One of many
trip reports under the
SilGro home page for Alan Silverstein and Cathie
Grow.
Email me at
ajs@frii.com.
Last update: June 12, 2024
(Previous trip report: 1990_0704-05_MountElbert.htm)
(A
Fourteener
trip report.)
Thursday, July 5: After Sherry Perkins and I came off Mount Elbert, we took the Jeep over Independence Pass into Aspen for her first visit to the area, including Castle Peak. That afternoon we shopped around, got a free shower at the Christiania Lodge (which was full up), and finally decided to camp at Maroon Lake for the night despite the wet, rainy weather. We drove up the road, ten miles or so to its end, as soon as the Forest Service reopened it at 5 pm.
The valley and the Maroon Bells were spectacular as always. But getting a tent up in the rain was a wet, muddy experience. We'd planned to climb Capitol or one of the tough peaks in the valley, but were deterred by tiredness and the continuing cloudy weather.
Friday, July 6: After sleeping in, and much debate, we checked out around noon and headed for Castle Peak. Our ambition was to backpack over the Castle-Conundrum saddle and down to Conundrum Hot Springs.
The 4WD trip into Montezuma Basin was pretty and uneventful except for having to inch around one large boulder that had rolled onto the road. (More on that later.) The snow had melted faster than in past years, so we made it all the way to the large parking area at 12800', 5.4 miles in 1:30.
The weather continued to be marginal. There was a broken overcast with spells of rain. We took our time packing, and finally started up the mountain at 1833. Being tired we were rather slow -- 3:45 to gain 1670' to the top of Castle Peak at 2215.
We made it to the 13800' saddle just at sunset, 2040, and I carried her sleeping bag for part of the climb. We were dismayed to find (1) that there really wasn't enough flat space there for us to sleep, and (2) the 2600' down to Conundrum Hot Springs below was rather steep and loose. So we turned left and struggled up the narrow, loose ridge to Castle's summit instead.
That's how I ended up spending my second night on Castle Peak, my ninth on a Fourteener, the first time with a tent. The previous occasion was three years earlier.
There was just enough room for the two of us to assemble it, by the light of a silvery moon, surrounded by ghostly wisps of cloud filling surrounding valleys and flowing over nearby ridges and peaks. Once again the marginal weather conditions meant unusually pretty scenery once we paid the price of admission. Cool breezes, high humidity...
Saturday morning, July 7: The sunrise at 0548 was magnificent, all pink and orange with lots of puffy clouds around to catch the light. The world was alive, in visible slow motion, fog creeping around and sometimes drifting over us. There was even a rainbow to the west.
We caught some more sleep. By 1000 it was clear the weather was deteriorating and we couldn't linger. We packed up in time to beat the rain that later beat down on us as we inched down the ridgetop trail.
After an hour back to the saddle we glissaded rapidly most of the rest of the way to the Jeep. We descended in 1:55, 1135-1330. At the saddle we did consider continuing down for a night at Conundrum Hot Springs, but the wet weather and the cross-country 2600' gain we'd face Sunday was enough to quash that idea.
So we drove back toward Glenwood Springs. Getting to the pool the next day became a remarkable ordeal. First, I very nearly rolled the Wagoneer getting around the boulder I mentioned earlier. It was tough driving in the other direction. I slid the rear body panel against the rock, and a helpful passerby hollered that I was poised on a pointy rock.
I gunned the engine a moment and the next thing I knew, everything in the vehicle was tipping and sliding to the right, and I was looking down at the road bed. Somehow I must have done the right thing, like turning the wheels to the right. The Jeep teetered but did not roll over! All the weight came off the left side wheels. In a panic I gunned it again and brought it down more or less level. Whew! It took hours to get over that one, including rearranging all the cargo...
We arrived in Glenwood Springs Saturday evening and went exploring up Transfer Trail northwest of town, a forest access road with many branches and dead ends. Well it was narrow and steep after the first three miles or so. After about four miles we found an acceptable place to pitch the tent on a bumpy, overgrown side road.
Sunday, July 8: That night it rained some more. The road got wet... And muddy. Next morning we spent several agonizing hours inching our way back, unable to keep from sliding into and following the deep ruts. Once again we nearly tipped the Jeep at a couple of points, but this time under more control. Finally we hit a carwash in town, then the hot springs pool. Ahh...
The six hour drive home with a stop at Beau Jo's pizza in Idaho Springs was much more civilized. Monsoon weather is no fun!
(Next trip report: 1990_0722_IsabelleGlacier.htm)