Castle Peak (14,265) and Conundrum Peak (14,060) by Brian Schultz Wednesday August 29, 2001
My early departure from the Chicago Basin allowed an opportunity to revisit Castle Peak and climb Conundrum, the unofficial fourteener I skipped six years ago. The drive from Durango to Snowmass Village was relaxing but most of the Village's stores and restaurants were closed when I arrived- somebody told me it was a late summer shutdown until the next festival. Which was good for me because I got a great room rate at the Silver Tree Hotel and a fine meal at the still open Chinese restaurant.
I awoke at 5:30 to clear skies, drove up the Castle Creek road and started from the two-wheel parking area at 6:50. A good pace up the road with only a brief stop for breakfast landed me at the 4x4 parking at 9:10, where two vehicles were parked. The road didn't look so difficult for four-wheeling, compared to my impression six years ago but at that time I hadn't been on the Lake Como or South Colony Lakes roads yet. No sooner did I begin climbing up the first pile of rocks than a fellow and his dog were soon descending. The early summiting climber said two guys were ahead on the Northeast Ridge, the same route I'd be taking up. I'd packed an ice axe for the snowfield but interestingly, there wasn't any snow in it. Last time I forgot the axe and could've used it, this time I brought it and could've forgotten it. So much for the described permanent snow- in its place was the typical loose rock found in the Elks and it was no fun ascending.
When I caught up to the trail on the scree slope of the Northeast Ridge I saw the other two climbers inching slowly toward the summit. After a steady effort to gain the ridge I set my sights on the summit and charged ahead. The scrambling was fun and fast, and for a while I thought I might catch them. I reached the top at 10:25, only a few minutes behind the two guys. The other Elk fourteeners were terrific viewing from this one, as was Cathedral Peak, the thirteener I planned to climb in October. The fellows were cousins and both former Minnesotans. We talked and enjoyed the good weather but I wanted to climb Conundrum and left at 11:05.
The northwest ridge of Castle was an easy descent and I made it to Conundrum in only fifteen minutes. I even climbed the other peak before returning to the first one and signing the register. Nobody had signed in five days. At 11:55 I headed back down to the saddle and cringed at what I saw below. All the snow had melted out there too, leaving an incredibly steep scree descent. Slowly and carefully I made my way down but slipped at one point and slid ten feet. I think it would've been easier to go back to Castle and descend the northeast ridge because this stuff was awful. Lower down was a patch of steep snow which was no picnic descending either and I slipped there as well. I was so glad to finally get into the basin that I welcomed the remaining loose junk.
My fellow climbers were waiting for me at their truck and offered a ride down. No thanks, I told them, because I wanted 3000 feet descent on my own and suggested if they were still on the road below the big waterfall at 11,000 ft I'd gladly take it then. They had camped just above it and were still packing up when I walked by- they picked me up around 10,950 ft. and I bumped along with them until we reached my car, at 2:00. A very enjoyable day on the peaks.
Trailhead to Castle summit- 3 hours 35 minutes
Castle to Conundrum- 15 minutes
Conundrum to car- 2 hours 5 minutes (including ride for last two miles or so)
Total climb time- 7 hours 10 minutes (all breaks and ride included)