Capitol Peak has been regarded as one of the most difficult 14ers in Colorado to climb, and for good reason. The mountain has one primary trail that is 17 miles roundtrip with significant class 4 climbing for the last 500 vertical feet. I have known of this peak for the last 25 years of my climbing journey, yet had always been hesitant to climb it as it seemed dangerous and remote.

Because my goal is to get all 58 climbed, I knew that trying Capitol sooner than later was appropriate (I am turning 49 in a couple of weeks). Fortunately, I have a few summits of class four climbs under my belt (Crestone Needle and Little Bear + Traverse). Last July, I decided it was time to attempt this grand peak and set out with two other skilled hikers/climbers to see if we could climb it in a day. However, we soon realized the mountain would not be conquered without a fight.

We set out around 5am with our daypacks and dreams of getting to the summit. We made good progress until we hit some snow in the couloirs immediately after reaching the ridge. We underestimated the steep melting snow and did not plan ahead well by bringing crampons and ice axes. One of the climbers in our group had an unexpected slide down the couloir although he was able to self arrest by rolling to the side and striking the rock without sustaining major injury (I still consider this one of the great athletic feats I have seen on a mountain). After we ensured he was ok and gathered ourselves, we continued much slower and more careful. There were additional snowfields to navigate and though less steep, they still required significant time and mental/physical effort. We reached K2 around 11am and decided to push on. We got to the first knife edge and considered the time as well as our energy levels and mental fortitude. It was a hard decision but we decided to call it a day and hike back to our car and thankfully, returned safely around 6pm.

Though it was discouraging that we did not get Capitol climbed, I knew we had made the right decision. However, my dream of climbing all 14ers seemed to be fading. On the ride home, I called my nephew who also loves to climb 14ers and he ensured me that we would get to the top next year. His confidence gave me renewed hope.

So this brings us to Labor Day weekend, 2025. I knew from our earlier experience that more research was needed and admitted my ignorance in not having enough information about the snow conditions on Capitol that are typical for July. More research revealed that nearly all of the snow tends to melt by early August (side note: I did secure both crampons and an ice axe so I would not be caught in this situation again). Secondly, the level of exhaustion that we experienced upon reaching the knife edge proved to me that we needed to be at that point earlier in the day and with more physical/mental energy to do the rest of the climb well. This meant camping at or near Capitol Lake.

So plans were made for a second attempt at this beautiful, daunting mountain. To my joy, two of my nephews agreed to join as well as another climbing friend with significant technical rock climbing experience. We met multiple times months in advance, exchanged many text messages, and set out for Buena Vista last Friday, August 29. We enjoyed a cozy cabin and some great Brown Dog Coffee that got us ready for our hike in to our campsite. The weather had not been great the week before but the skies cleared late Saturday and a blue-bird day awaited us on Sunday. I never sleep well at 11,500 feet and the excitement of a second attempt meant I would lie awake thinking of what was to coming all night long.

At 3:45am our group of four was up and ready to head out by 4:00am. We reached the ridge in good time and proceeded to easily cross the snowless couloirs and basin that had slowed us down so much the year before. We arrived at K2 at 7:30am in good spirits and ready for the challenge. (Side note 2: Having done each route, I would recommend climbing K2 and not going around it. Depending on your route, it can require a 5.6 move but all holds are solid and you avoid traversing through loose, dangerous rock).

We steadily crossed the famous knife edge and reached the final push to the summit. After a quick check of the recommend route, we pushed ahead and summited at 8:45am. We spent about 20 minutes celebrating by enjoying the view, taking pics, eating some food, and of our course the traditional “Knee Deep” song by Zach Brown band. We descended at a good steady pace and made it back to our campsite by noon. After an hour of relaxing, we packed up and hiked back to my nephew’s 20 year old Toyota 4Runner, waiting for our return.

As I reflect on this fast but thrilling weekend, my heart is full. I’m grateful for a few things:

-A magnificent God who created a stunning mountain that is not climbed easily (Psalms 121:1-2)

-A terrific team of climbers and good friends (nephews to boot!) on both trips that facilitated adventures of deep fellowship (Proverbs 17:17)

-An opportunity to learn from mistakes and improve (Proverbs 2:6)

-An amazing wife that encourages me to get away and journey into the wild (Proverbs 31:10)

*Side Note: Some of you may recognize my nephew Nico Felich who has some great running and general fitness posts on his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@nico.felich). If not, check him out!