The North Face of Capitol Peak, a mountain that has claimed the lives of four mountaineers in just over a month
The extreme year for accidents in the Elk Range persists. A couple described as "in their mid to late 20's" were found dead on Capitol Peak today. The reports were mixed, some describing the location of the bodies as "near the summit" and others saying they were "at the base of the north face." Given the steepness and scale of this aspect of the mountain, these two reports would appear contradictory.
According to sources, the couple had "tentative plans" and many suspected they might have stayed longer than expected in the area to view Monday's eclipse. This confusion led to a lapse in reaction time in the search for the missing couple. Once it was clear they had not returned as planned, a search was mounted which led to the discovery of the bodies.
According to a press release by the Pitkin County Sheriff Department, witnesses on the mountain the day of the accident, which is thought to have occurred on Sunday, suggested the couple likely summited the mountain but may have decided to descend via a different route. Those familiar with Capitol Peak know that there is no viable route for descent besides the standard Northeast Ridge, especially without ropes.
Though the names of the deceased have not been officially released pending notification of next of kin, Aspen Public Radio is reporting that someone close to victims has released their names. You can find their article at this link.
This latest accident tops off what has been a grim, record-setting year for the Elk Range. Four climbers have been killed on Capitol Peak and an additional two have been killed on the Maroon Bells. These peaks, renowned for their beauty, are notoriously dangerous to climb and have proven fatal for many adventurers over the years.
A story published in January on Colorado Mountaineering analyzing the deaths on Colorado's 14ers since 2010 and showed that the Elk Range hosts an abnormal percentage of fatal accidents on Colorado's 14ers.
UPDATED (8/23/17) The deceased have been identified as Carlin Brightwell and Ryan Marcil. The couple was described as having dated for a number of months and recently moving in together. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of these victims.
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The Knife Edge on Capitol Peak, site of a fatal accident this morning
A climber died this morning from an apparent fall from the infamous Knife Edge on Capitol Peak. According to a report on 9news.com, the hiker fell from the notoriously exposed crux of the mountain that is oft-touted as Colorado's hardest 14er. Friends who were with the victim said he fell to east side of the skinny ridgeline.
A recovery team was inserted on the scene by helicopter but determined the injuries were too severe to warrant a rescue. The inaccessible terrain and unfavorable weather conditions made recovery too dangerous. The recovery operation was hoped to resume on Wednesday.
As of yet the victim has only been identified as a "male." This is the second fatal accident on the infamous Elk Range 14er. Twenty-five-year-old Jake Lord was killed in mid-July when a boulder he was clinging to broke free, causing him to fall several hundred feet.
Though accidents on the Knife Edge are rare, this particular section has been the site of several fatal accidents in the past. Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the victim.
*UPDATE (8/11)* After what rescuers described as "one of the most difficult recoveries in decades" volunteers from Mountain Rescue Aspen were able to retrieve the body of the man who fell from Capitol Peak. While early reports indicated he had fallen from the infamous feature known as the Knife Edge, it is now being said that the victim had not yet reached that portion of the route but was "in-between K2 and the Knife Edge."
The deceased has been identified as Jeremy Shull, a 35-year-old from Parker, Colorado. Shull was married with a 2-month-old baby.
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Capitol Peak, considered one of the most dangerous 14ers in Colorado, was the site of a fatal accident on Jul 15, 2017
A climber was killed on Capitol Peak last weekend when he and his climbing partner veered off the standard route and a boulder broke free, causing him to fall.
Jake Lord, a 25-year-old from Parker, Colorado, and his climbing partner were attempting the direct ridge linking Mt. Daly and Capitol Peak, a non-standard variation that has become more popular in recent years, when a large boulder he was clinging to broke loose, causing him to fall several hundred feet.
According to a report in the Aspen Times, the nature of Lord's injuries suggested the rock, which his partner estimated to have weighed around 200 pounds, may have landed on him at some point during the fall.
Lord is survived by his fiancee who traveled to Aspen after the terrible tragedy to be with his family.
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The Elk Range is one of Colorado's most spectacular. It is home to some of our state's most breathtakingly beautiful (and breathtakingly dangerous) mountains. There are five ranked 14ers in the Elk Range, including some mega-classics like Maroon Peak and Capitol Peak. But there is a bevy of lower, also amazing peaks in this relatively small range. The following list takes a close look at this gem of a range, compiling its sixty highest "ranked" peaks. This covers every peak with over 300' of topographical prominence between 12,878' and 14,265'.
This would be a very focused, yet, impressive list of mountains to climb. The Elk Range is notorious for its rotten rock and treacherous exposure. As a group these peaks have attracted a large number of accidents in the past. The Maroon Bells are the main culprit, though Snowmass Mountain, Capitol Peak, and Thunder Pyramid have had a number of fatalities as well. Tread lightly in this beautiful but deadly range.
There are two class 4 peaks, 13 class 3 peaks, 42 class 2 peaks, and three class 1 peaks on this list.
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A countdown of the five most
stomach-clenching cruxes of Colorado’s 53 tallest peaks.
Climbing 14ers is
the most popular mountaineering pursuit in Colorado’s high country. While more
than 2/3rds of these noble peaks can be “climbed” by mere endurance and a pair of hiking boots, a handful of these popular mountains require a bit more technical skill
and engagement with risk to reach the top. This list counts down the five most difficult
sections (not most dangerous, that might yield a different list altogether) of
all the fourteeners by their standard routes.
#5- The Summit Cap
(Mt. Wilson)
Some nice
exposure and steep scrambling awaits aspiring mountaineers who have reached the
top of this San Juan monarch. Luckily, this vertigo-inducing crux is relatively
short-lived. There is some loose rock here, however, and some mistimed flailing
could prove disastrous. The following video is a bit shaky but shows a detailed look at those final relatively intense minutes of climbing.
#4- Jumping the Gap
(Sunlight Peak)
Much is said about the final move on famous San Juan 14er, Sunlight Peak. There are many that consider it the crux of all Colorado's highest peaks. In fact, Gerry Roach even makes that claim in his book Colorado's Fourteeners. This difficult move is no doubt exposed, and will get all but the most exposure-hardened of mountaineer's attention. But it is short and if you can put aside the dizzying swirl of air all around you, is not as difficult as fear might make it seem.
#3- The Knife Edge
(Capitol Peak)
Perhaps the most infamous crux on any Colorado 14er is the Knife Edge of Colorado's Capitol Peak. While some may argue that this is not even the most difficult section of this peak, there is no doubt that the Knife Edge is the mental crux of this stout and infamous mountain. However, wary aspiring ascentionists can take heart with the knowledge that the Knife boasts some of Capitol's most solid rock and that, barring bad weather, as long as you keep your cool and move with deliberation, there is no reason this crux should prove anything other than exhilarating.
#2- The Chimney
(North Maroon Peak)
There is no doubt that the Deadly Bells have earned that forboding moniker. As a resident of the Roaring Fork Valley, I can attest to the frequency at which Search and Rescue gets summoned to these beautiful mountains. Unfortunately, these rescue missions all-too-often become recoveries. The hardest section of these two peaks by their standard routes is the "chimney" of North Maroon that is a mildly sustained section of vertical climbing that many consider to be that hardest technical crux of any standard route on any fourteener.
#1- The Hourglass
(Little Bear)
For my money the Hourglass on Little Bear Peak in the Sangre De Cristo Range deserves the title for the crux of all 14er cruxes. It is long, sustained, steep and dangerous. It is class 4 if you pick the best possible line, maybe even a little harder if you don't. Add in the immense danger of falling rock and this section is for real. Tread carefully and lightly here as a number of terrible accidents have occurred at this spot.
NOT HARD ENOUGH?
Think these cruxes were too easy? For a real hard man the following 14er cruxes on non-standard routes will put those five to shame.
Pitch 1 of Kit Carson's Prow (5.8R)
The start of this exhilarating and exposed alpine climb is worthy for the more technically adept Colorado mountaineers out there.
climbers on Longs Peaks Diamond
Pitch 6 of the Casual Route (5.10a)
Sure, if I wanted to go crazy, there are much more difficult lines on the Diamond. After all, Tommy Caldwell established the wall's first 5.14 in 2014. But the Casual Route is the "standard" way to climb the Diamond and thus its crux gets the nod here.
Summit tower of Sunlight Spire (5.10c)
It's a good thing for those of us weenie everyday-Joe mountaineers that 14,000' Sunlight Spire does not have enough prominence to be considered a ranked peak because it's summit cap is a dozy. First freed in 1988 by Jeff Achey and graded 5.10c, this angling splitter crack is a magnificent achievement for any tough-guy (or gal) mountaineer. Really want something to hold over the heads of all those mere mortal 14er "finishers"? Tell them you free-climbed the Sunlight Spire and challenge them to match the deed.
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A Fort Collins man had to be rescued off Capitol Peak in Colorado's Elk Range after becoming stranded not far below the summit. According to a report on Aspentimes.com, Daniel Palmer, of Fort Collins, was trapped on the peak and had to be rescued by team from Mountain Rescue Aspen as well as a Blackhawk Helicopter. Reportedly, Palmer suffered only minor injuries in the incident.
At 14,130 feet Capitol is the 29th tallest mountain in Colorado. It is considered one of the most difficult and exposed of all Colorado's 14er, largely due to the "Knife Edge," an exposed fin that mountaineers must traverse. Capitol Peak was the scene of a fatal accident earlier this year when Ryan Palmer (no relation) decided to downclimb the north face of the mountain instead of returning over the Knife Edge and fell to his death.
UPDATED: According to an interview in the Aspen Times, Daniel Palmer claims to have gotten turned around on the descent and mistakenly descended to a point on the north face where he was unable to descend and unable to go back up. He was able to call authorities from a cell phone he was carrying.
Check out this video of the Knife Edge from a 2011 trip to Capitol:
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The north face of Capitol Peak, sight of a fatal accident on Saturday
A climber, identified as Ryan Joseph Palmer, 35, from Vail, Colorado, has died on Capitol Peak Friday after attempting to downclimb the north face of the mountain. According to reports, Palmer decided to downclimb the very steep and treacherous north face because he didn't want to return over the exposed ridge known as the Knife Edge. It is unclear if Palmer thought the north face would be an easier alternative to the Knife Edge (it is not), as his companions claim they did not discuss the decision with him. Search and Rescue was able to remove the victim's body on Saturday afternoon despite the rugged terrain and difficult location of the accident.
June and July have been difficult months in the Colorado mountains. Several tragic accidents have occurred, including the deaths of Steve Gladbach on Thunder Pyramid June 23rd, and Howard Scotland III on Jagged Mountain July 11th. Also killed in June and July were Colorado mountaineers Gary Miller, on Grand Teton, and Randy Udall, who was in the Wind River Range.
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Capitol Peak: whether you agree or not, it’s hard to deny its reputation as one of Colorado’s most infamous, if not most difficult, fourteener.
Most of the fame comes from its notorious Northeast Ridge and its crux feature; the Knife Edge, a 100-foot-long exposed traverse with 2,000 feet of air on either side. Most people choose to straddle the pointed top and scoot awkwardly to less exposed ground on the other side. Some eschew danger and tightrope walk across it. Others call it a day and turn back to camp.
Capitol was significant to my girlfriend and I not just for its notorious difficulty, but because it was our 27th fourteener, pushing us past the halfway mark in climbing all 53 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains.
We camped at Capitol Lake the night before our ascent. It was a hard-luck-approach day complete with a twenty minute tree-hug (clinging to the only shelter we could find in a driving hail storm), a slow-motion tumble of our camp stove down a steep embankment to a sorrowful splash and Titanic-like descent to the bottom of Capitol Lake, and a half-hour of begging and bartering from our fellow Capitol Lake dwellers for a water filter after discovering ours non-functional.
At 4 a.m. the following morning we awoke in dire need of a change in fortune. With at least five headlamps already snaking tortuously up the slopes above us, we summoned whatever appetite such an early hour would allow, and began our own journey up the 1,000-foot slope to the saddle between Capitol Peak and neighboring Mt. Daly.
Soon, we found ourselves with an unlikely escort – a fox. The curious creature trotted ahead of us, pausing occasionally to turn and re-evaluate his bipedal mountain companions. We took our new friend as an omen of good fortune and a sign that our luck was about to change. But as soon as he appeared, he was gone, and we were forced to continue to the saddle alone, only now with renewed confidence and vigor.
We reached the 13,600-foot false summit known in mountaineering circles as K2 and stared for the first time down the infamous Knife Edge ridge. A queue of mountaineers was already forming. We stood in awe of Capitol’s imposing escarpments and the sheer volume of climbers already present at 6 a.m. on Colorado’s “hardest” fourteener.
Excited but not debilitated by the exposure, we traversed carefully towards the Knife Edge.
* * *
Less than a month earlier, on a picnic table at Colter Bay in Grand Teton National Park, we sat in the shadow of Grand Teton, one of North America’s most inspiring mountains, and concocted a very personal “ticklist” of peaks we wanted to climb.
Climbing all of Colorado’s “official” fourteeners had been a goal of ours for several years, but recent encounters on the slopes of these great peaks with vast numbers of over-excited and under-prepared humanoids yielded a distaste in us for the practice of peak bagging. The hardened, John Muir-reading environmentalist in me felt conflicted and even somewhat guilty for what I viewed as my complicity in the growing problem of overuse on Colorado’s fourteeners. These mountains, and the great wildernesses in which they reside, have simply become overrun by the thousands of climbers intent on completing the most cherished of Colorado mountaineering lists.
Weary of the crowds we had encountered on virtually every fourteener we’d attempted, we decided to abandon our goal of summiting all of Colorado’s 53 highest peaks in the shortest duration possible and decided instead to create a list of mountains we wanted to climb. There is something exciting about a goal-oriented “ticklist” and something very gratifying about its completion.
We discussed, added, crossed off, and eventually finalized our new ticklist of mountains. It included plenty of Colorado thirteeners such as Vestal Peak, Jagged Mountain, and Mt. Meeker, as well as other Western classics like Wyoming’s Gannet Peak, Pingora, and of course Grand Teton. It also included a small selection of international peaks: Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro and Mount Blanc. And of course it even included some of Colorado’s best fourteeners like Longs Peak, Pyramid Peak, Crestone Peak, and Capitol. Once the list was complete we inscribed the date on the top and admired our new goal.
It was a proud list, running the spectrum of time-honored classic climbs to little-known hidden gems. Although leaning towards the technical, remote, or difficult, our list included everything from easy walk-ups to full-on multi-pitch mountaineering adventures. It suited us and encompassed the best of the mountains we wanted to climb. We debated for a minute what we would do once we’d filled in all the tick boxes on our scrap of paper. We settled on a bottle of wine and the creation of a new list.
* * *
At the Knife Edge we found ourselves alone. Several climbers had decided the ridge was too much for their sensibilities and turned back, smartly staying within their skills and allowing prudence to trump pride. Such decisions are to be applauded, not ridiculed.
Standing at the beginning of the Knife Edge, I convinced myself it wasn’t as bad as it seemed, that the hype was the creation of the un-seasoned peak-bagging crowd. Nonetheless I resorted to the oft-scorned technique of straddling and scooting along the edge, one leg pointed towards Capitol Lake, to the north and 2,000 feet below me, and the other pointed toward Pierre Lakes, also 2,000 feet down but to the mountain’s south. I scooted slowly along, each move made with the utmost care and deliberation.
Gradually, the ridge widened, becoming less knife-like. My girlfriend and I shared a hug and a high-five on the other side. Though the remaining route, notoriously loose and dangerous, was still ahead, we were past one of the most infamous spots in Colorado fourteener lore. We were that much closer to climbing the first mountain on our personal list, not to mention our 27th fourteener.
But the lists didn’t matter any more. We gazed south toward Snowmass Mountain and gazed over the crystalline waters of the Pierre Lakes. Other great peaks swelled like waves in the sea of the Elk Mountains. We weren’t here to check mountains off some arbitrary list. It was for the sheer joy of the experience. Everything from the hailstorm, to the fox, the Knife Edge, and even the drowned camp stove had formed this experience.
Mountaineering is a ready metaphor for life. Challenges ahead eventually met. The joy not in the blackened tick box or the bragging rights for barroom banter, but in the experience. The ecstasy of mountaineering comes from challenges set and the personal growth that comes in that magical moment on top, and all the other great moments that got you there.
NOTE: This article was originally published August 1, 2012 in print and on the web in Our Backyard.
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Capitol Peak is one of Colorado's most famous/infamous mountains. It is also one of the most beautiful. While Capitol's reputation comes largely from the notorious "Knife Edge", a 100-foot long stretch of exposed ridge that must be navigated on the standard route, there are many who debate it's position as "Colorado's hardest 14er". Still, Capitol is a powerful peak that deserves to be approached with respect.
How to get there: Capitol lies in the heart of the Elk Range and is accessed from Colorado's beautiful Roaring Fork Valley. From I-70 two and a half hours west of Denver, take the Glenwood Springs exit (116) onto Colorado 82. Follow Highway 82 south for 28 miles. Turn right off the highway at the town of Old Snowmass (not to be confused with the ski area Snowmass Village, which is farther down the road). There is a gas station/convenience store at this exit. Follow this road for 1.5 miles mile to a T-junction and turn right. From here, there isn't much to do. Stay on the main road, ignoring several side streets, for 4 miles until the road turns to dirt. The little road gets a bit rougher from here but should be passable for most passenger cars all the way to the trailhead (9.5 miles after turning off 82).
NOTE: There are two trails that leave from the trailhead. The Capitol Creek trail drops steeply south from the parking area down into the Capitol Creek basin. Though this trail is shorter, it requires you to loose/re-gain an additional ~500' on both the approach and the hike out. A more popular variation follows the "Ditch" trail west from the parking lot. While this variation is longer, it does not require the extra elevation gain/loss.
ROUTES Northeast Ridge (18 miles; 5,600' of elevation gain; class 4).
This classic route is the epitome of the Colorado 14er experience. It is beautiful, challenging and infamous. It is also loose and dangerous, and several people have lost their lives on this route. This is the easiest way to climb Capitol, and the route has given the peak a reputation for being Colorado's hardest 14er.
Capitol Peak from the trailhead
The first part of the route is a 6.5 mile approach to Capitol Lake, one of Colorado's most beautiful high-alpine lakes. The lengthy and difficulty of this route often prompts mountaineers to camp here to abridge the amount of time the climb will take on summit day.
At Capitol Lake, turn east and climb a long, switchbacked trail to the 12,500' saddle between Capitol Peak and Mt. Daly. While one variation turns from this saddle and starts along the NE ridge here, most people contour into the Moon Lake Basin to bypass the ridge's loose difficulties. This section is full of boulder hopping class 2+. An occasional class 3 move might be encountered.
Capitol Peak from the trail to the Capitol/Daly saddle in the early morning
Follow this basin south and east until you reach and ridge and turn right (west) and head towards a distant point ahead. This point is "K2" and this is where the difficulty begins.
There are several ways to circumnavigate "K2". You can either drop into a steep, loose gully to the sub-peak's north and west (loose class 3) or climb to K2's summit and back down the west side. Use caution here, as loose rock is abound and some big cliffs and more difficult terrain is always nearby. Several horrific accidents have occurred in the K2 area.
The view of Capitol/the northeast ridge from K2
Once around K2 you are deposited onto the northeast ridge proper. Now the route gets more spicy. Navigate an exposed section and arrive at the beginning of the infamous Knife Edge, a class 4 section of the ridge. The exposure here is dramatic, and many people choose to call it quits. In all actuality, however, the Knife is not particularly difficult, and the rock is about as solid as you will encounter on the entire route. Many people choose to straddle and scoot along all or part of the Knife. I found that this technique is not always ideal, though it does feel a bit more secure. Daring souls sometimes tightrope the Knife, keeping it at class 2.
Navigating the Knife Edge
A video of site founder Brian Wright navigating the last part of the Knife Edge in 2011:
Once the Knife is behind you, a long stretch of exposed ridge still awaits. Tread carefully, the rock is loose and one mistake would probably be your last.
Once off the ridge, you are committed. On bad weather days I would strongly advise turning back. The rest of the route would not be safe in a thunderstorm. Traverse onto Capitol's NE face, following cairns and climber's trails as they zig-zag up the mountain's steep, loose slopes. There are several possibilities to reach the summit here. You can follow the ridge direct, a more stout variation (5.0-5.2 R) or switchback up the NE face itself (class 4). Another variation traverses south onto Capitol's south face and up to the summit from there (also class 4). Enjoy the dramatic views of Snowmass Mountain to the southeast, and yodel from the summit; Capitol is yours.
The Northeast face of Capitol
Northwest Ridge (15.2 miles; 5,510' gain; III 5.9)
This technical route is one of the only viable class 5 14er routes in the Elks.It is an amazing and dramatic line. There are two variations of the ridge, one which goes at 5.7 with some steep, loose rock/ice. A more solid variation that has become more popular in recent years is a bit more challenging (5.9) but generally considered safer.
Capitol Peak from the campsites at Capitol Lake. The NW Ridge is on the right skyline
Follow the standard route to Capitol lake. From here continue south along the west shore of Capitol Lake to a saddle on the northwest side of the peak. The route looms from here.
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When our water filter broke, it seemed that the mountain had conspired against and defeated us before we’d even begun to climb. The summer of 2011 was one of the wettest, stormiest, and strangest seasons in memory. High snowpack combined with very late storms and cool spring temperatures kept the rivers running high and the mountains packed with snow far later into the season than an average year. Our several planned attempts at Capitol were repeatedly pushed back due to strong monsoon patterns that generated weather predictions like “70% severe thunderstorms” and “60% chance of rain and snow” for weeks on end in the high country. But now that September had arrived, we hoped that the monsoon pattern was behind us and we might have a chance at good weather for a summit attempt on what many call Colorado’s hardest 14er.
Despite it being Labor Day weekend we set-out for Capitol’s trailhead hoping that our local position (1 hr drive from doorstep to trailhead) would give us a head start for the good campsites at Capitol Lake. The weather report was as good as we had seen it in weeks: Mostly Sunny, 20% chance afternoon showers. We decided to do Capitol at a leisurely 3-day pace, allowing one for the somewhat lengthy approach, one for the summit, and the last for the hike out.
We arrived at the Capitol Creek trailhead and were greeted a cow and her two calves. Though she refused to budge from her spot at the parking lot, she eyed us curiously and not without some suspicion as we yanked the final straps on our backpacks tight, cinched down our boots, and started down the trail. A large, slow-moving storm was rumbling to the north of us, but it seemed at worst that we’d catch the side of it and move on, the weather was supposed to be perfect, after all.
Capitol looms from the trailhead
The Capitol “Ditch” alternative is a pleasant stroll that starts off mostly flat before climbing up into a beautiful meadow high above the creek. The north face of Capitol towered above most of our approach, capping off a green and lush valley with one of Colorado’s most impressive rock escarpments.
It was about the time that we reached the junction with the main Capitol Creek trail that the rain began.
It was a steady, soaking sort of rain, one that penetrates all but the most well sealed of shell layering. Bouts of hail came down in-between torrents of rain, and the skinny trees that populate the 10,000’ riparian zone didn’t provide much shelter. A few semi-close clashes of thunder brought back all sorts of backcountry memories: our Gore Range backpack trip where we had to wait out a vicious 3-hour storm the nearby town of Breckenridge called the worst in a hundred years, a multi-wave thunderstorm that ushered in the first night of an eight day stint in the Wind River Range, Wyoming, and the worst of all: a fifteen-hour onslaught that pinned us down for a sleepless night and then some at Geneva Lake last summer. We couldn’t believe that the good weather we’d waited impatiently for all summer had been replaced instead by more of the same.
The approach hike to Capitol
It hailed hard on us as we crested the last hill to Capitol Lake and selected a campsite. You could feel the ice pelting off your head like so many stones. Pitching a tent in a storm is a messy and sloppy process, and I could sense the mounting frustration in both of us as we tried to erect our flimsy shelter. Of course by the time the time was up and our gear inside the storm had stopped, so we decided to take the window of good weather to eat our dinner and pump water for the climb the following day.
It was hard not to stare up at Capitol’s rugged battlements in both wonderment and some terror. K2, a major false-summit and obstacle on the class 4 standard route which we were planning to attempt, was clearly visible, and it wasn’t hard to ascertain the approximate location of the Knife Edge from there. We sat silent in the shadow of the great mountain as we ate our dinner, reflecting on the wilderness and mountains and mountaineers.
Once dinner was through, disaster struck.
It started when I kicked the stove into the lake, which luckily floated as the propane canister had just enough to get us through the three days. Only minutes after the soggy retrieval, a gust of wind up-ended what remained of our macaroni and cheese onto the rocks at the lakeshore. We laughed off these two errors a small, albeit annoying, inconveniences and prepared to refill our water bottles for the following morning. Already, the alarm on my phone had been set for 5:00 am. That was when the water pump broke. Something, it seemed, was conspiring to keep us off the mountain.
But thanks to the goodwill of some fellow campers, allowing us to borrow their pump on the contingent that we’d fill their bottles while we were at it (we offered, they didn’t insist) we were able to top off our water bottles and camelbacks and carry on with our bid for the summit. Almost predictably, however, the rain started once again as we pumped, and the bright stroke of a thunderbolt reminded us that many things can end any mountain attempt and any illusion you might have of control is just that, illusion. It was the mountain that was in charge, and we weren’t here to “conquer” it.
Sunset on Capitol from camp
The next morning we awoke from a fitful slumber to clear skies. We made oatmeal trying not to think of the line from the John Prine song “Illegal Smile” “…a boat of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won….”. Already we could see a number of headlamps weaving up the steep, grassy slope to the saddle between Capitol Peak and its neighbor Mt. Daly (13,300’). Once breakfast was down, the gear, water and food for the day sorted, and the boots cinched tight, we began our way up the long slope for ourselves. Ahead we could see six headlamps. The three we’d seen first thing in the morning were near the top of the slope and the other group was about midway when we hit the bottom.
That was about when we saw the fox for the first time.
It was still dark; the pale glow of starlight dimly illuminated the jagged corners of Capitol’s north face. Suddenly, not forty feet away, two green eyes caught my headlamp’s dim glow. The animal was still but didn’t look afraid. I could tell right away by the tail what it was.
“Fox!” Ella cried out.
The fox was on the slope above us, and as we crew nearer he trotted ahead, following the trail as it switchbacked through the grass. Several times the fox would stop and turn to watch us only to continue along the trail ahead. At one point it let me come within fifteen or twenty feet before leaping on ahead just like a nimble-footed dog. This went on for a strangely long time. But suddenly the fox darted off the trail south towards Mt. Daly. We lost it in the darkness. Still, for an such an otherwise elusive creature it was a strangely long encounter.
Ella caught up and we continued up laughing, already our prospects seemed brighter and not even a hint of a cloud graced the sky. The sun was about to come up and the mountains around us were coming alive with color. A dim red glow was cast over Capitol’s imposing face. Strangely, despite Capitol’s jagged aspect and intimidating stature, I didn’t feel the anxiety that I had always expected I would on Capitol Day. You can say what you want about whether Capitol is Colorado’s hardest 14er, but it is hard to deny that Capitol has a certain reputation. And I wouldn’t doubt that if you polled the mountaineering community to name the hardest 14er in Colorado, no mountain would get more votes than Capitol.
A few switchbacks later, I stopped to rest and let Ella catch up when I saw behind her, trotting casually up the trail, the fox had returned. I called out to Ella and she turned just in time to see it veer off the trail not fifteen feet from here and disappear once and for all into the bush. We couldn’t help but laugh in amazement.
Capitol just before sunrise
When we reached the 12,500’ saddle, we had already climbed over a thousand feet, and a cold breeze was sweeping forcefully in from the west. We stopped to throw down a quick snack and adjust our layers to the changing temperatures. From here the route drops behind the northeast ridge proper into Moon Lake Basin. It was here that the class 1 trail hiking came to an end. Contoured south and then southwest up the basin below some jagged cliffs, turning at last toward a distant point that materializes into the infamous sub-peak “K2”. K2 has only 84 feet of topographical prominence and therefore is not considered a true peak, but it has stature nonetheless. After much class 2+ and even some class 3 (possibly avoidable) scrambling up the boulderfield, K2 was the first real obstacle on our route to Capitol.
There are several options for dealing with K2. Some choose to climb to its summit, a nifty throne whose view of Capitol is famous, then traverse west and downclimb some class 3-4 rock onto the ridge. We chose to forgo the energy expense and instead traversed west into a steep gully on the north face. A group of three post-college age boys had been leap frogging with us for so long to this point that our groups had merged. As we descended down the steep 2+ gully one at a time, it was already becoming apparent which of the five of us was going to struggle with Capitol’s unique difficulties. At the bottom of the gully there was an intimidating class 3+ pitch up some very loose rock to escape off the north face back onto the relative safety of the ridge. We did this pitch one a time to minimize rockfall. At one point near the top I was drawn into a variation that ended in a choss pile where it seemed every rock was loose and ready to tumble down 1,800 feet down the north face to Capitol Lake.
I hesitated for a minute at the crux move, feeling particularly uneasy about the stability of the rocks above me.
“I don’t know what I can trust,” I said to our new friend Rob above me, as I gingerly tested the most promising candidates for my next hold.
He laughed. “None of it.”
I could tell he was right. Trying to move like a feather, I climbed up the final eight feet to the ridge next to him and waited for everyone else to follow. It was at this gnarly pitch that we lost the first of our companions.
A gully on the north face
Unnerved by the loose rock and exposure down the north face, one of our new friends called out that he was going to be spending the rest of the day at K2, tracking our progress and patiently awaiting our return. I understood; it was a maxim I’d learn to live by in mountaineering: prudence over pride. But for me, after years of high ridges and my latest addiction traditional rock climbing, had brought me a confidence that kept the nagging threat of exposure at bay.
After the loose pitch, we rounded an easy class 2 corner and next to a notch between K2 and the northeast ridge. Here a dramatic cliff to our left got whatever was left of my attention to get. Thousands of feet of air was all around. I surveyed the ridge ahead and the breathtaking view of Capitol and tried not to imagine the entirety of the task before us. Though the summit was closer than ever, it still seemed a very long ways away. And it was obvious from our new perspective that a great number of difficulties were in our near future. This was clearly no place for the “gaper” or “neophyte” crowd you might find on the summit of Mt. Elbert.
Capitol ahead...
We waited a few minutes for our two remaining companions to catch up in quiet contemplation, neither of us speaking of what stood before us. It was of course, what we had expected from Capitol: a skinny and jagged ridge with 70 degree drop-offs on each side, sharpening, at times, to a fin small enough to fit our hand over that led to a steep and complicated face with plenty of class 5 cliffs and loose boulders to circumnavigate. “Spicy” was the preferred term for our newly companions of Capitol’s complicated terrain. It seemed a modest term for what we were looking at now.
Most likely due to nerves, I was unable to sit for long and I stepped carefully out onto the ridge. Focused but un-anxious, I gingerly moved along the increasing exposure, passed a grippy false Knife Edge to a small point where the actual Knife Edge appeared before me. Here I stopped and waited as the rest of the group caught up. Ella was the first to join me.
“We’re at the Knife Edge,” I said in what I hoped was a calm voice.
“We are?” she asked timidly. I could tell she was nervous, but like me she was not unnerved to the point of debilitation. That was more than I could say for several people we had already encountered that day. I pointed ahead along the ridge where you could see the Knife Edge just below us. It looked pretty spicy indeed.
The other two joined us. The first one, Rob, looked confident and excited like us. J.C., the second, was obviously shaken by the airy position and unnerved by the obvious obstacle ahead.
Ella and I decided to start across the Knife while Rob attempted to coax J.C. into continuing.
I started across the Knife feeling strangely calm. My initial strategy was per the advice of Gerry Roach to “grab the edge with your hands and walk your feet underneath you on the south side of the ridge”. This worked well, but briefly, I admit, there was some of the “awkward” scooting on my part.
As I had predicted, our group was reduced to three at the Knife. J.C. spent the rest of the day, not retreating to safer ground, as I would have done, but actually on the northeast ridge napping in the same spot we’d left him, awaiting our return!
Ella crossing the Knife Edge
We continued along the ridge slowly, negotiating some tricky class 3 and 4 on some of the most exposed terrain on a 14er standard route. It was exhilarating and exciting. I always focused on the move just ahead of me without thinking too much about what still lie ahead. I tried not to look at the summit at all.
When we moved out onto the east face and off the ridge at last, we face a long section of loose and complicated class 3 and 4 terrain. We zig-zagged up a shallow gully of lighter rock to a small notch on the southeast ridge 300 feet below the summit. We traversed carefully through here, occasionally just one person at a time up a pitch to avoid rockfall. Ropes would be useless in this broken rock.
At last followed a set of cairns out on to Capitol’s south face, where we encountered some of the most difficult and sketchy rock of the climb. It was full-on class 4 with you-blow-it’s-over consequences. Still, however, I was able to keep my fear at bay. Shortly after, almost abruptly we found ourselves standing on the summit, the first to arrive on the day.
East face terrain
It was 10:00 am now, the long and complicated climb had taken us just over 4 hours. We made a few calls on the summit and took down a snack and some water. Not necessarily because I felt particularly hungry but because I knew I should. We didn’t stay long on the summit, as the descent loomed. Getting to the top is only half the battle, and we knew that stats proved more mountaineering accidents happened on descent. Slowly we began downclimbing our way back towards the ridge below us where I could see the specks of a few people milling around the Knife Edge.
The Northeast Ridge and K2 on descent
We descended slowly, cautiously, trying to minimize the rocks and pebbles we kicked down the slopes below us. It was almost impossible to eliminate the trundling altogether. After what seemed like a very long time we reached the ridge and traversed back towards K2. Things seemed to move very quick now and we reached the Knife in no time. Knowing what to expect now, we breezed across it, even walking in places. Perhaps endorphins had kicked in, or maybe just adrenaline, but with the Knife behind us we almost felt comfortable enough to acknowledge our tick of one of Colorado’s most infamous mountains.
Walking part of the Knife Edge
Returning over the Knife Edge
A Video of us returning over the Knife Edge:
We relaxed with our new friends on the summit of K2 (climbed it after all) for a good half hour marveling at Capitol above us. Several groups came to us, many of which we turned back by the Knife. It was interesting to watch it all transpire below us. We downclimbed one last section of class 4 before being faced with the long scree hikeout. After what seemed like an eternity of knee-jarring downclimbing camp was in sight.
“I’m psyched,” I said to Ella. “I’m just to exhausted to know it.”
She agreed. We threw our boots off and took a brief nap in the tent knowing that since we no longer had means of getting water, our second half night was out of the question and a six and a half mile hikeout was still before us.
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