Capitol Butte (aka Thunder Mountain) - 4.20.2013
Directions to the Chuck Wagon Trailhead... this is a good spot to park for Capitol Butte although you won't be using a trail that starts here.
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A google earth look at the terrain around Capitol Butte... 4.6 miles roundtrip, gaining 1830 feet of elevation.
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From the Chuck Wagon Trailhead... looking at Capitol Butte (aka Thunder Mountain) on the left... Lizard Head is near the end of the ridge line on the right.
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From the parking area, walk back down the Vultee Arch Road .1 miles and start walking toward Lizard Head on the Lizard Head Trail.
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On the Lizard Head Trail now... with Lizard Head in view above (right center).
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We have left the Lizard Head Trail too soon on a sucker-path... note that Lizard Head is barely visible in the upper right corner of the photo. There is a wash to hiker's right that should be crossed before heading up hill.
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After hiking a quarter mile on the sucker-path we have figured out that we are on the wrong side of the wash... ugh... time to scramble down it.
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On the correct side of the wash now and working our way through the manzanita and cacti toward Lizard Head above.
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Comforting to see that others have made the same error.
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Still looking for a better path as we head up hill toward Lizard Head.
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We know there is a good path... because one of the Sedona locals told us about it... right?
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Getting closer to Lizard Head... still looking for the good path.
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Finally found the good path (see huge cairn in center of photo) just below a small cliff band... the route will be cairned from here on.
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Following the path that goes underneath Lizard Head... the Capitol Butte summit is in the distance on the left.
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Near Lizard Head now... looking down on our route from the parking area.
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We gained the ridge just east of Lizard Head and are now above it.
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Views of Sedona... Chimney Rock in the center foreground... with Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock in the distance.
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rocman is working around the first of two rock outcroppings on the SW ridge of Capitol Butte.
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So far we have only encounterd a few Class 2 sections on the path.
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Successfully around the first rock outcropping now... and looking at the much larger rock cropping on the right... summit on left.
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rocman is dwarfed by the second rock outcropping.
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Past the second rock outcropping now... with rugged looking terrain between us and the summit.
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rocman negotiates some of the Class 3 sections of the climb.
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Class 2.
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Steeper than it looks.
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On the last Class 2 section before the terrain eases for the last quarter mile to the summit.
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Summit shot looking NE to Wilson Mountain.
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Summit shot looking west to Bear Mountain.
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Summit shot looking south across Sedona and the airport to Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock.
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rocman and ragman on the Capitol Butte summit (6355')... awesome climb.
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