Two teenage hikers rescued from Capitol Peak early Wednesday

Two teenage hikers from North Carolina were rescued from Capitol Peak early Wednesday morning after becoming stranded on the mountain’s north face while attempting a shortcut descent. 

The rescue, coordinated by Mountain Rescue Aspen with the support of the Colorado Army National Guard and Pitkin County emergency services, underscored the dangers of one of Colorado’s most notoriously difficult climbs.

“Capitol Peak is not a walk-up,” Mountain Rescue Aspen cautioned. “It is a technical climb.” 

The ordeal began around 8:20 p.m., Tuesday, June 24, when a 911 call was placed to the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center. The caller, a 19-year-old, reported that he and his hiking companion — also 19 — were stuck at approximately 13,000 feet on the north face of Capitol Peak. 

The pair had successfully reached the 14,130-foot summit earlier that day but became stranded while trying to find a shorter route down by deviating from the standard trail.

Located in the remote Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, about 14 miles west of Aspen, Capitol Peak is known for its extreme exposure, crumbling rock, and the infamous Knife Edge — a narrow ridge that has claimed multiple lives. In 2017 alone, five climbers died on the mountain.

Upon receiving the call, deputies from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and rescue personnel from Mountain Rescue Aspen formulated a plan. Because the stranded hikers were uninjured but in a precarious position, they were advised not to move during the night — a rescue would not be possible until first light.

At 6 a.m., Wednesday, June 25, a Black Hawk helicopter from the Colorado Army National Guard’s High-Altitude Aviation Training Site (HAATS) in Gypsum landed at Sardy Field in Aspen. Two hoist-rescue technicians from Mountain Rescue Aspen boarded the aircraft, which then flew toward Capitol Peak. 

Rescue efforts were briefly delayed by a snow shower and lightning in the area. Still, the crew managed to visually locate the hikers, who were wearing dark-colored clothing that made spotting them more difficult.

Hovering at roughly 13,000 feet, the helicopter crew executed a hoist operation, lifting each hiker to safety one at a time. The hikers were flown back to Sardy Field, where they were medically evaluated by Aspen Ambulance personnel and released.

The operation involved 13 volunteer members from Mountain Rescue Aspen, as well as deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, ambulance staff, and National Guard personnel.

In the aftermath, officials reemphasized the seriousness of attempting Capitol Peak in a press release. Hikers are urged to bring proper gear that includes food, water, helmets, bright clothing, and communication devices, and to stick to the established route. There is no safe descent via the north face. 

As rescuers noted, “If there was a safe shortcut, it would be the standard route.”