Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk:
You (the person requesting this file download) fully understand mountain climbing ("Activity") involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, and death ("Risks") and you fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages you incur as a result of your participation in this Activity.
You acknowledge that information in the file you have chosen to download may not be accurate and may contain errors. You agree to assume all risks when using this information and agree to release and discharge 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and the author(s) of such information (collectively, the "Released Parties").
You hereby discharge the Released Parties from all damages, actions, claims and liabilities of any nature, specifically including, but not limited to, damages, actions, claims and liabilities arising from or related to the negligence of the Released Parties. You further agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and each of the other Released Parties from and against any loss, damage, liability and expense, including costs and attorney fees, incurred by 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. or any of the other Released Parties as a result of you using information provided on the 14ers.com or 14ers Inc. websites.
You have read this agreement, fully understand its terms and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
By clicking "OK" you agree to these terms. If you DO NOT agree, click "Cancel"...
After several days in Chicago Basin, my sister and I left Durango with the intention of driving to Glenwood Springs, staying in a hotel and driving to the Capitol trailhead the next day. For some reason, we couldn't find a vacancy in any hotel in Glenwood Springs or Carbondale, so we just drove to the trailhead to spend the night. After a poor night of sleep we headed up the ditch trail at 9:30 in the morning. We didn't have a lot of water, since we were intending to refill in a hotel the previous night, so we had to purify about 3 liters with one of those new-fangled Steri-Pen devices. The trail wound through the forest and then crossed through some pristine meadows where we first encountered the infamous cattle of this basin. The trail descended slightly and the turnoff to the Capitol Creek trail was fairly obvious. As we neared the lake the trail becomes steeper, but we finally made it to the lake at about 1 pm. That is probably a slow time because we stopped for lunch and to purify water. Anyways, at an unmarked four-way junction, we found a camping spot in the trees to the right (turning left takes you to the saddle).
The next morning we left camp at 4:35 am and headed up to the saddle. At this point I wasn't feeling that well and it took me almost 45 minutes to reach the saddle - I had to keep stopping to rest. We ate a long breakfast, waiting for the sun to light our path. We left again at 5:40, and headed towards K2. Almost immediately we were greeted by a rock by an exposed slab of slanted rock, which we chose to cross, and not descend. After that, the traverse to K2 was uneventful. We crossed several easy snowfields, and began to make the more direct ascent toward K2. The easiest route at this point is class 2, but the fastest route is up the orange rocks to the right, and is roughly class 2+. I was feeling much better at this point, and moving faster. We reached K2 at about 7:20, but it took us ten minutes to cross around it. The most direct route is easy class 3, but it is exposed and on slippery rock and dirt. Finally, the famous view of upper Capitol came into view.
A short scramble on or to the left of the ridge crest brings you to the infamous knife-edge ridge. I crossed it without straddling it, but sometimes in an awkward crouch position. All in all, it was slightly nerve-racking, but not particularly difficult.
Me on the Knife Edge
My sister on the Knife Edge
It was beneficial in that it deadened me to exposure for the rest of the climb.
A closer look at the Knife Edge
Stay on or near the ridge crest until you reach a distinctive notch in the ridge.
A bad pic of the notch. It is that dirt thing to the left.
The climbing became slightly more difficult from this point, as we traversed and ascended the steep face.
A closer look at the upper face
Finally, we reached a steep, but passable face that we ascended until cairns led us to the left.
A look at this steep face
Take a left at this point
While the rock to this point had been rather solid, on the face it is actually quite loose, and made me glad that I had brought my helmet. A final scramble up a rib leads to a short summit ridge.
That solid rock rib
You have two options at this point: you can either climb across the ridge crest (not too difficult, but very exposed), or you can descend slightly and follow the cairns. I climbed the ridge crest on the way up, and took the low route on the way down. Finally, my sister and I stood on the summit at about 8:55 am. My sister celebrated her 14er Grand Slam, just after her 18th birthday!
My sister on top of her Grand Slam 14er!
Me on top.
We started down at about 9:15, and the route finding was significantly more difficult than on the way up. At just before 11 am, we reached K2, where we stayed too low, and ended up ascending a class 4 face to get back on track. The descent from K2 was uneventful; I took a direct, uncairned route through the rocks because I was too lazy to look for cairns. We eventually reached our campsite at about 12:40, after eating lunch at the saddle. The slog back to the car seemed very long, and we proceeded to drive back to NM that same day we had climbed Capitol.
A distant look at Capitol
Note: We had Capitol all to our selves, didn't see a soul until we got back to the lake!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Actually, she is my ”big” sister, I turned 16 yesterday. Wish I could have got more Elks in, but school started yesterday as well. We did go up to Chicago Basin though, in the same trip.
How old are you, Trugman? Is she your big sister? jk.
Great pics of the upper route, and it sounds like the knife edge wasn't too big a deal for you. Congrats.
I hope you got some other peaks in. Aspen's a long way from Los Alamos...
Great Job! But why is it called ”Alone on Capitol” If your sister was there?
Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.
Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
