Castle Peak Trip Report 08/21/2008

Peak(s):	Castle Peak - 14,274 feet
Date Posted:	08/21/2008
Modified:	08/22/2008
Date Climbed:	06/07/2008
Author:	CliminDave

Castle Peak in the Snow
Castle Peak via Conundrum Couloir Our meeting point was the newly constructed approximate 500 acre parking area at the Morrison exit of I-70. 42 minutes late for the agreed 4:00 meeting time, Mark arrived, getting us on our way to Glenwood Springs. Doug, Mark and I met the Ceurvorsts in Glenwood for dinner at the Italian Underground. Coming off of the stomach flu, I elected to take it easy on my intake in hope of better enabling a successful climb of the Conundrum Couloir and Castle Peak. The Quality Inn at West Glenwood provided accommodations and a brief welding lesson by our chief welder, Doug Bernero. Doug lost the coin flip for the roll-around cot and elected to lay the mattress on the floor rather than negotiating the spine altering frame. While separating the mattress from the frame, the plug for the lamp became shorted at the wall outlet darkening our room lights and necessitating a call to the front desk for power restoration. "What were you guys doing that blew the circuit breaker?" remains the front desk attendant's unanswered question despite multiple requests for an answer. Precisely 42 minutes late, we finally left the motel after breakfast and Mark's final gear packing. We were able to shave one mile of hiking from the trailhead as the road was passable despite a lot of snow and passing through a snow slide area that leveled every tree in its path. At the trailhead, it became apparent that an additional minute could have been used back at the motel to secure Mark's Camelback lid. Most of the water had leaked out, significantly lightening his load. We left the car at about 10:00 and climbed for a short time before transitioning to snow shoes for most of the rest of the route. Not far from our camp, we changed to crampons as the side-angled slope was challenging in snowshoes. We set up camp and observed that it became quite windy whenever a cloud would pass over us. This happened like clockwork and was quite interesting to observe. During the snow melt/dinner prep session, there was a stove accident. A gust of wind knocked over the stove heating a pot full of snow which was inside of the vestibule. This could have been disastrous had it been our dinner or if the stove came in contact with the tent. In addition, the wind screen had been increasing the temperature of the fuel cell thus increasing the pressure, which in turn increased the heat around the stove. This melted the electronic ignition on the stove rendering it useless; my bad. We decided to wake at 3:00 and get an early start on the purpose of the trip, working together as a rope team. At 5:00, Joe woke up realizing the alarm had not gone off. The sound of precipitation outside caused us to slow our wake-up pace. At first it seemed as though it was raining, then Mark noticed that it was snow accumulating on the fly of the tent. Total snowfall estimated at 2-3 inches. Upon realizing that it was snowing we began to get ready for the climb planning to at least move up the slope to the base of the Conundrum Couloir where we could evaluate any further progress. Brief glimpses of blue gave us hope. At 6:45, when all were ready to go, Doug announced that he was not going forward, which I at first thought was a joke. He ended up moving up the slope with us but later decided to turn back with Mark for a nap in the tent. The skies cleared rapidly as Joe and I contemplated our new goals and route now that the rope team travel practice was out. Joe and I decided to ascend the 47 degree Conundrum Couloir without a rope or pickets as the snow under the fresh stuff was crisp and penetrable. Our technique was to kick steps into the snow with crampons on and using the ice ax for stability as a third point of contact. At first, Joe and I switched off kicking steps for the 600 vertical foot ascent. It soon became clear that Joe was much more efficient kicking steps as it was all I could do just to follow in his footsteps up the slope. This was one of the toughest vertical ascents that either Joe or I had ever attempted. I liken it to climbing a ladder in which one must kick in the rungs for the length of 2 football fields. At the top we took a short break and headed to the saddle between Conundrum and Castle to evaluate our next move. Conundrum is not an 'official fourteener' as it does not meet the qualifications of a separate peak. In Colorado, an official a peak must be 300 feet above any saddle connecting it to another peak. Joe and I figured it would be about 2 � hours from the saddle we were seated at, to Castle's summit, back to the saddle, and then down to camp. Joe agreed to attempt the summit if I agreed to kick steps to the top. As it turned out very few steps needed to be kicked, but I led the windy climb on rocks and snow to the summit, arriving at 10:15. After a few pictures, we quickly descended to the saddle. Joe began to down climb from the saddle while I elected to practice self-arrest down the pretty steep slope. After removing my crampons and packing them and the harness away, I began my descent. Three out of three successful self-arrests. Joe and I arrived back in camp at 11:30, one half hour ahead of our estimated arrival. Mark and Doug had begun to pack up camp, Joe assisted while I prepared some soup and snacks. At 12:45 we left our camp arriving at the car an hour and 45 minutes later, a blistering pace considering full packs on snow. We met Shelly, Aly, and Garrett at the Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company inside of the Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs. Joe and Shelly treated us to a very delicious meal that hit the spot prior to the highway drive home. Another successful summit of a 14,000 foot Colorado peak! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Castle Peak in the Snow

Castle Peak via Conundrum Couloir

Our meeting point was the newly constructed approximate 500 acre parking area at the Morrison exit of I-70. 42 minutes late for the agreed 4:00 meeting time, Mark arrived, getting us on our way to Glenwood Springs. Doug, Mark and I met the Ceurvorsts in Glenwood for dinner at the Italian Underground. Coming off of the stomach flu, I elected to take it easy on my intake in hope of better enabling a successful climb of the Conundrum Couloir and Castle Peak.

The Quality Inn at West Glenwood provided accommodations and a brief welding lesson by our chief welder, Doug Bernero. Doug lost the coin flip for the roll-around cot and elected to lay the mattress on the floor rather than negotiating the spine altering frame. While separating the mattress from the frame, the plug for the lamp became shorted at the wall outlet darkening our room lights and necessitating a call to the front desk for power restoration. "What were you guys doing that blew the circuit breaker?" remains the front desk attendant's unanswered question despite multiple requests for an answer.

Precisely 42 minutes late, we finally left the motel after breakfast and Mark's final gear packing. We were able to shave one mile of hiking from the trailhead as the road was passable despite a lot of snow and passing through a snow slide area that leveled every tree in its path. At the trailhead, it became apparent that an additional minute could have been used back at the motel to secure Mark's Camelback lid. Most of the water had leaked out, significantly lightening his load. We left the car at about 10:00 and climbed for a short time before transitioning to snow shoes for most of the rest of the route. Not far from our camp, we changed to crampons as the side-angled slope was challenging in snowshoes. We set up camp and observed that it became quite windy whenever a cloud would pass over us. This happened like clockwork and was quite interesting to observe.

During the snow melt/dinner prep session, there was a stove accident. A gust of wind knocked over the stove heating a pot full of snow which was inside of the vestibule. This could have been disastrous had it been our dinner or if the stove came in contact with the tent. In addition, the wind screen had been increasing the temperature of the fuel cell thus increasing the pressure, which in turn increased the heat around the stove. This melted the electronic ignition on the stove rendering it useless; my bad.

We decided to wake at 3:00 and get an early start on the purpose of the trip, working together as a rope team. At 5:00, Joe woke up realizing the alarm had not gone off. The sound of precipitation outside caused us to slow our wake-up pace. At first it seemed as though it was raining, then Mark noticed that it was snow accumulating on the fly of the tent. Total snowfall estimated at 2-3 inches.

Upon realizing that it was snowing we began to get ready for the climb planning to at least move up the slope to the base of the Conundrum Couloir where we could evaluate any further progress. Brief glimpses of blue gave us hope. At 6:45, when all were ready to go, Doug announced that he was not going forward, which I at first thought was a joke. He ended up moving up the slope with us but later decided to turn back with Mark for a nap in the tent.

The skies cleared rapidly as Joe and I contemplated our new goals and route now that the rope team travel practice was out. Joe and I decided to ascend the 47 degree Conundrum Couloir without a rope or pickets as the snow under the fresh stuff was crisp and penetrable. Our technique was to kick steps into the snow with crampons on and using the ice ax for stability as a third point of contact. At first, Joe and I switched off kicking steps for the 600 vertical foot ascent.

It soon became clear that Joe was much more efficient kicking steps as it was all I could do just to follow in his footsteps up the slope. This was one of the toughest vertical ascents that either Joe or I had ever attempted. I liken it to climbing a ladder in which one must kick in the rungs for the length of 2 football fields.

At the top we took a short break and headed to the saddle between Conundrum and Castle to evaluate our next move. Conundrum is not an 'official fourteener' as it does not meet the qualifications of a separate peak. In Colorado, an official a peak must be 300 feet above any saddle connecting it to another peak. Joe and I figured it would be about 2 � hours from the saddle we were seated at, to Castle's summit, back to the saddle, and then down to camp. Joe agreed to attempt the summit if I agreed to kick steps to the top. As it turned out very few steps needed to be kicked, but I led the windy climb on rocks and snow to the summit, arriving at 10:15.

After a few pictures, we quickly descended to the saddle.

Joe began to down climb from the saddle while I elected to practice self-arrest down the pretty steep slope. After removing my crampons and packing them and the harness away, I began my descent. Three out of three successful self-arrests. Joe and I arrived back in camp at 11:30, one half hour ahead of our estimated arrival.

Mark and Doug had begun to pack up camp, Joe assisted while I prepared some soup and snacks. At 12:45 we left our camp arriving at the car an hour and 45 minutes later, a blistering pace considering full packs on snow.

We met Shelly, Aly, and Garrett at the Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company inside of the Hotel Denver in Glenwood Springs. Joe and Shelly treated us to a very delicious meal that hit the spot prior to the highway drive home. Another successful summit of a 14,000 foot Colorado peak!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Shogun	Wow! 8/22/2008 3:53am I was planning on tackling these peaks this coming weekend and had no idea there was that much snow up there. Nice report. Congrats!
CliminDave	Wrong date 8/22/2008 1:06pm Sorry, the date is incorrect. We climbed this in June, not August. I doubt that there is much if any snow right now.

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.

14ers.com

Social

Mobile App