Colorado 2016 Trip

I joined the Kassan trip for 4 days. The weather over the Elk Mountains was quite iffy, and we had a hard time trying to decide if we would do the Capitol Peak dayhike on the 8th of the 9th, given the ambiguous weather reports.  I flew into Denver, then drove a rented Kia Sportage up the rough road to  the Capitol Peak camp at 9460'... and the story is continued below!

Harlan WS
Aug 8-11, 2016

0all
First an overview map.		 cap DSCN1984
I camped on the 7th
at the E end of
parking so others
would see me.
Capitol in back,
cow poops everywhere!
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Justine and
Laurie's tents,
Capitol in back.		 DSCN1995
So we started the next
day 3:30-4AM in the
dark, lightning flashing.
Here is view back NE
at 1st light.
DSCN1997
Justine and Laurie
head to Capitol L
at 11600', the peak
is behind.		 DSCN1998
as we started up
to 1st saddle at
12500', we had
very sporadic sun.		 DSCN2002
DSCN2003
But clouds kept
rising, occasionally
covering the peak,
and the winds
got stronger.		 DSCN2005
I tended to take
photos when
conditions
were most
optimistic.		 DSCN2006
At the saddle, thunder
began booming directly
overhead. Most of the
folks we saw soldier on
were bailing down the
route within 15 minutes.
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The clouds quickly
poured over Capitol
Pass, and the rain
and hail became serious.
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About 2/3 of
the way back to
camp, Capitol
suddenly appeared,
very wet		 DSCN2017
The peak kept
reappearing...		 DSCN2018
...only to be overtaken
by clouds
DSCN2019yale
Next day we all
went up Yale by
a nice trail, some
boulder-hopping
near top.		 DSCN2020_stitch
Anji negotiates one
of route-finding
errors		 DSCN2022
DSCN2024
Jose		 DSCN2026
...and on this day,
Capitol is in the clear!		 DSCN2030
Justine; Laurie popped
over ridge next
DSCN2034
Plateau below
summit		 DSCN2035laplata
Next day we headed
up LaPlata from S;
a bit marshy in places,
no other groups on this
obscure route		 DSCN2036
We must get over
that ridge
DSCN2037
The marsh behind Jose		 DSCN2039
Now over ridge,
on Plateau		 DSCN2040
in the other direction
is the big rocky
hump, 1st of a
few false summits.
Rocks were
fairly stable.
DSCN2042_stitch
View at top, over
Ellingham ridge.		 DSCN2043 DSCN2046
DSCN2048 DSCN2051 DSCN2052
Eric and Laurie
are down there
somewhere
DSCN2053
Eric and Laurie
head up		 DSCN2055
Penstemon		 DSCN2058
Mine
DSCN2059
Tram rails from
mine		 DSCN2060
Peaks to S		 DSCN2062
View back up
nasty ridge
DSCN2062princeton
Next day was Princeton.
We are on academic
probabtion, because we
didn't complete the
required 3000' gain.
The confusing instructions
suggested we continue
driving 3 miles after
10800', but we couldn't
find a place to turn
around when we realized
we had passed 11000'
 DSCN2063
Laurie on the rocky
trail.		 DSCN2067
View S
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Laurie pops
over top. View ~E
DSCN2071 DSCN2074_stitch DSCN2078
Laurie and Jose
DSCN2079 DSCN2080
Laurie descends		 DSCN2083
DSCN2084
Laurie's in there
somewhere		 DSCN2085
Heading down		 DSCN2086
Laurie's in
there somewhere.
DSCN2087