katelyngeselle - Jul 28, 2020 6:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2018
Nice peak towards the end of a long trip
Fun backpacking trip with three great friends. One was sick and stayed at Alice, one climbed the peak in hiking boots that were falling apart and called his dad at the top! I got a little scared on the very exposed ridge, but went slow and made it
I was confident of a summit because I had waypoints from a credible source that led us in a spiral pattern up the south ridge. Instead, got cliffed out on south ridge class 5 exposed towers (yet plenty invigorating). Backtracking and getting back down to the bowl, I couldn’t see a viable line to the summit on the cliffy east face, and got convinced the recent earthquake had taken out the route, from any direction... oh well. Still a great day on the mountain and in the Sawtooths.
Saw a juvenile wolverine during the early morning hike in (rare; brown with dark legs), a huge goat just north of the bowl, and another goat along the south ridge. If I return to summit this peak, will wear a helmet. Lots of loose boulders perched at angle of repose on cliffy east face edges. A good 12-13 mile day, followed by a much needed, high quality burger in Lower Stanley.
wyatt_meyers - Jul 23, 2020 1:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2018
Perfect day
Once you get to the bowl stay left (east) to the top. Went right(west) and across the ridge on the top an was a steeper class 4 scramble. Fun for me but maybe not for others!
sjaxon16 - Aug 16, 2018 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2018
Great Scramble!
Loved the scramble! Really straight forward climb with several fun scrambling moments near the summit! Definitely want to try the climbing routes for this summit
TheWolfIsLoose - Nov 14, 2016 7:52 pm Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2016
Tough Conditions
My buddy from PA and I decided to give it a go, knowing our chances of summiting weren't good. We got off trail way too early and endured some pretty miserable cross country travel in some ankle-twisting rocky/snowy sections. After about 2 hours of this, we came out to the bowl area north of Alice Lakes. We knew the snow wasn't going to allow us to reach the summit, so we bushwhacked back down to the trail and ate lunch at Alice Lake... not a bad condolence prize!!
Great scramble with Casee. Saw Mountain Goat at the top. It was special.
RockMountainGirl - Oct 20, 2014 9:26 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
Awesome
Great scramble, and awesome views of Alice Lake.
SawtoothSean - Oct 6, 2014 10:45 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
Fun
Forgot how great this scramble was. Mostly solid footing and nice and steep at top. Traversed south to prominent tower (Class 4-5)after reaching summit. Quick descent to the trail and trail ran out.
LazyJSkwires - Sep 1, 2014 11:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2013
Kinda scary
I was a little scared climbing up the East Ridge as the standard route has you go. Certainly made for a sense of accomplishment once I got to the top. Fun climb!
andrew david - Feb 17, 2013 3:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 3, 2012
Fun One
The sun was so bright from the summit all my photos and the view were washed out but the scramble and then very basic climb up were fun and brief. Camped nearby at Alice Lake and loved the whole loop trail, or nearly. Did Snowyside on the same day.
reboyles - Sep 13, 2010 12:35 am Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2010
Dad and Daughter
My daughter Anne joined me for her first Sawtooth summit. It was a perfect day for both of us.
I've done this mountain twice, and as a scrambler with a lot of experience I can confidently say that this peak should be considered a classic. El Capitan is completely vertical at one point, but then it sort of fans out, the mountain's angle decreasing as you travel along it's eastern flank (I think "east" is right, it's been a while). The advantage is that you can find a route that will exactly fit the level of difficulty you're looking for. The first time I climbed it, I hit some class 4 slabs that led to class 3 terrain higher up. The second time I climbed it, I went for the adrenaline rush of an unroped 5.2 route. One of my friends who wasn't as confident took a 3rd class route the whole way. There's something for everyone - all in the same vicinity.
mountaingazelle - Aug 26, 2007 6:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2007
East Ridge
I climbed El Capitan during a three day backpacking trip. Alice Lake is a nice place to camp below the mountain. I saw a young black bear on the trail below the lake. The route up the east ridge was very enjoyable and had steep talus and rock scrambling. This is such a cool looking peak. From the north and east it has a sharp and pointed appearance and from the west it resembles El Capitan in Yosemite.
katelyngeselle - Jul 28, 2020 6:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2018
Nice peak towards the end of a long tripFun backpacking trip with three great friends. One was sick and stayed at Alice, one climbed the peak in hiking boots that were falling apart and called his dad at the top! I got a little scared on the very exposed ridge, but went slow and made it
idpeakgirl - Jul 26, 2020 5:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2020
Needed more cowbell (research)I was confident of a summit because I had waypoints from a credible source that led us in a spiral pattern up the south ridge. Instead, got cliffed out on south ridge class 5 exposed towers (yet plenty invigorating). Backtracking and getting back down to the bowl, I couldn’t see a viable line to the summit on the cliffy east face, and got convinced the recent earthquake had taken out the route, from any direction... oh well. Still a great day on the mountain and in the Sawtooths.
Saw a juvenile wolverine during the early morning hike in (rare; brown with dark legs), a huge goat just north of the bowl, and another goat along the south ridge. If I return to summit this peak, will wear a helmet. Lots of loose boulders perched at angle of repose on cliffy east face edges. A good 12-13 mile day, followed by a much needed, high quality burger in Lower Stanley.
wyatt_meyers - Jul 23, 2020 1:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 2018
Perfect dayOnce you get to the bowl stay left (east) to the top. Went right(west) and across the ridge on the top an was a steeper class 4 scramble. Fun for me but maybe not for others!
sjaxon16 - Aug 16, 2018 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2018
Great Scramble!Loved the scramble! Really straight forward climb with several fun scrambling moments near the summit! Definitely want to try the climbing routes for this summit
TheWolfIsLoose - Nov 14, 2016 7:52 pm Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2016
Tough ConditionsMy buddy from PA and I decided to give it a go, knowing our chances of summiting weren't good. We got off trail way too early and endured some pretty miserable cross country travel in some ankle-twisting rocky/snowy sections. After about 2 hours of this, we came out to the bowl area north of Alice Lakes. We knew the snow wasn't going to allow us to reach the summit, so we bushwhacked back down to the trail and ate lunch at Alice Lake... not a bad condolence prize!!
SawtoothSean - Sep 7, 2016 6:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2016
GoatGreat scramble with Casee. Saw Mountain Goat at the top. It was special.
RockMountainGirl - Oct 20, 2014 9:26 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
AwesomeGreat scramble, and awesome views of Alice Lake.
SawtoothSean - Oct 6, 2014 10:45 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2014
FunForgot how great this scramble was. Mostly solid footing and nice and steep at top. Traversed south to prominent tower (Class 4-5)after reaching summit. Quick descent to the trail and trail ran out.
LazyJSkwires - Sep 1, 2014 11:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2013
Kinda scaryI was a little scared climbing up the East Ridge as the standard route has you go. Certainly made for a sense of accomplishment once I got to the top. Fun climb!
andrew david - Feb 17, 2013 3:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 3, 2012
Fun OneThe sun was so bright from the summit all my photos and the view were washed out but the scramble and then very basic climb up were fun and brief. Camped nearby at Alice Lake and loved the whole loop trail, or nearly. Did Snowyside on the same day.
reboyles - Sep 13, 2010 12:35 am Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2010
Dad and DaughterMy daughter Anne joined me for her first Sawtooth summit. It was a perfect day for both of us.
Mlasky - Sep 12, 2010 8:24 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2010
Yes...Big FunWhat a great way to spend my 50th Bday. Beautiful day, great folks, fun summit, fun trip and everyone summitted!!!
Smoove910 - Sep 12, 2010 10:45 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2010
Good TimesWhat a great b-day present! Had a great time with some great new buddies.
Deltaoperator17 - Sep 12, 2010 12:53 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2010
IdahoSummits OutingWOW, what a fun outing with 11 others. All 12 on te summit!!!.
MattGreene - Dec 1, 2007 6:48 pm
4-star!!!I've done this mountain twice, and as a scrambler with a lot of experience I can confidently say that this peak should be considered a classic. El Capitan is completely vertical at one point, but then it sort of fans out, the mountain's angle decreasing as you travel along it's eastern flank (I think "east" is right, it's been a while). The advantage is that you can find a route that will exactly fit the level of difficulty you're looking for. The first time I climbed it, I hit some class 4 slabs that led to class 3 terrain higher up. The second time I climbed it, I went for the adrenaline rush of an unroped 5.2 route. One of my friends who wasn't as confident took a 3rd class route the whole way. There's something for everyone - all in the same vicinity.
mountaingazelle - Aug 26, 2007 6:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2007
East RidgeI climbed El Capitan during a three day backpacking trip. Alice Lake is a nice place to camp below the mountain. I saw a young black bear on the trail below the lake. The route up the east ridge was very enjoyable and had steep talus and rock scrambling. This is such a cool looking peak. From the north and east it has a sharp and pointed appearance and from the west it resembles El Capitan in Yosemite.
nickkarl - Jul 29, 2007 2:06 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007
Climb from Alice LakeClimbed up from Alice Lake after summiting Snowyside Peak. Hard climb but a great view. Stay on route or you will be sorry!
SawtoothSean - Jan 11, 2006 9:30 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: July 26, 2000Trail run and fun scramble with nice overlook of the backcountry lakes- saw Mtn. Goats on the ridge