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"...
Just a quick note for those heading to Castle/Conundrum soon. Will post some pics when I get home.
Travel: If you plan to come in via Independence Pass (closed in winter), allow plenty of time. The road is narrow--at times unexpectedly reduced to one lane, and there are plenty of bikers. I folded in the mirrors for much of the west slope descent.
Accomodations: Could not get into Aspen for less than $300/night last year. At the suggestion of another forum contributor, we booked into the Mountain Chalet. Though a bit dated, it is perfectly located, has lots of amenities, and is a very good value at $125/night.
Starting point: I brought the H3 on this adventure, so the plan was to start at the Pearl Pass junction around 11,200'. It could have made it to the end of the road at 12,800, if this were a SAR excursion, but my purpose was an "official" ascent. The 12.5 mile drive from the roundabout west of Aspen is on an excellent road. Watch out for the numerous bikers on this road. FR 102 is clearly marked and the main paved road is barricaded at that point--so you cannot miss it. 2WD passenger vehicles can make it about a mile up FR 102. Regular 4WD SUVs can make it to the river crossing another 1.3 miles up the road. Recommend serious off road vehicles past the river crossing. There are some good sections, but many nasty sections also futher up that can easily gut many SUVs.
The hike up to the end of the road is just a steady slog--kind of like on Antero, Princeton, or Hermit. Beyond that, you will be challenged with repeated sections of talus, scree, and snowfields--thereby slowing rate of ascent considerably.
What I was glad I brought: Garmin GPSmap 60CSx, one trekking pole, ice axe, rain pants & jacket. Had some brief pellet snow at about 1:00P.
What I wish I would have brought: crampons.
The ascent of Castle requires crossing fields of talus, scree, and snow just to get on trail--and then that lower trail has some challenging sections of scree. Crossing the snowfields will go faster and can be done with higher confidence with crampons. Likewise, transiting out of the cirque, should you elect to glissade from the saddle. The scree-filled sections of the trail make the ascent somewhat more diffcult than other 14ers of equal rating, but the transit to the summit and across to Conundrum is well within the range of average, experienced hikers. We crossed over to the second summit of Conundrum to make it official, but if someone wants to lay claim to Conundrum via summit #1, OK by me. The difference in elevation is imperceptible.
But here is the "conundrum" in doing the double. Exiting off the loose east slopes of Conundrum will be dicey for many. The chute between the twin summits to the bottom of the cirque is very steep and would be a death wish for average hikers. That leaves a glissade from the saddle into the cirque or retrace steps back over Castle and back down the trail. We chose to glissade from the saddle.
The glissade approach is deceptive. First, one must downclimb some unpleasant scree the reach the remaining mid-July snowfield. In optimal conditions, the ride would have been a fun, controlled descent. Today, conditions were far less than optimal. My ice axe brake worked fine at first. Then, as I picked up some speed on the steep slope and crossed a series of snow waves and dispersed rocks embedded in the snow, my axe came out of the snow--for only a second or two at a time. But that is all it took to put me into a bumpy, uncontrolled (15mph) slide until I self-arrested near the bottom. Lesson learned, I performed the glissade on the lower snow just right. Hiking out of the upper cirque would certainly be more confident with crampons. Nobody wants to slide into "glacier bay" in the center of the cirque.
Overall, a pleasant and challenging day meeting up with "Gohigher" enroute.
To display your photos (uploaded below) in the final trip report, type the image number (i.e., 1, 2, 3), highlight it with your cursor, and click on the Image button on the right. Example:
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
I was not referring to anyone, nor aware of any controversy. As far as I am concerned, people are free to choose whatever route suits their skill level, energy, and desire. My TR referred to the standard route up the road from the Pearl Pass junction. The caveat I noted was for, particularly, novices, who might get caught on Conundrum with weather blowing in or out of gas, without a viable exit plan. This is the same caveat applicable to many 14ers.
I don‘t know who you‘re referring to with the controversy over doing Counudrum first, and think it‘s a false controversy.
I went from a considerably less-traveled route that comes out of Conundrum Hot Springs--see my trip report.
It is entirely possibly to hit Conundrum first on this route. The summit ridge between Castle and Conundrum is practically the only navigable ridge, go much farther over and you get cliffed out.
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.
