'I Need Help': Hiker Survives Treacherous 14er

“I need help.” That’s all Joe Seeds texted to a friend when he was lost and out of options near the 14,130 foot summit of Capitol Peak.

[@number1fan262]

I wonder if the volunteer rescuer was like "Oh, yay. I wanna do THAT!" 😂

[@1049berkeley]

They are very experienced mountaineers...over confidence and lack of attention, or brief lapse of judgment can take out even the finest though.

[@dwaynethecockjohnson8454]

People love doing this stuff. It’s really fun and not too bad if you’re experienced with exposure and know what you’re doing. These peaks really aren’t that technical either. It’s just that they’re so easily accessible by the general public that it just results deaths. It’s certainly dangerous, but a lot of people know how to mitigate the risks

[@glenacord]

I’m not even from Colorado, but I noticed the opening shot mis-identifies Maroon Bells as Capitol Peak.

[@marksteiner3810]

Not far apart, though. The Bells have reddish brown sedimentary strata; Capitol is granite.

[@ELtercermundista82]

It's hard to even find the trail? What trail!? Lol!

[@allanfarr]

Hint: it’s not the1,500 foot cliff on the left or right. Probably the knife edge forward or backwards

[@jeremys6631]

That part of the trail is marked with paint dots and it the part when you boulder hop.

[@desertmav8632]

Negative…No knife’s edge for this cowboy lol, although I love all the YT vids👍🏼

[@ryangarnett4705]

@@jeremys6631 You're probably thinking of Longs Peak. Capitol Peak has no such markers. The only trail ends way before you even get to the start of the climb.

[@jondoc7525]

How much harder is capital then longs would you say ? I’m thinking a little doing longs or whatever of I can do for my first 14

[@rickj1983]

A little bit of fear is what keeps us alive and in check. He sounds a like one of the few smart ones unlike the video showing that guy walking casually across. It's a 1500 ft exposure on both sides.

[@jeremys6631]

You can walk, straddle, shimme, but not roll on the knife edge.

[@russlehman2070]

The only difference between 150 ft of exposure and 1500 ft is the amount of time you will have to realize that you are going to die.

[@fosatech]

walking across is fine lol

[@mikeday62]

Climbers of Capitol peak go across the knife edge on the way up and again on the way down. Plan to summit early, then head back down around 12 noon. Rain clouds often gather in the early afternoon and it's a bad place to be when it rains.

[@Tom-d9x]

I am back already before noon

[@ellingwood1]

What'd that chopper ride cost you?

[@BIKESnSKILLETS]

He's brave enough to hike it again but with a rescuer Lol.

[@stephenkittle6586]

It didn't make sense that he did the knife edge 3 times? Seems he didn't have clue about where he was? I did the 14ers , the top 100 and went to 14,000 ft 106 times when hardly ANYBODY was doing 14ers!! Back then you had very little info on the 14ers compared to the last 20yrs!! He was very lucky that a SICK ASS PILOT was willing to fly that high to rescue him!! 🥰🚁!!

[@scottfulton267]

I was just wondering about that as well. Why would he cross Knife's Edge three times? The second time, he would have been going in the direction toward K2.

[@mtnbound2764]

@@scottfulton267 i think the did it the firs time, then the second time he didnt make it all the way, returned back to the summit, and then did it again to get down.

[@BIKESnSKILLETS]

Just hire a helicopter ride if you wanna go.that high in the first place. Why Hike I say lol

[@zachcrennen2342]

My friend did capitol as his first 14er

[@LongsYt]

Ouch

[@jondoc7525]

How does it compare to longs ?

[@onerider808]

Permits. Geez.

[@mtnbound2764]

this dude had done 48 14'ers. in experience wasnt the problem.

[@oscarmolinaoutdooradventur1648]

❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰

[@stephenkittle6586]

I just want to say more one thing , I did all that climbing in the 80's !!

[@jeremys6631]

from doing research on this 14ner. People die because they take shortcuts back down. when you reach that summit you realize that you need to go back the way you came from...THRU THE KNIFE EDGE.

[@klubstompers]

It's not people taking short cuts on purpose, they loose sight of the route back down, just like this guy did.

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

It's so important not to rush up there. It's okay to "look down", turn around and review where you've just been, take your time and be a slow-poke, after all it's not a race! It's an unfamiliar environment. Give your brain time to adjust.

[@klubstompers]

@@KFrost-fx7dt Yes, this is how most people get lost, they never look behind them when hiking, and then when they start to return nothing looks familiar, and they get lost, because they never turned around to take in the details. Best to turn around and look at what you just hiked at every junction or turn on the trail.

[@lebowskiunderachiever3591]

@@klubstompers (edit: I have never attempted mountains like this but I hike alot ) sooo , I found taking (panorama) pictures and videos useful . I also take short breaks to rest and analyze my current condition and location , sometimes looking back at photos

[@klubstompers]

@@lebowskiunderachiever3591 Smart!! Even if your camera dies, since you took a picture and probably viewed it after, it will help to burn this image into memory.

[@scottfulton267]

I'm not sure why he ended up crossing the Knife's Edge a third time. I assume after he crossed it the second time, he was going in the direction toward K2.

[@mtnbound2764]

I was also wondering why he would have done it a third time. once on the initial summit... once again on the way back... where is the third one?

[@chubbieminami3274]

When I just got started in mountain hiking, I could not see the correct trail in the woods. It is amazing how I can see it easily now. I also had a mild panic experience- mild because I had enough food, clothes, and water to stay overnight in the mountain. Luckily I found myself back on the trail. The lesson I learned early on was to not trust your friend and do your own homework getting prepared.

[@jackt5617]

One, I love it that people do these insane and dangerous climbs, makes for great videos. Two, I am quite happy knowing I will never, ever do such a climb or hike.

[@BIKESnSKILLETS]

I agree 💯

[@TheDreamOfATree]

8 year olds climb capitol peak.