Kapelmuur - Sep 12, 2011 12:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2011
NE Ridge from main TH, w/Conundrum
Did this from the very start of the road on a cold and mostly overcast morning with some light snow falling. Winter is coming fast!
vbeckman74 - Aug 4, 2011 11:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
Driver
You can drive fairly high on this one. Reached the summit in less than two hours with Alex. A good intro 14er. One of the best summit views, and near perfect conditions.
belexes - Aug 1, 2011 2:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 31, 2011
Northeast Ridge
I climbed Castle with my fellow CMC BMS student, Marco. This was my first time in the Elks. We camped below site 3 along the road and hiked all the way from there. We started around 4:45AM and arrived at the summit at 9:30. We had planned to do Conundrum, but the clouds were already rolling in, and the glissade back into the basin looked pretty dodgy, so we had to be content with Castle only. We we able to hitch a ride from the uppermost parking lot back to our campsite. I'll be back sometime to do Conundrum, when snow conditions are better.
renogurt - Jun 22, 2011 2:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2011
Castle Moat
Did the ol' Castle Moat to conundrum traverse in ideal conditions. It was very sloppy snow in the lower parts of the hike.
StephanieLynn - Jun 12, 2011 12:49 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2011
BLong - Sep 13, 2012 11:14 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2012
Interesting ConnectionI scrambled from Cathedral Lake up unnamed 13,828' and then traversed the 2nd - 4th class ridge-line to summit Conundrum Peak and Castle Peak. I was also hoping to summit Cathedral Peak from the ridge-line on 13,828, but did not have time. I descended via the main hiking trail on Castle Peak. The ridge between 13,828 and Conundrum Peak was a blast, including several towers to navigate over/around.
csmcgranahan - Sep 11, 2012 2:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2012
From 11,100'Started at about 4:20am and summited via the Northeast Ridge at about 7:30am or so. Then traversed over to Conundrum. Descended via the saddle through the nasty scree - it was only really bad for a hundred feet or so - the rest was just frustrating and tedious.
Kiefer - Sep 3, 2012 11:46 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
Extra Credit4th time up this bad-boy. Went up and over to get "Castleabra".
Considered descending the Conundrum saddle but didn't feel like dealing with the scree.
Castle is a good peak.
pacojgarza - Aug 21, 2012 4:56 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
Perfect day!Summited Castle and Conundrum via the standard route in perfect conditions. The scramble on the ridges was fun, the views were awesome. Descended through the loose scree to Montezuma Basin. These were the 5th and 6th out of 15 peaks on my 2012 CO. trip.
seanpeckham - Aug 5, 2012 4:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2012
from the footbridgeParked at the footbridge 1.5 miles up the road, and did Castle from there.
Sarah Simon - Jul 28, 2012 5:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Standard route with ConundrumThe rain pounded on the roof of the Jeep all night and I worried his outing would be a post cause, but an early wake up and departure from camp put our feet on this summit! With Cheryl and Jill - hell yeah, ladies!
Diggler - Jun 28, 2012 6:42 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2012
3rd time's the charm!Finally got this one taken care of! Decided to just do the quick & dirty NE ridge to git 'er done. Thanks to Eric for convincing me to get up early to do it & avoid the rains (which actually finally happened!). Left 'TH (campsite)' @ 4.51. After some interesting routefinding which slowed us down a little, finally got back on track, & on to the ridge. Summited @ 9.57. Enjoyed great views of Bells & surrounding Elk surroundings, & left summit @ 10.27. Uneventful descent put us back at the campsite (10,100') @ 13.43. Great day, & glad to be on another climb & peak again, bro.
Kiefer - Dec 24, 2011 12:47 pm Date Climbed: Dec 22, 2011
NE RidgeClimbed in conjunction with Conundrum. Summited both peaks during the storm. UNGODLY cold (-8F to -13F) and windy. Sun came out just as we crested the summit of Castle. That was wicked cool! First 14ers of the winter season.
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:33 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 1990
CastleNot sure about the date.
ferdinandverboom - Oct 28, 2011 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2011
SnowyDid Castle Peak with my wife in perfect conditions (both). There still was a lot of snow. All the way from the Castle Creek parking lot to the summit. That day there was one other party skiing. We just had our boots and crampons, which was quicker in the ascent, but 10 times slower in the descent. It was my wife's first 14er/4000er and she was very happy with it.
apachedino - Oct 27, 2011 11:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2011
Caslte MoatInadvertantly did the Castle Moat route and had a blast, combined with Conundrum for a splendid loop in perfect weather.
I like it on top - Oct 23, 2011 10:35 pm Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2011
Standard Route with ConundrumThe summit ridge was awesome, with some winds, but otherwise great day.
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 7:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2009
Nice, Moderate Elk SummitGoing to have to come back and ski this one.
Kara - Oct 3, 2011 10:31 am Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2011
Beautiful Fall colors & CastleNice hike from the Pearl Pass junction. The summit ridge had some snow, making some of the easier moves a bit dicey...plus had some clouds moving in to make it quick, and cut out Conundrum. The summit is beautiful, and the new snow & clouds added to the mountain perspective.
Matt Lemke - Sep 18, 2011 9:37 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2011
via NE ridgeA great day of clear fall weather after a week of not so great weather. Snow and ice on the ridge made the ascent interesting. We coupled in Corundrum as well.
Kapelmuur - Sep 12, 2011 12:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2011
NE Ridge from main TH, w/ConundrumDid this from the very start of the road on a cold and mostly overcast morning with some light snow falling. Winter is coming fast!
vbeckman74 - Aug 4, 2011 11:01 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
DriverYou can drive fairly high on this one. Reached the summit in less than two hours with Alex. A good intro 14er. One of the best summit views, and near perfect conditions.
belexes - Aug 1, 2011 2:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 31, 2011
Northeast RidgeI climbed Castle with my fellow CMC BMS student, Marco. This was my first time in the Elks. We camped below site 3 along the road and hiked all the way from there. We started around 4:45AM and arrived at the summit at 9:30. We had planned to do Conundrum, but the clouds were already rolling in, and the glissade back into the basin looked pretty dodgy, so we had to be content with Castle only. We we able to hitch a ride from the uppermost parking lot back to our campsite. I'll be back sometime to do Conundrum, when snow conditions are better.
renogurt - Jun 22, 2011 2:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2011
Castle MoatDid the ol' Castle Moat to conundrum traverse in ideal conditions. It was very sloppy snow in the lower parts of the hike.
StephanieLynn - Jun 12, 2011 12:49 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2011
Nice dayAn easy hike over from Conundrum.