Stephen Anthony (a friend from seminary), Aaron Nelson (a friend from college days), and myself on our second annual Labor Day hike attempting Capitol Peak.
We first took the wrong side trail that detoured us for about 50 minutes, extra hiking we really did not need with 40 lb. packs. After about three and half hours we finally made it into Capitol Lake at 11,600 ft. where we camped out.
At 4:45 am my alarm went off and I could hear it sprinkling outside, not a good sign for the start of a challenging hike. Climbing up wet rock and being butt early in the morning just does not wake you up. So we slept till 6:00 am and I decided we had nothing better to do that day so we might as well try to summit.
First we needed to get up to a 13,000 ft. peak called K2 and then take the ridge to Capitol. Take a look at the talus and elevation change we scrambled up in this video.
After K2 we headed to the infamous knife edge. It really is the exposure that gets you and not necessarily the technicalness of it. So if you focus on the rock ahead of you, you can do okay going across.
As you can tell we were in the clouds up at this elevation. Maybe it was a good thing so we could not see how far of a fall it would be. The first part of the video below gives you a sense of the cloud cover and exposure. The rest of the video will make you dizzy - almost like you have altitude sickness. This is shot by my friend Aaron Nelson.
We finally made it to the top after three hours and forty five minutes of intense exposed hiking and climbing up rock. It was a white out situation with the clouds but we were thankful that we made it to the top.
The weather cleared up in the afternoon so that we were able to hang out at beautiful Capitol Lake.
Some people ask me why I do this? Why risk your life to make it to the top of a mountain? Well, I was asking myself the same question during difficult stretches thinking I need to find an easier hobby. But then when I get to the top and accomplish this great feat of summitting a fourteener, then I remember why. I feel like the strenuous journey up helps me become less of myself, quiet my mind, so that I might fully dwell in God's presence all around me in His creation. The fact of the matter is that when I am truly pushed and exhausted I believe I let go of myself and grab more of God. The physical reality of this often leads to a spiritual reality with Christ. It is a privilege do this with friends who are also passionate about Christ and I think that is the way God would want us to do it - become less of ourselves and more of God as we journey with others. Probably the best part of the trip was coming home to my beautiful wife and cute son...it also helps you appreciate what God has given you.
