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For the full story of each peak (I am doing all this summer) check out my blog: freeoutside.com
The trail up to Bierstadt was very straightforward and I will spare the details other than it was a very wet and muddy day throughout as it rained all night before. At the summit of Bierstadt there was not visibility, it was extremely windy and cold, so after only a couple pictures I descended down into the sawtooth traverse. It was a "Choose your own adventure" type of traverse as the cairns were very spaced out and sporatic. I took the high route which ended up being more technical with a few deadends. I would recommend if taking this route to stay a little lower than you believe you need to and it is very clear where you cross the knife edge and walk around to Sawtooth. Once you emerge off the ridge if is easiest to pick out one of the Cairns on the Evans trail and follow it until you meet the very defined trail. From here it is very easy to get to the top of evans but be prepared for crossing a couple big boulder fields and areas where the rock can get a bit slick when wet.
The start at Guanella pass
The beaver ponds
After summitting and making my way back towards guanella pass I took the route down the hidden gulley which is literally found by walking straight towards the parking lot that you can see way in the distance that is guanella pass and then dropping down into the gulley where a trail will begin shortly. It is very steep and slippery on the way down and once you reach the beaver ponds at the bottom of the valley you follow the winding trail through dense brush and shrubs that are submerged in 6 inches of mud. It is not the most pleasant walk. Navigation is fairly easy but once you emerge and find the main trail again you will look closer to Rambo than a weekend warrior. I would prepare yourself for some muddy shoes and feet and then dont worry too much about skipping around the mud because inevitably you will get dirty.
Bierstadt Summit
Evans Summit
Enjoy the hiking out there and please quit leaving trash everywhere.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
It’s amazing what people leave on Bierstadt, especially those summit signs! Thanks for the info on the trail below the Tooth, not been that way before, but you can see it from Bierstadt’s overlook of the gulley and basin. I thought it would be better just to climb up the ridge back to the main trail, hitting it before the willows began. But after a long day on the trail, who cares about a little mud, right? Back in the day before the causeway was built, you would sink up to your knees if you stepped in the right place! Ahh the memories of the sucking black mess of peatbog!
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