theREALCarpeDM - Nov 27, 2020 2:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2020
Cumberland Basin
With Darin and Brad McQ. We camped near the trailhead the night before. Add Pt 13,550 as well. Nice area, nice day, nice partners.
Liba Kopeckova - Oct 4, 2019 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2019
long day out
biked up Pearl Pass Rd. then hiked along Brush Creek, overgrow trail and kept loosing it. Also added, "Oyster" and 13550. The downhill on mountain bike from the TH was great! and fast. Logged 23 miles.
Traversed solo over from Castle, started at the Castle Creek road near the last designated campsite. Avy debris is cleared from the road now and the road is an easy walk. Still some snow in Montezuma Basin. The west ridge of Castle is loose and tedious, but kept no harder than class 3 with good route finding.
utclimber - Aug 7, 2013 10:39 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2013
Castle and Castleabra
Hiked up Castleabra by going up and over Castle Peak.
Long 4WD road, would recommend a different route than from the southeast.
Kiefer - Sep 3, 2012 11:44 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
Via Castle
Whoa! That ridge over from Castle Peak was extremely loose and puncuated with more cliffs than I thought it would be. Took some doing for route finding.
Saw a bear! About 200' below the Castle-Conundrum saddle on the west side. I have no idea what it was doing up so high.
That makes 2 bear sightings inside a week now. Hope the guys get some food. :o(
shknbke - Jun 30, 2008 11:34 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Cunning couloir to 13550
Ditto what Sarah said. That was one of my most challenging backpacks ever! The stream crossings were the crux of the trip. All bets are off in the Elks after a heavy winter. Even in early summer, there was still tons of snow in the Conundrum Creek basin. As for the couloir, it's a nice one, but a lot of work to get to. Steepness was low to mid 40's until near the top where there was a short stretch of 50 degrees on hard snow. Test your routefinding skills with a traverse to 13550, but be ready for rotten rock and exposed terrain. It's a similar traverse to the Bells sans cairns.
SarahThompson - Jun 30, 2008 2:59 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Cunning Couloir & Traverse to UN 13,550
The backpack to Conundrum Hot Springs was very difficult as EVERY one of the bridges at the MANY creek crossings was out. The creek was raging and crossings varied from finding snow bridges to traversing slippery, shaky logs, to hip deep wading in swift currents with the assistance of a hand line, to building our own bridges. Climbed the Cunning Couloir on Castlebra (see Roach) and then did the time consuming, very tricky, rotten traverse to UN 13,550. Soaked in the springs afterwards. An awesome but grueling trip.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 9:58 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007
West Ridge
Hiked the West Ridge from camp at Conundrum Hot Springs with my friend Keith. We continued on to Castle Peak. The hot springs are awesome!
Brian Kalet - Aug 16, 2007 11:34 am Date Climbed: May 27, 2003
West Face (ascent), North Face (descent)
Skied from the summit!
rpace - Aug 14, 2007 1:00 am Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2007
First
Four hours to reach the summit. The scree field is indeed unpleasant.
theREALCarpeDM - Nov 27, 2020 2:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2020
Cumberland BasinWith Darin and Brad McQ. We camped near the trailhead the night before. Add Pt 13,550 as well. Nice area, nice day, nice partners.
Liba Kopeckova - Oct 4, 2019 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2019
long day outbiked up Pearl Pass Rd. then hiked along Brush Creek, overgrow trail and kept loosing it. Also added, "Oyster" and 13550. The downhill on mountain bike from the TH was great! and fast. Logged 23 miles.
chicagotransplant - Aug 19, 2019 8:12 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2019
East ridge via CastleTraversed solo over from Castle, started at the Castle Creek road near the last designated campsite. Avy debris is cleared from the road now and the road is an easy walk. Still some snow in Montezuma Basin. The west ridge of Castle is loose and tedious, but kept no harder than class 3 with good route finding.
utclimber - Aug 7, 2013 10:39 am Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2013
Castle and CastleabraHiked up Castleabra by going up and over Castle Peak.
rockymountaindiva - Jul 26, 2013 7:13 pm Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2010
Long 4WDLong 4WD road, would recommend a different route than from the southeast.
Kiefer - Sep 3, 2012 11:44 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2012
Via CastleWhoa! That ridge over from Castle Peak was extremely loose and puncuated with more cliffs than I thought it would be. Took some doing for route finding.
Saw a bear! About 200' below the Castle-Conundrum saddle on the west side. I have no idea what it was doing up so high.
That makes 2 bear sightings inside a week now. Hope the guys get some food. :o(
shknbke - Jun 30, 2008 11:34 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Cunning couloir to 13550Ditto what Sarah said. That was one of my most challenging backpacks ever! The stream crossings were the crux of the trip. All bets are off in the Elks after a heavy winter. Even in early summer, there was still tons of snow in the Conundrum Creek basin. As for the couloir, it's a nice one, but a lot of work to get to. Steepness was low to mid 40's until near the top where there was a short stretch of 50 degrees on hard snow. Test your routefinding skills with a traverse to 13550, but be ready for rotten rock and exposed terrain. It's a similar traverse to the Bells sans cairns.
SarahThompson - Jun 30, 2008 2:59 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Cunning Couloir & Traverse to UN 13,550The backpack to Conundrum Hot Springs was very difficult as EVERY one of the bridges at the MANY creek crossings was out. The creek was raging and crossings varied from finding snow bridges to traversing slippery, shaky logs, to hip deep wading in swift currents with the assistance of a hand line, to building our own bridges. Climbed the Cunning Couloir on Castlebra (see Roach) and then did the time consuming, very tricky, rotten traverse to UN 13,550. Soaked in the springs afterwards. An awesome but grueling trip.
tomlauren - Feb 1, 2008 9:58 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007
West RidgeHiked the West Ridge from camp at Conundrum Hot Springs with my friend Keith. We continued on to Castle Peak. The hot springs are awesome!
Brian Kalet - Aug 16, 2007 11:34 am Date Climbed: May 27, 2003
West Face (ascent), North Face (descent)Skied from the summit!
rpace - Aug 14, 2007 1:00 am Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2007
FirstFour hours to reach the summit. The scree field is indeed unpleasant.