Conundrum Peak

  Located near Aspen, CO,  Conundrum Peaks summit is 14,060 feet, but, is not registered as an "official" 14er since it does not rise the magic 300 feet above the connecting saddle with Castle. Sub peak or not, it is a worthwhile climb in its own right and can easily be done together with Castle Peak. Good summer and spring snow season routes exist. Difficulty ranges from class 2 - 3. The Montezuma Basin Road allows for 4x4 equipped vehicles to park as high as 12,800 feet if you are not afraid to make the journey up the road. 

                           The best climbing months are June, July, August, September through the Montezuma Glacier, a permanent snowfield between Castle and Conundrum Peaks. There are two standard routes for ascent. The Northwest Ridge features a moderate snow climb followed by an easy ridge scramble. It should not be attempted late in the summer when the 200 feet (60 m) of loose dirt and scree meet the climber near the top of the Castle-Conundrum saddle. The Northeast Ridge features an easy snow climb, but slightly harder scrambling and route-finding once on the ridge.