Capitol Peak Trip Report 08/22/2014

Peak(s):	Capitol Peak - 14,138 feet
Date Posted:	08/22/2014
Date Climbed:	08/17/2014
Author:	saxlover

Lie In Our Graves
Mark and I met at the trailhead at 12noon to backpack in. I drove my new outback to the 4WD parking lot. The road is a little rough but the outback easily made it to that parking lot. I saw two sedan cars in the parking lot. The trailhead has a nice view of Capital Peak. We had two more in our party that were running late. I received a text before I lost service stating that they were stuck in Leadville traffic because of a racing event. Unsure if and when they would come, Mark and I headed up the trail at 12:20pm. I really enjoyed this backpacking hike. The trail is gains elevation gradually over the six miles. Very pleasant experience with great views of Capital Peak along the way. I really like being able to see the destination while hiking. Helps to gauge ground covered. Mark and I knew campsite would be tight by the lake. The trailhead was full and we spoke to several hikers on there way down letting us know that there were a bunch of people camped already. We pressed and made the lake around 3:30. Everything was full so we backtracked a little and found a really nice spot to set up shop just below the last uphill push to gain the lake area. We had a 3rd and 4th party member that was meeting us near the campsite. We met with them after dinner and made plans to leave at 3AM for Capital. 3AM came and we were on the trail. We could several groups of headlamps already ahead of us. There were going to be lots of people on the mountain today. In the dark we missed the turn off to head up the saddle. We nearly made it to Capital Lake before we turning around and locating the trail. We found the trail and started the climb to the saddle. We passed a couple groups and made it to the saddle at 3:50am. From here we followed the trail to the backside of the mountain. Then came our first decision point. We saw a group going straight across a small ledge. This actually leads to the trail on the other side. In the dark the trail seemed to disappear and this route did seem to be the likely route. We waited a few moments and followed another group that went down a narrow set of switchbacks here. At the base of switchbacks to the right there is a steep dirt and rock gully and just passed that is a steep upclimb section. I went up this steep upclimb section and gained the trail again at the top of this on the left. Mark had descended all the way down the set of switchbacks and then went even further down, the rest of our party went this way as well. I was without Mark for about 10 minutes, he gained elevation and met up with me. We continued on the path towards K2 without our other two members. There were a few groups that got bottlenecked at the steep downward switchbacks. After awhile we stopped to wait for the group nearing us hoping it was our other two party members. We waited for about 5 minutes and the other two in our group caught up. From here is was a long hike up the valley jumping boulders. This was the worst part of the hike for me. We were in the dark bushwacking large rocks, and slowly losing elevation, and not being able to see K2 gave anxiety about our route. The whole way up we could see headlamps in front of us. It took us much longer to finally see K2 than I imagined it would. Once we could see the little bump of K2 from way below I felt much better. We push forward and made it to K2. We all decided to go to the right and go around K2 instead of climbing to the top of K2 and then down. We made it to the other side of K2 and were rewarded with a glorious view of Capital and the work left to do. From here, we hiked towards the knife edge. Mark and I made it to the knife edge when we learned that one of the other party members was not feeling comfortable with the rest of the route. One of the two was going to back track and bring the 4th person to spot on the other side of K2 to wait. Mark and I crossed the knife edge. The knife edge definitely has great exposure, but is very doable. I went across about half of it with one leg over each side, about half way through I was able to have both legs on the right side walking sideways across the knife edge. Here is a video I took. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX_6LBnMC7c&feature=youtu.be After the knife edge we waited for a few moments for the 3rd party member to catch up after dropping the 4th member on the other side of K2. There were lots of people in front of us and even more behind us. I was getting very antsy about waiting knowing there were going to be lots of people high up on the mountain at the same time. Mark really wanted to wait for our 3rd party member. I told him I was going forward. I left him and kept looking back to see if the 3rd had caught up yet. Just as I was at the point that I would lose sight of him, I yelled and asked if the 3rd had made it to the knife edge yet. He said no, frustrated I pressed on solo. I had read many trip reports on the route and felt very confident in being able to summit. I knew Mark would wait and our 3rd would be able to summit with him. There were two groups ahead of me and I could see their progress. Once I got off of the ridge and onto the face of capital I decided to take the route "rescuemonkey" shows in his TR. I included his picture, the route is in blue. I kept seeing cairns as the route goes across the face. I saw a group slightly ahead of me and above me on the higher route. Once I reached the gully on the left side of the face I saw the group at the top of the gully. I went up the steep gully and caught up with the group a few minutes after. At this point, the first group to summit that day ran into us on their way down. From here it was a just a few more minutes to the summit. I made it to the summit at 7:45am. I took some pictures and headed down. I knew there was going to be a crap ton of people on the mountain and I wanted to get below anywhere would I could have something fall on me. I spent just a few minutes on the summit and was off by 7:52. I decided to take the same exact route through the face. I was comfortable with the route and wanted to get down past K2 as quick as possible. Mark and our 3rd member ended up taking the high route so I never saw them on my way down. I made it back to the knife edge and there was a large group with a guide waiting for it to be clear so they could cross. I felt more comfortable the second time and crossed quickly. After K2 I felt relieved about not having anyone above me to knock rocks down. I caught up and passed the first summit group after K2. I descended the same route. I the daylight it was easier to see the path we should have taken up. The trail gently follows the contour of the ridge way down low. This helps to avoid losing elevation. I did my best to maintain elevation so that I didn't have to climb too much to gain the saddle. I found the route and made it back to the area near the steep switchback. This time I ended up going down the steep gully and then ascending the tight switchback. Shortly after I was at the saddle again. I made great time going down and made it back to camp by 10:45am. I quickly packed up my tent and headed for the trailhead at 11am. I made it back to the car at 1:06pm. This is a great backpacking mountain. Gentle hike on the back. I really enjoyed the hike from K2 to the summit. Knife edge a little overhyped, but not to be done nonchalantly . Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Lie In Our Graves

Mark and I met at the trailhead at 12noon to backpack in. I drove my new outback to the 4WD parking lot. The road is a little rough but the outback easily made it to that parking lot. I saw two sedan cars in the parking lot. The trailhead has a nice view of Capital Peak.
We had two more in our party that were running late. I received a text before I lost service stating that they were stuck in Leadville traffic because of a racing event. Unsure if and when they would come, Mark and I headed up the trail at 12:20pm. I really enjoyed this backpacking hike. The trail is gains elevation gradually over the six miles. Very pleasant experience with great views of Capital Peak along the way. I really like being able to see the destination while hiking. Helps to gauge ground covered. Mark and I knew campsite would be tight by the lake. The trailhead was full and we spoke to several hikers on there way down letting us know that there were a bunch of people camped already.

We pressed and made the lake around 3:30. Everything was full so we backtracked a little and found a really nice spot to set up shop just below the last uphill push to gain the lake area. We had a 3rd and 4th party member that was meeting us near the campsite. We met with them after dinner and made plans to leave at 3AM for Capital.

3AM came and we were on the trail. We could several groups of headlamps already ahead of us. There were going to be lots of people on the mountain today. In the dark we missed the turn off to head up the saddle. We nearly made it to Capital Lake before we turning around and locating the trail. We found the trail and started the climb to the saddle. We passed a couple groups and made it to the saddle at 3:50am.

From here we followed the trail to the backside of the mountain. Then came our first decision point. We saw a group going straight across a small ledge. This actually leads to the trail on the other side. In the dark the trail seemed to disappear and this route did seem to be the likely route. We waited a few moments and followed another group that went down a narrow set of switchbacks here. At the base of switchbacks to the right there is a steep dirt and rock gully and just passed that is a steep upclimb section. I went up this steep upclimb section and gained the trail again at the top of this on the left. Mark had descended all the way down the set of switchbacks and then went even further down, the rest of our party went this way as well.

I was without Mark for about 10 minutes, he gained elevation and met up with me. We continued on the path towards K2 without our other two members. There were a few groups that got bottlenecked at the steep downward switchbacks. After awhile we stopped to wait for the group nearing us hoping it was our other two party members. We waited for about 5 minutes and the other two in our group caught up. From here is was a long hike up the valley jumping boulders. This was the worst part of the hike for me. We were in the dark bushwacking large rocks, and slowly losing elevation, and not being able to see K2 gave anxiety about our route. The whole way up we could see headlamps in front of us. It took us much longer to finally see K2 than I imagined it would.

Once we could see the little bump of K2 from way below I felt much better. We push forward and made it to K2. We all decided to go to the right and go around K2 instead of climbing to the top of K2 and then down. We made it to the other side of K2 and were rewarded with a glorious view of Capital and the work left to do. From here, we hiked towards the knife edge. Mark and I made it to the knife edge when we learned that one of the other party members was not feeling comfortable with the rest of the route. One of the two was going to back track and bring the 4th person to spot on the other side of K2 to wait.

Mark and I crossed the knife edge. The knife edge definitely has great exposure, but is very doable. I went across about half of it with one leg over each side, about half way through I was able to have both legs on the right side walking sideways across the knife edge. Here is a video I took.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX_6LBnMC7c&feature=youtu.be

After the knife edge we waited for a few moments for the 3rd party member to catch up after dropping the 4th member on the other side of K2. There were lots of people in front of us and even more behind us. I was getting very antsy about waiting knowing there were going to be lots of people high up on the mountain at the same time. Mark really wanted to wait for our 3rd party member. I told him I was going forward. I left him and kept looking back to see if the 3rd had caught up yet. Just as I was at the point that I would lose sight of him, I yelled and asked if the 3rd had made it to the knife edge yet. He said no, frustrated I pressed on solo. I had read many trip reports on the route and felt very confident in being able to summit. I knew Mark would wait and our 3rd would be able to summit with him.
There were two groups ahead of me and I could see their progress. Once I got off of the ridge and onto the face of capital I decided to take the route "rescuemonkey" shows in his TR. I included his picture, the route is in blue. I kept seeing cairns as the route goes across the face. I saw a group slightly ahead of me and above me on the higher route. Once I reached the gully on the left side of the face I saw the group at the top of the gully. I went up the steep gully and caught up with the group a few minutes after. At this point, the first group to summit that day ran into us on their way down. From here it was a just a few more minutes to the summit. I made it to the summit at 7:45am. I took some pictures and headed down. I knew there was going to be a crap ton of people on the mountain and I wanted to get below anywhere would I could have something fall on me. I spent just a few minutes on the summit and was off by 7:52.

I decided to take the same exact route through the face. I was comfortable with the route and wanted to get down past K2 as quick as possible. Mark and our 3rd member ended up taking the high route so I never saw them on my way down. I made it back to the knife edge and there was a large group with a guide waiting for it to be clear so they could cross. I felt more comfortable the second time and crossed quickly. After K2 I felt relieved about not having anyone above me to knock rocks down. I caught up and passed the first summit group after K2. I descended the same route. I the daylight it was easier to see the path we should have taken up. The trail gently follows the contour of the ridge way down low. This helps to avoid losing elevation. I did my best to maintain elevation so that I didn't have to climb too much to gain the saddle. I found the route and made it back to the area near the steep switchback. This time I ended up going down the steep gully and then ascending the tight switchback. Shortly after I was at the saddle again.

I made great time going down and made it back to camp by 10:45am. I quickly packed up my tent and headed for the trailhead at 11am. I made it back to the car at 1:06pm.

This is a great backpacking mountain. Gentle hike on the back. I really enjoyed the hike from K2 to the summit. Knife edge a little overhyped, but not to be done nonchalantly .

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Mark81-gd	Great day! 8/25/2014 1:23am hope to climb again with you! Mark
Mark81-gd	Title! 8/25/2014 1:25am titles a little dramatic don't you think! Lolllll!!!!!
saxlover	great song 8/25/2014 10:12pm its a song title. song talks about spending your time on this earth doing everything you can. dont end up in your grave wondering what you could have done.

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