Ken Dammen - Aug 17, 2009 11:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2009
Northeast ridge plus Conundrum
We hiked up from just below the foot bridge that crosses the river. Started at about 9900 feet which made it a pretty long hike. Weather was excellent all day. Crampons would have made the snow fields a little easier, but we used a hiking pole and kicked in steps with hiking boots. Some people turned around at the snowfield because they did not have an ice axe and crampons. We made our way up to the basin and climbed up the Northeast ridge. Fun climb up ridge...guidebook says class 2+, but I would call a couple of the spots class 3 due to the high exposure and hands required (nothing difficult though IMO).
The summit was nice, winds were high though. The register on top had been eaten by marmots probably. Matt and I met a couple of nice folks from Grand Junction with 2 labs. Dogs did real well on climb..only needed a little help on a couple of sections.
We pushed on and also summited Conundrum. There was a register on top of summit. We came back to the saddle and did a glissade down to the frozen lake. Glissade was fun, but you have to avoid the occasional rock..easy to control speed. Did a few more glissades down to the road. There was a track people were using to glissade down..we did that and it was cool. Made the long hike back to the car. Nice day after being turned back on Capitol peak on Saturday due to bad weather on top.
Easiest one in the Elk range. Duchess did again great.
shanrickv - Jun 18, 2009 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2009
North Face Couloir
Started day early in blue skies and finished with a June white out, but a good snow climb.
mattpayne11 - May 10, 2009 12:21 am Date Climbed: Aug 28, 1998
Standard Route: Date climbed: 8/28/1998
We camped pretty low and hiked from there, was kind of funny to see how high the road actually takes you...
awillson - Mar 29, 2009 12:11 am Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
Castle
Lots of snow, even in August!
polarjud - Aug 16, 2008 9:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2008
Via Conundrum Hot Springs
Tried it via the west ridge of conundrum. Monsoon weather pattern. Clouds closed in above and below about 12,700 feet. Lost my nerve and went back down. Hot springs were some consolation.
alpspitze - Aug 11, 2008 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2008
NE\NW Loop
Started before the first stream crossing. Nice hike in great weather. Descended via the Castle-Conundrum saddle. Perfect snow for a quick descent.
RMdaytripsgrl - Jul 26, 2008 10:35 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2008
Copied myrone's trip
Got up there after Conundrum. Started at 10,200ft, total 5,200ft vert per gps. Snow is melting out at top of snowfield, its going fast. Conundrum couloir is still looking sweet. NW ridge is very loose. NE ridge is not for people afraid of heights. Some class 3 moves in there w/A LOT of exposure. Some very fun mellow glissades to be had!
Drove the Montezuma Rd as far as I could. Started up at 7:00AM with a snow ascent to the saddle between Castle and Conundrum. Hiked the ridge up to Conundrum Peak and then back across to Castle Peak. Hiked the NE ridge of Castle Peak back down to the snow and glissaded to the road and back to the truck at 12:27PM. Fun day with perfect weather. My 38th 14'er............sweet!
thexcat - Jul 9, 2008 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2008
Great hike via northeast ridge
Amazing but long hike, probably my favorite of 6 CO 14ers I've done. Love the Elk Range. My brother, being kind of new to mountaineering, kind of freak out at the exposure on the ridge, but loved the glissading on the way back. We got lost towards the end (guy at summit saw us and told us correct path), climbed up a scary couloir to get back on track. Unfortunately my brother lost a glove there and he had to climb it again! Great experience.
heather14 - Jun 8, 2008 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2008
The long way
Missed the turn (imagine that) to Montezuma Basin and ended up on the east side of Castle. Climbed an unnamed couloir to the northeast ridge, ended up losing elevation and then climbing the upper half of the north face couloir. Made for a long but fun day after traversing over to Conundrum and back to the TH.
Mots010 - May 20, 2008 9:29 am Date Climbed: May 18, 2008
Climb and ski
Fun climb and ski
steve_hiebert - May 14, 2008 1:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2002
Castle first then on to Conundrum
Nice day. Took advantage of the very high trailhead.
SarahThompson - Mar 28, 2008 8:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2005
4x, First visit to the Elks
7/4/05 - Fun climb up the standard route from 10,200 ft. There was plenty of snow left in Montezuma Basin and I got in my first ever little glissade, although I had no idea there was such a term for it back then.
9/3/05 - Another ascent of the standard route, but traversed to Conundrum as well. Descended from the Castle - Conundrum saddle which was stupid as it was very icy.
5/21/09 - Stayed overnight at the Tagert Hut and climbed Castle's East Face, a fun snow route. Glissaded from the Castle - Conundrum saddle and added on a quick trip up Malemute afterwards.
12/16/11 - Winter ascent via standard route, 10 1/2 hours RT from Ashcroft.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 18, 2008 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Third time
8-22-07 third time climbing Castle. I also climbed Conundrum for a second time.
8-29-09 Another climb of Castle and Conundrum
MountainHikerCO - Feb 18, 2008 8:16 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 1990
With Conundrum
This was my first climb of Castle. Not having a 4WD I got to hike in the road. I also climbed Conundrum.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007
West Ridge
Hiked the West Ridge from camp at Conundrum Hot Springs with my friend Keith. We descended via the West Face to avoid returning over 'Castleabra'. I think that it would have been easier to return the way that we came because the scree fields were loose and nasty. The hot springs were incredible after a long day of hiking!
johnmnichols - Dec 26, 2007 10:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2006
Castle via NE approach
Summited via NE ridge route. NW ridge route had too much steep scree just below the Conundrum Ridge. Diminishing weather prevented a scamper over to Conundrum Peak.
Ken Dammen - Aug 17, 2009 11:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2009
Northeast ridge plus ConundrumWe hiked up from just below the foot bridge that crosses the river. Started at about 9900 feet which made it a pretty long hike. Weather was excellent all day. Crampons would have made the snow fields a little easier, but we used a hiking pole and kicked in steps with hiking boots. Some people turned around at the snowfield because they did not have an ice axe and crampons. We made our way up to the basin and climbed up the Northeast ridge. Fun climb up ridge...guidebook says class 2+, but I would call a couple of the spots class 3 due to the high exposure and hands required (nothing difficult though IMO).
The summit was nice, winds were high though. The register on top had been eaten by marmots probably. Matt and I met a couple of nice folks from Grand Junction with 2 labs. Dogs did real well on climb..only needed a little help on a couple of sections.
We pushed on and also summited Conundrum. There was a register on top of summit. We came back to the saddle and did a glissade down to the frozen lake. Glissade was fun, but you have to avoid the occasional rock..easy to control speed. Did a few more glissades down to the road. There was a track people were using to glissade down..we did that and it was cool. Made the long hike back to the car. Nice day after being turned back on Capitol peak on Saturday due to bad weather on top.
16th 14er 15th Colorado 14er.
noahs213 - Jul 24, 2009 8:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2009
+ ConundrumA fun climb on the North East Ridge. It snowed a little bit. It was horrible rock as usual in the Elks. The glissading was a kick.
Foxy Long Bottoms - Jul 12, 2009 10:04 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2009
With Conundrum.
Liba Kopeckova - Jul 8, 2009 4:24 am
from Castle Creek trailheadEasiest one in the Elk range. Duchess did again great.
shanrickv - Jun 18, 2009 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2009
North Face CouloirStarted day early in blue skies and finished with a June white out, but a good snow climb.
mattpayne11 - May 10, 2009 12:21 am Date Climbed: Aug 28, 1998
Standard Route: Date climbed: 8/28/1998We camped pretty low and hiked from there, was kind of funny to see how high the road actually takes you...
awillson - Mar 29, 2009 12:11 am Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
CastleLots of snow, even in August!
polarjud - Aug 16, 2008 9:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2008
Via Conundrum Hot SpringsTried it via the west ridge of conundrum. Monsoon weather pattern. Clouds closed in above and below about 12,700 feet. Lost my nerve and went back down. Hot springs were some consolation.
alpspitze - Aug 11, 2008 4:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2008
NE\NW LoopStarted before the first stream crossing. Nice hike in great weather. Descended via the Castle-Conundrum saddle. Perfect snow for a quick descent.
RMdaytripsgrl - Jul 26, 2008 10:35 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2008
Copied myrone's tripGot up there after Conundrum. Started at 10,200ft, total 5,200ft vert per gps. Snow is melting out at top of snowfield, its going fast. Conundrum couloir is still looking sweet. NW ridge is very loose. NE ridge is not for people afraid of heights. Some class 3 moves in there w/A LOT of exposure. Some very fun mellow glissades to be had!
myrone - Jul 12, 2008 8:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2008
Castle Peak via Montezuma Mine RdDrove the Montezuma Rd as far as I could. Started up at 7:00AM with a snow ascent to the saddle between Castle and Conundrum. Hiked the ridge up to Conundrum Peak and then back across to Castle Peak. Hiked the NE ridge of Castle Peak back down to the snow and glissaded to the road and back to the truck at 12:27PM. Fun day with perfect weather. My 38th 14'er............sweet!
thexcat - Jul 9, 2008 12:34 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2008
Great hike via northeast ridgeAmazing but long hike, probably my favorite of 6 CO 14ers I've done. Love the Elk Range. My brother, being kind of new to mountaineering, kind of freak out at the exposure on the ridge, but loved the glissading on the way back. We got lost towards the end (guy at summit saw us and told us correct path), climbed up a scary couloir to get back on track. Unfortunately my brother lost a glove there and he had to climb it again! Great experience.
heather14 - Jun 8, 2008 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2008
The long wayMissed the turn (imagine that) to Montezuma Basin and ended up on the east side of Castle. Climbed an unnamed couloir to the northeast ridge, ended up losing elevation and then climbing the upper half of the north face couloir. Made for a long but fun day after traversing over to Conundrum and back to the TH.
Mots010 - May 20, 2008 9:29 am Date Climbed: May 18, 2008
Climb and skiFun climb and ski
steve_hiebert - May 14, 2008 1:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2002
Castle first then on to ConundrumNice day. Took advantage of the very high trailhead.
SarahThompson - Mar 28, 2008 8:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2005
4x, First visit to the Elks7/4/05 - Fun climb up the standard route from 10,200 ft. There was plenty of snow left in Montezuma Basin and I got in my first ever little glissade, although I had no idea there was such a term for it back then.
9/3/05 - Another ascent of the standard route, but traversed to Conundrum as well. Descended from the Castle - Conundrum saddle which was stupid as it was very icy.
5/21/09 - Stayed overnight at the Tagert Hut and climbed Castle's East Face, a fun snow route. Glissaded from the Castle - Conundrum saddle and added on a quick trip up Malemute afterwards.
12/16/11 - Winter ascent via standard route, 10 1/2 hours RT from Ashcroft.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 18, 2008 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Third time8-22-07 third time climbing Castle. I also climbed Conundrum for a second time.
8-29-09 Another climb of Castle and Conundrum
MountainHikerCO - Feb 18, 2008 8:16 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 1990
With ConundrumThis was my first climb of Castle. Not having a 4WD I got to hike in the road. I also climbed Conundrum.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007
West RidgeHiked the West Ridge from camp at Conundrum Hot Springs with my friend Keith. We descended via the West Face to avoid returning over 'Castleabra'. I think that it would have been easier to return the way that we came because the scree fields were loose and nasty. The hot springs were incredible after a long day of hiking!
johnmnichols - Dec 26, 2007 10:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2006
Castle via NE approachSummited via NE ridge route. NW ridge route had too much steep scree just below the Conundrum Ridge. Diminishing weather prevented a scamper over to Conundrum Peak.