Capitol Peak Trip Report 08/02/2007

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Capitol Peak - 14,138 feet
Date Posted	08/02/2007
Date Climbed	08/01/2007
Author	phantastikdan

Found some rocks on Capitol (NE)
We started the trail at about 11 after picking up some snickers from the Conoco gas station at the start of Snowmass Creek road. mmm snickers. The road is decent, should be no problem with any 4wd. take the ditch trail at the back end of the parking lot, when the road basically dead-ends. Enjoy the 6 1/2 miles of solid ground. Look for the well-marked right turn a few miles in. There are rocks or good logs for every stream crossing, but you may have to stary a few feet from the trail to find them. We were delayed en route while trying to recapture my doggy, who was alternating barking at cows and running from them. We made it to the lake after about 3 1/2 hours and set up camp. The lake is beautiful, and you should see the trail going up to the left, just before the lake. We spent some hours here, cooking pasta and killing mosquitos. It's more fun if you make a game of it. And use a belt. They seemed impervious to my bug repellant. Started at 8:30 the next morning, and made the ridge fast despite some dizziness. Mt. Daly is on your left, which is the most fun-looking mountain you'll see if you ever drive brush creek road into snowmass village. Go up the ridge, then descend about half way to the valley. Stay right and reasonably high, and look for cairns. You'll quickly find a difficult section, which means you're too high. At least it did for us. Stay about half way up for a while, until you come across some snow-fields near the end of the valley. Go up and right, not straight, to the right of a little hump that is K2. It won't look like much from the bottom. You'll face two options once you're near, neither are good. We summited K2 on the way in, and stayed right and went below it on the way back. I'd say get to the top of it, if only for the fun of it, and by now you will probably hate loose rock. Once on K2, you'll know what you're in for. Ponder your future, as the Roach book advises. You've got 2-4 hours until you're back on solid ground. Stay as close to the ridge as possible, at least until you're within a few hundred feet of the summit. Stay smart, rest when tired, and always find strong hand-holds. The knife will greet you soon. By now you should be prepared for it. Straddling it works, but holding the top and walking along below it feels better and easier, though perhaps slightly more dangerous. The knife may be the most intimidating part of this journey, but it's certainly not the end of the challenges. You'll be able to walk for a little bit after it, then you'll encounter a smaller knife ridge. After this, head up on the ridge. The ridge is the best way to go for a while. You'll have a lot of moderately difficult moves from here to the top no matter where you go. Eventually, as you near the summit, you'll have a good option of dropping down lower. This might be the best route, and should be taken past the summit, then back up. But if you're in doubt, stick close to the ridge. Enjoy the view from the summit. I thought all the razor thin connected ridges made it look like a great Mario-kart level. Be careful down-climbing. 80% of climbing deaths happen on the way back down. Rain will make it much more difficult. Choose your route carefully, enjoy solid ground back on the saddle, smell the flowers on the way back down. 2 different worlds. The lake to the car can be done is 2 hours if you move. This mountain is a battle. It is physically and mentally demanding. But if you always find strong holds, are in moderate shape, and start early enough, you shouldn't have a problem. It's worth it. We saw a 60 year old woman up there. So quit reading trip reports and get at it. other notes -the old route is still closed. The ditch trail is located in the same parking lot. This is different than the ditch trail that is located near snowmass village and krablooniks restaurant. -We met a guy who found a camera on K2. He said he'd leave a note at the trailhead. -this is my first trip report, hope you enjoyed it. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Found some rocks on Capitol (NE)

We started the trail at about 11 after picking up some snickers from the Conoco gas station at the start of Snowmass Creek road. mmm snickers. The road is decent, should be no problem with any 4wd. take the ditch trail at the back end of the parking lot, when the road basically dead-ends. Enjoy the 6 1/2 miles of solid ground. Look for the well-marked right turn a few miles in. There are rocks or good logs for every stream crossing, but you may have to stary a few feet from the trail to find them. We were delayed en route while trying to recapture my doggy, who was alternating barking at cows and running from them.

We made it to the lake after about 3 1/2 hours and set up camp. The lake is beautiful, and you should see the trail going up to the left, just before the lake. We spent some hours here, cooking pasta and killing mosquitos. It's more fun if you make a game of it. And use a belt. They seemed impervious to my bug repellant.

Started at 8:30 the next morning, and made the ridge fast despite some dizziness. Mt. Daly is on your left, which is the most fun-looking mountain you'll see if you ever drive brush creek road into snowmass village. Go up the ridge, then descend about half way to the valley. Stay right and reasonably high, and look for cairns. You'll quickly find a difficult section, which means you're too high. At least it did for us. Stay about half way up for a while, until you come across some snow-fields near the end of the valley. Go up and right, not straight, to the right of a little hump that is K2. It won't look like much from the bottom.

You'll face two options once you're near, neither are good. We summited K2 on the way in, and stayed right and went below it on the way back. I'd say get to the top of it, if only for the fun of it, and by now you will probably hate loose rock.

Once on K2, you'll know what you're in for. Ponder your future, as the Roach book advises. You've got 2-4 hours until you're back on solid ground. Stay as close to the ridge as possible, at least until you're within a few hundred feet of the summit. Stay smart, rest when tired, and always find strong hand-holds.

The knife will greet you soon. By now you should be prepared for it. Straddling it works, but holding the top and walking along below it feels better and easier, though perhaps slightly more dangerous.

The knife may be the most intimidating part of this journey, but it's certainly not the end of the challenges. You'll be able to walk for a little bit after it, then you'll encounter a smaller knife ridge. After this, head up on the ridge. The ridge is the best way to go for a while. You'll have a lot of moderately difficult moves from here to the top no matter where you go.

Eventually, as you near the summit, you'll have a good option of dropping down lower. This might be the best route, and should be taken past the summit, then back up. But if you're in doubt, stick close to the ridge.

Enjoy the view from the summit. I thought all the razor thin connected ridges made it look like a great Mario-kart level.

Be careful down-climbing. 80% of climbing deaths happen on the way back down.

Rain will make it much more difficult. Choose your route carefully, enjoy solid ground back on the saddle, smell the flowers on the way back down.

2 different worlds. The lake to the car can be done is 2 hours if you move.

This mountain is a battle. It is physically and mentally demanding. But if you always find strong holds, are in moderate shape, and start early enough, you shouldn't have a problem. It's worth it. We saw a 60 year old woman up there. So quit reading trip reports and get at it.

other notes
-the old route is still closed. The ditch trail is located in the same parking lot. This is different than the ditch trail that is located near snowmass village and krablooniks restaurant.
-We met a guy who found a camera on K2. He said he'd leave a note at the trailhead.
-this is my first trip report, hope you enjoyed it.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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