Mt. Blue Sky Trip Report 03/24/2015

Peak(s):	Mt. Blue Sky - 14,268 feet
Date Posted:	03/24/2015
Modified:	07/12/2015
Date Climbed:	03/21/2015
Author:	rockymthillbilly

Trip up Mt. Evans via West Ridge
It was an interesting day to say the least as we headed out to climb Mt. Evans. Brad and I met at the Loveland Park & Ride at 4:30 am to get an early jump on the traffic. It work perfectly as we drive will no problem to the Echo Lake Trail Head on Mt. Evans road only to find it was closed... ugh. So the short 5 miles options disappeared... we were now looking at least 9 miles. Should have known. If you are wondering, you can find this trail head at the Idaho Springs exit and then follow the Mt. Evans signs. PLAN B was to now head to Bierstadt Trail and then climb Mt. Evans via Mt. Spalding from splitting off of the Bierstadt trail. We then hopped back on the I-70 to head to the Georgetown Exit to head up Guanella Pass to Bierstadt Trail head. We climb Bierstadt a few years ago, so we knew how to get there easily. We found the road to be closed about 3 miles from the trail head... ugh, now we were looking at 12 mile hike. We were not excited about the added distance but tried to stay positive. Brad and I climbed Longs Peak which is 13 miles, so we knew we were able at least. So we parked the Jeep and head up the closed road three miles to the Bierstadt Trail Head. We found on the 4 curve to be a really nice shortcut which took us right to the approach for Mt. Spalding. We felt good about this because we felt like we had shave a few steps off our trek. The snow was still frozen at 7 am as we headed across the field of snow to the approach to Mt. Spalding saddle. We did not have snowshoes and seem to be just fine without them for the time being. We followed the footprints that were there and found ourselves above the treeline fairly quickly. It maybe about 2 hours. Then we got to the West Ridge right below Mt. Spalding... This is where the day changed for us. Let's just say it was hell on earth without snowshoes. We split up trying to find the best routes for ourselves, trying also to keep each other in sight. We lost the footprints we were following and were now on our own. We would take about 3 steps and then sink up to our waist in snow. It was exhausting to say the least, step step sink, step step sink, it was like getting your gut kick over and over again. We are stubborn alone, but together we are as stubborn as they come, because we did this until about 13000 feet before finally deciding to think about our situation. We realize together, that we had spend ALOT of extra energy in the 5 hours we had been hiking and needed to decide how much more energy we really had to just get back down the mountain. We talked and decided to hike to the end of the West Ridge to take a look to decide. Brad headed quickly, and I started to follow, but my gut told me it was a bad idea. So I yelled a Brad to stop, and told him I think we needed to call it. We were so close, right below Spalding Summit, at about 13,000 something, but our climb for Evans had ended. The trek down mountain was at little in the deep snow because we followed our packed tracks down the mountain, but the lower part of the mountain was again a different story. Once we got off the West Ridge, we struggled to stay above the snow for the last 3 hours of our trek back to the Jeep. The snow that was so easy to walk across that morning had now gotten soft due to the sun and we found ourselves swimming in a sea of 6 foot deep snow with no snowshoes. Not fun... I would say will crawled at least a football field long on our hands and knees during that last stretch back to Guanella Pass road. We started at 7 am and finished at 4 pm... and did some where around 12 miles. We were dead, feet soaked, knees & back shot, hungry and all we could think about was food. Bojos at Idaho Springs tasted better than ever and never again in snow, or maybe never again without snowshoes, I can't remember because I felt like crap. Mt. Evans kicked out teeth in and laugh at us, but we'll be back and will get the last laugh soon! For more pictures and info see our spot at www.thehillbilly.moonfruit.com Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Trip up Mt. Evans via West Ridge

It was an interesting day to say the least as we headed out to climb Mt. Evans. Brad and I met at the Loveland Park & Ride at 4:30 am to get an early jump on the traffic. It work perfectly as we drive will no problem to the Echo Lake Trail Head on Mt. Evans road only to find it was closed... ugh. So the short 5 miles options disappeared... we were now looking at least 9 miles. Should have known. If you are wondering, you can find this trail head at the Idaho Springs exit and then follow the Mt. Evans signs.

PLAN B was to now head to Bierstadt Trail and then climb Mt. Evans via Mt. Spalding from splitting off of the Bierstadt trail. We then hopped back on the I-70 to head to the Georgetown Exit to head up Guanella Pass to Bierstadt Trail head. We climb Bierstadt a few years ago, so we knew how to get there easily. We found the road to be closed about 3 miles from the trail head... ugh, now we were looking at 12 mile hike. We were not excited about the added distance but tried to stay positive. Brad and I climbed Longs Peak which is 13 miles, so we knew we were able at least.

So we parked the Jeep and head up the closed road three miles to the Bierstadt Trail Head. We found on the 4 curve to be a really nice shortcut which took us right to the approach for Mt. Spalding. We felt good about this because we felt like we had shave a few steps off our trek. The snow was still frozen at 7 am as we headed across the field of snow to the approach to Mt. Spalding saddle. We did not have snowshoes and seem to be just fine without them for the time being. We followed the footprints that were there and found ourselves above the treeline fairly quickly. It maybe about 2 hours.

Then we got to the West Ridge right below Mt. Spalding... This is where the day changed for us. Let's just say it was hell on earth without snowshoes. We split up trying to find the best routes for ourselves, trying also to keep each other in sight. We lost the footprints we were following and were now on our own. We would take about 3 steps and then sink up to our waist in snow. It was exhausting to say the least, step step sink, step step sink, it was like getting your gut kick over and over again. We are stubborn alone, but together we are as stubborn as they come, because we did this until about 13000 feet before finally deciding to think about our situation.

We realize together, that we had spend ALOT of extra energy in the 5 hours we had been hiking and needed to decide how much more energy we really had to just get back down the mountain. We talked and decided to hike to the end of the West Ridge to take a look to decide. Brad headed quickly, and I started to follow, but my gut told me it was a bad idea. So I yelled a Brad to stop, and told him I think we needed to call it. We were so close, right below Spalding Summit, at about 13,000 something, but our climb for Evans had ended.

The trek down mountain was at little in the deep snow because we followed our packed tracks down the mountain, but the lower part of the mountain was again a different story. Once we got off the West Ridge, we struggled to stay above the snow for the last 3 hours of our trek back to the Jeep. The snow that was so easy to walk across that morning had now gotten soft due to the sun and we found ourselves swimming in a sea of 6 foot deep snow with no snowshoes. Not fun... I would say will crawled at least a football field long on our hands and knees during that last stretch back to Guanella Pass road.

We started at 7 am and finished at 4 pm... and did some where around 12 miles. We were dead, feet soaked, knees & back shot, hungry and all we could think about was food. Bojos at Idaho Springs tasted better than ever and never again in snow, or maybe never again without snowshoes, I can't remember because I felt like crap. Mt. Evans kicked out teeth in and laugh at us, but we'll be back and will get the last laugh soon!

For more pictures and info see our spot at www.thehillbilly.moonfruit.com

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

AlexeyD	hello 3/24/2015 3:55pm Hi there! Were you the two fellows we saw over on the north side of Spalding? We were the couple with the dog who came up behind you following your track. Sounds like a hell of a time without snowshoes! We actually didn’t make it to Evans either, just Spalding. That last 800 feet of postholing up the N side of Spalding beat the crap out of us, even with snowshoes. Based on the lack of any footprints, no one made the summit that day. Anyway, just wondering. Take care! Alexey, Chelsea and Shasta the mountain dog.
rockymthillbilly	Howdy 3/24/2015 4:29pm Yup. That was us two nuts! We were VERY jealous of your snowshoes and that ridge kicked our teeth in for sure.. Take care and happy climbing! You dog still has the coolest eyes I have ever seen! Truett from Loveland. PS– See our website/blog. We are looking for some more writers!
brettallenarnold	A Question 3/24/2015 5:09pm Hello there, AlexeyD you said you brought your dog? Im going to attempt Bierstadt this weekend, was debating bringing my dog, never done a 14er at this point in the year, how did your dog do, do you think she could have made the ascent to the top? Not sure what to expect once i near the summit, if she’ll be able to get enough grip to make the ascent. Would just like an opinion of someone there recently. anyway if you or anyone could give me an opinion, id sure appreciate it, and so may my dog! thanks!!!!
AlexeyD	re: A question 3/24/2015 5:19pm Hello! It’s a little harder to say having not met your dog, but generally speaking I’d say that for Bierstadt, she should be OK as long as she’s generally fit enough to spend a full day in the mountains (mine is about 10x as tough as me, so no issues there ). I’ll bring my dog on any winter hike that does not have significant exposure (i.e. anything where I wouldn’t worry about taking a fall with consequences). In my observations, an athletic dog should have no problem on snow, even if it’s somewhat steep. Where it gets trickier is when you get into 3rd class scrambling/boulder hopping – at that point, their height (or lack thereof) becomes a limitation. Good luck, hope this helps!
brettallenarnold	re: Question 3/24/2015 6:05pm Yeah she is a good size dog that is also quite a bit more athletic than me! was only worried about slipping up top, but why im starting her with bierstadt, what i was hoping you’d say! but glad i was able to be sure, shes done some pretty good snowshoe trips up valleys and monarch pass with me, as well as several summer 14ers, so sure shell then be fine. thanks for the reassurance though!
Trotter	thanks 3/27/2015 8:15pm good helpful trip report, sounds like the climb sucked
rockymthillbilly	Yup... 3/27/2015 8:28pm Thanks, it might not have been AS bad with snowshoes! But sounds like the folks with snowshoes didn’t fair much better... beautiful day though.

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