NOTE: In late summer and fall, the pitch below the Castle-Conundrum saddle may be snow-free, making the it an unpleasant ascent on rubble. If that's the case, it's better to use the standard, northeast ridge route.
From the 2WD trailhead, drive up FR 102 where you'll find marked camping spots along the first 1.25 miles. Near 10,200' and 1.3 miles up the road, reach a creek crossing which has a footbridge -
1. If the road is open/clear beyond this point and you have a 4WD vehicle, you can drive higher. Low-clearance vehicles should NOT attempt this crossing, especially in early summer when the water is high. If you plan on driving across, it's best to walk over the footbridge first to see what you're up against. Cross Castle Creek and continue nearly 2 miles to the Pearl Pass road junction, at 11,150' -
2. Turn right at the junction and follow the road up into Montezuma Basin -
3 and
4. Pass the Montezuma Mine and continue another 0.5 mile to the end of the road, at 12,800' -
5.
Without a trail, you must now ascend a headwall blocking easy access to the upper basin -
6,
7 and
8. Gain 500' of elevation to reach the upper basin, near 13,400' -
9. Your next goal is to ascend a steep slope below the Castle-Conundrum saddle, seen in
11. The slope holds snow through much of the summer. Hike to the west side of the basin (
10 and
11) and traverse up the snow (hopefully) slope under the saddle -
12. This slope is the crux of the route and, in late summer, you may encounter some loose dirt/scree below the saddle. Climb to the 13,800-foot saddle -
13 and
14.
Turn left and hike southeast along Castle's northwest ridge on a light trail -
15. Bypass some rock outcroppings on the right to reach steeper terrain near 13,900' -
16. As you approach 14,000', the rock becomes worse and you may have to search for the "trail" -
17. Pass the final rock outcroppings on the right (
18) and continue to the summit -
19.
