Peak of the week No. 7: Castle Peak (14,269 feet)
Elevation rank: 12th of 54
Location: Elk Range
Directions: Take Interstate 25 north to Denver. Take I-70 west to Glenwood Springs (exit 116). Drive on Colorado Highway 82 to Aspen. Take Castle Creek from the roundabout just west of downtown. Drive 12.5 miles to the trailhead.
Castle Peak is the easiest and tallest mountain in the Elk Range.
The Elk Range is known for its horribly rotten rock, and Castle Peak is no exception. However, the trail manages to find a way to the summit without involving technical sections.
This route is the best way to get a first taste of the rugged range. While it is the easiest in the Elks, it still is considered difficult class 2, with some very airy sections of trail on loose rock.
Castle Peak is home to some of the last remaining permanent snow fields in the state. No matter what time of year you go, be prepared for at least some snow. I enjoy this route late in the summer when all the other mountains have melted out.
It’s always fun in July and August to post pictures of yourself on Facebook playing in the snow for all of your out-of-state friends complaining about the heat.
Not surprisingly, the snow fields are shrinking and the area is changing as a result. There is now a lake in Montezuma Basin below the summit that appeared for the first time in 2008. Due to these changes, unforeseen hazards might arise on the route. As the lake first began to emerge and the melting ice beneath dropped, crevasses formed around the lake. One hiker was injured when snow collapsed and he fell 20 feet into a crevasse. The standard route no longer goes through this part of the basin as it has become more treacherous.
