Class 4 17.2 miles 5600 gain 9-12 hrs Out + Back Jul 21, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Capitol Peak GPX Track

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Finally, Capitol Peak! This has been a bucket list item since I starting hiking in the west. The famous knife edge and infamous scramble to the summit have always inspired me. However, and not to downplay the legitimate danger of the peak, it’s not nearly as terrifying as other scrambles available, despite what almost every review I have read has stated. The rock is solid, a social trail takes you up, and the Class 4 sections are short.

A very long approach on the Upper Capitol Creek Trail takes you to Capitol Lake, Capitol Peak visibly looming in the distance pretty much the entire trail. If you got to Capitol Lake, you missed the left turn a couple hundred feet back the leads up a social trail steeply to saddle of Capitol Peak and Mt. Daly. From this saddle, continue down into a boulder field, where cairns lead to the eastern slope of Capitol Peak. Class 2 talus takes you just to the base of “K2”, a sub-peak of Capitol Peak that is worth getting to the top of for nice views of the ridgeline to come. A class 3+ move leads to this mini-summit. Scramble down the other side and approach the knife edge, more beautiful in real life than in the photos.

Once across the knife edge, the scrambling continues. Be sure to follow cairns. A few Class 4 moves interrupt the otherwise Class 2+ stuff, and the summit views are incredible. We went down a different way than we came up, and it was slightly more difficult, but overall nothing was particularly precarious. Bring sunglasses and don’t get caught in a storm on this highly exposed bright white granite route.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Capitol Peak
14130 ft
1730 rise

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Starting along the Upper Capitol Creek Trail.
Starting along the Upper Capitol Creek Trail.
Great views of Capitol Peak way in the distance. As you can see, we started well after sunrise (not recommended), but fortunately lightning didn't strike us down at the summit.
Great views of Capitol Peak way in the distance. As you can see, we started well after sunrise (not recommended), but fortunately lightning didn't strike us down at the summit.
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Stop laughing, Shawn. We have 16 miles to hike still.
Stop laughing, Shawn. We have 16 miles to hike still.
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The trail weaves through meadows and forests.
The trail weaves through meadows and forests.
Capitol Peak!
Capitol Peak!
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Slowly, Capitol Peak gets closer.
Slowly, Capitol Peak gets closer.
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The trail starts up steeply toward Capitol Lake.
The trail starts up steeply toward Capitol Lake.
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Entering the meadow beneath Capitol Peak.
Entering the meadow beneath Capitol Peak.
Capitol Peak (right).
Capitol Peak (right).
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Almost at Capitol Lake.
Almost at Capitol Lake.
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Capitol Lake.
Capitol Lake.
Go back a few hundred feet and locate the social trail that heads up tot he saddle with Mt. Daly and Capitol Peak.
Go back a few hundred feet and locate the social trail that heads up tot he saddle with Mt. Daly and Capitol Peak.
On the social trail headed up to the saddle. Capitol Peak left, Capitol Lake below.
On the social trail headed up to the saddle. Capitol Peak left, Capitol Lake below.
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Nearing the saddle.
Nearing the saddle.
Looking east from the saddle.
Looking east from the saddle.
Looking back toward Mt. Daly after passing through the saddle.
Looking back toward Mt. Daly after passing through the saddle.
Looking toward the boulder field to come, on the east side of Capitol Peak. The route makes an arc from the Mt. Daly - Capitol Peak saddle in order to avoid the ridge.
Looking toward the boulder field to come, on the east side of Capitol Peak. The route makes an arc from the Mt. Daly - Capitol Peak saddle in order to avoid the ridge.
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Scrambling on the extensive boulder field, Mt. Daly in the distance.
Scrambling on the extensive boulder field, Mt. Daly in the distance.
Still lots more Class 2 talus to go.
Still lots more Class 2 talus to go.
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"K2" above.
"K2" above.
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Mt. Daly far left, nearing the end of the boulder field (which tops out on "K2").
Mt. Daly far left, nearing the end of the boulder field (which tops out on "K2").
Almost at "K2", looking down toward Capitol Lake. Mt. Daly far right.
Almost at "K2", looking down toward Capitol Lake. Mt. Daly far right.
View southeast toward the gorgeous basin and lakes beneath Capitol Peak.
View southeast toward the gorgeous basin and lakes beneath Capitol Peak.
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Scramble up to "K2".
Scramble up to "K2".
View from "K2".
View from "K2".
Close-up of the Capitol Peak ridge.
Close-up of the Capitol Peak ridge.
Looking back toward "K2" - you can see friends scrambling down.
Looking back toward "K2" - you can see friends scrambling down.
Approaching the knife edge.
Approaching the knife edge.
Looking back toward "K2" before starting the knife edge.
Looking back toward "K2" before starting the knife edge.
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Woohoo! There it is!
Woohoo! There it is!
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Looking back along the knife edge, Capitol Lake below.
Looking back along the knife edge, Capitol Lake below.
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The scrambling continues after the knife edge. Follow cairns.
The scrambling continues after the knife edge. Follow cairns.
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Mostly Class 2, some Class 3, and maybe 2 or 3 Class 4 moves. Maybe.
Mostly Class 2, some Class 3, and maybe 2 or 3 Class 4 moves. Maybe.
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Really fun scramble just below the summit ridge, with lots of exposure o really solid rock.
Really fun scramble just below the summit ridge, with lots of exposure o really solid rock.
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On the summit ridge, just before the high point.
On the summit ridge, just before the high point.
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Capitol Peak summit!
Capitol Peak summit!
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On the way back, storms were rolling in.
On the way back, storms were rolling in.
One more shot of the Capitol Peak knife edge.
One more shot of the Capitol Peak knife edge.
Capitol Lake, one more shot on the way down. The colors and lighting were nice.
Capitol Lake, one more shot on the way down. The colors and lighting were nice.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!