Thought I would share my recent linkup of Snowmass Mtn, Clark Peak, and Capitol Peak as I have not seen it done very often. This would be my 8th time up Capitol and 7th time up Snowmass but never have I climbed them in the month of September and never have I thought about combining them in the same outing. Looking at a map in preparation, I decided I would try to include Clark Peak as well as it was the last peak I needed for the Bicentennials outside of 17 remaining in the San Juans.

I drove to the Snowmass Creek Trailhead Saturday night and passed many cars parked along the narrow road leading to an overflowing parking lot. My timing was perfect as I took the last remaining spot just as a car was just pulling out. I set my alarm for 4:30 and slept as well as expected in the back of my car.

I headed out at 5:00am on the standard Snowmass Creek approach to Snowmass Lake. At the lake, I ended up taking the high trail which leads to Trail Rider pass. I was definitely getting high above the lake and just decided to keep going until I could leave the trail and traverse under Snowmass Peak and Hagerman Peak to rejoin the standard route up the East Slopes of Snowmass Mtn. I passed a number of parties heading up to the Hagerman-Snowmass ridge and then quickly scrambled to the Snowmass Summit just before 10:00am.

I then proceeded back down the way I came to the Hagerman-Snowmass ridge, but then dropped a bit to the Northeast avoiding the initial difficulties of the Ridge heading directly east from North Snowmass. Before losing too much elevation, I gained this easterly heading ridge and stayed on the ridge proper all the way to a saddle which I assumed to be Heckert pass, high above Snowmass Lake.

Here, I travelled down a rotten gulley to the north and traversed Northwest around a ridge to enter the Pierre Lakes Basin. I stopped at Bear Creek for a quick cold soak of the feet and to refill my two Gatorade bottles. The walk across this basin provided great views of golden aspen groves down in the valley, Capitol Peak, the Northeast Face of North Snowmass, and more importantly my next destination, Clark Peak.

The climb up the South slopes of Clark was pretty fun with some rock hopping and a little class 3 scrambling. The views from the summit were astonishing as I arrived at 2:30. After a quick signature in the summit register and a text message sent to Brad McQueen as he signed the register the day before, I was headed down to the West along a ridge that would lead me to the standard route heading to K2 and ultimately the Knife edge to Capitol.

I met a couple just exiting the Knife edge and then I scampered up the ridge direct to have the Capitol summit alone at 4:45pm. After a quick bite to eat and some picture taking, I was headed down to exit via West Snowmass Creek passing by Moon Lake, where I soon lost sunlight and was required to travel through an avalanche debris field by headlamp. Up and over many downed trees was quite exhausting but I made it back to the car for a 16 and half hour adventure.