Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

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HikerGuy
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by HikerGuy »

Alpinefroggy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:08 pm
sieggy80305 wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:46 am Did it three years ago and agree, scary beast of a mountain. I remember crossing the gully that caused so much confusion (and tragedy) for people. From the top, if you don't know where you are going I can understand why some people might take it. For us I researched and studied routes a ton before going. The bit that folks often don't talk about is the final pitch past the knife (which wasn't too bad imho). Long, dangerous and slow. It took as a while to carefully pick our routes across the rocks and gullies. Beautiful place though and amazing scenery. I hope the find the person as well.
I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3. It seems like it is just objectively dangerous with the loose rock and so care on every step must be taken to ensure rock doesn't become dislodged.
Consensus is class 4, but I think that is mainly due to exposure. I think the climbing is no more than difficult class 3. The main difficulty and danger with Capitol is that you are exposed for much of the climb past K2, you are in a no fall zone for a much greater time/distance than on any other 14er. Pick a good weather day with low to zero precipitation chance, start very early and keep your focus. I think it is the most difficult 14er, it is a fantastic mountain though.
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by MichiganBrian »

HikerGuy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:27 pm
Alpinefroggy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:08 pm
sieggy80305 wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:46 am Did it three years ago and agree, scary beast of a mountain. I remember crossing the gully that caused so much confusion (and tragedy) for people. From the top, if you don't know where you are going I can understand why some people might take it. For us I researched and studied routes a ton before going. The bit that folks often don't talk about is the final pitch past the knife (which wasn't too bad imho). Long, dangerous and slow. It took as a while to carefully pick our routes across the rocks and gullies. Beautiful place though and amazing scenery. I hope the find the person as well.
I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3. It seems like it is just objectively dangerous with the loose rock and so care on every step must be taken to ensure rock doesn't become dislodged.
Consensus is class 4, but I think that is mainly due to exposure. I think the climbing is no more than difficult class 3. The main difficulty and danger with Capitol is that you are exposed for much of the climb past K2, you are in a no fall zone for a much greater time/distance than on any other 14er. Pick a good weather day with low to zero precipitation chance, start very early and keep your focus. I think it is the most difficult 14er, it is a fantastic mountain though.
Similar opinion, going over the top of K2 was class 4 (and what I'd recommend as the rock was reasonably solid there which I'll take over loose exposed class 3) - to me the biggest thing was from past the knife edge to the summit, if on route it wasn't that difficult closer to class 3 there...just really tedious. Loose rock + tricky route-finding in places + exposure just made for a slow tedious climb between knife edge and summit.
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Alpinefroggy
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by Alpinefroggy »

MichiganBrian wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:40 pm
HikerGuy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:27 pm
Alpinefroggy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:08 pm

I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3. It seems like it is just objectively dangerous with the loose rock and so care on every step must be taken to ensure rock doesn't become dislodged.
Consensus is class 4, but I think that is mainly due to exposure. I think the climbing is no more than difficult class 3. The main difficulty and danger with Capitol is that you are exposed for much of the climb past K2, you are in a no fall zone for a much greater time/distance than on any other 14er. Pick a good weather day with low to zero precipitation chance, start very early and keep your focus. I think it is the most difficult 14er, it is a fantastic mountain though.
Similar opinion, going over the top of K2 was class 4 (and what I'd recommend as the rock was reasonably solid there which I'll take over loose exposed class 3) - to me the biggest thing was from past the knife edge to the summit, if on route it wasn't that difficult closer to class 3 there...just really tedious. Loose rock + tricky route-finding in places + exposure just made for a slow tedious climb between knife edge and summit.
This is what I anticipate. Thank you all. Weather looks really good so my group and I will be taking our time.
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sieggy80305
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by sieggy80305 »

Definitely worthy of the class 4 rating, no doubt about it. There is basically only one way up and down past K2. Study the route as much as you can going in. Attempts to find 'short cuts' have been one of the major causes of fatalities in recent years. There is plenty of loose rock as well as solid and the exposure is pretty high past K2 for the majority of your way up. Definitely treat it with respect.

That being said, it's a beautiful mountain and a truly fantastic spot. Great hike going in and incredible vistas. Be safe and enjoy the climb. It's been one of my favorites.
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Matt
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by Matt »

Mountainsroam_2012 wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:07 am Capital is a beast, no mistake real deal mountain. Been about 8 years since I did Capital, and me and my brother where the only ones camping out there.. Heard ghost voices and screaming all night coming from the peak all night from the backpack campground
Were the voices telling you to spell it "Capitol?"
Alpinefroggy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:08 pm I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3.
I bet whoever told you about its difficulty also has problems spelling it.
Take heed, it's not a walk in the park.

Pedant out.
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

Matt wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:09 pm
Mountainsroam_2012 wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:07 am Capital is a beast, no mistake real deal mountain. Been about 8 years since I did Capital, and me and my brother where the only ones camping out there.. Heard ghost voices and screaming all night coming from the peak all night from the backpack campground
Were the voices telling you to spell it "Capitol?"
Alpinefroggy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:08 pm I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3.
I bet whoever told you about its difficulty also has problems spelling it.
Take heed, it's not a walk in the park.

Pedant out.
Ha

And I will add that Capitol nighttime "screaming" is possibly coyotes. Although if there's a wounded animal above the lake, I can imagine that crying all night as well.
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sieggy80305
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by sieggy80305 »

My first trip up to Capitol the coyotes were having a howling match with my friend's dog. Definitely an eerie sound coming across the valley.
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by Wentzl »

Meanwhile, Kelly McDermett is out there.

https://kdvr.com/news/local/man-missing ... itol-peak/

Hoping for a miracle outcome on this one.

Now let's discuss and debate how it came to be that even FOX News could spell the name of the mountain correctly.
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by broncotw »

Praying for a positive outcome for this climber, his family, and friends!
Ted from TEXAS!
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by SnowAlien »

Matt wrote:
Alpinefroggy wrote: I am doing capital this upcoming weekend and am curious about it. I have heard it is no more difficult than difficult class 2 or class 3.
I bet whoever told you about its difficulty also has problems spelling it.
Take heed, it's not a walk in the park.
You'd think that Forest Service would know how to spell it :-k
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by bdloftin77 »

I hope there's news soon. Doesn't seem like good prospects at this point.
Last edited by bdloftin77 on Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Missing Hiker Capitol Peak 7/31

Post by seano »

SnowAlien wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:15 pm You'd think that Forest Service would know how to spell it :-k
They clearly meant it for emphasis: merely saying in all-caps that there was a CREEK there was not enough, but "CAPITAL CREEK" got the message across.
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