Evans via Sawtooth

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Aug_Dog
Posts: 396
Joined: 6/3/2010
14ers: 31 
13ers: 16
Trip Reports (0)
 

Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Aug_Dog »

I've read a lot about routes being closed and such, so I wanted to ask a few questions. What I had in mind was doing Bierstadt > Sawtooth > Evans and then down the west ridge gulley. This is still very plausible I am assuming?

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question.

And the west ridge gulley route dumps you right back out at the parking lot of Bierstadt, correct?

Thanks guys!
Go get it
User avatar
Jim Davies
Posts: 7638
Joined: 6/8/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 67
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Jim Davies »

Aug_Dog wrote:And the west ridge gulley route dumps you right back out at the parking lot of Bierstadt, correct?
After descending the gully you still have to cross a mile of willows. See this thread for some discussion of ways to return.
http://14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15901" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it's great when you stop. -- Chris Darwin
I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
User avatar
Aug_Dog
Posts: 396
Joined: 6/3/2010
14ers: 31 
13ers: 16
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Aug_Dog »

Jim Davies wrote:
Aug_Dog wrote:And the west ridge gulley route dumps you right back out at the parking lot of Bierstadt, correct?
No, you still have to cross a mile of willows. See this thread for some discussion of ways to return.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15901
yeah, i know it's coming. i'm taking my machete, so the willows shouldn't be a problem ...

[-X

that comment will surely piss someone off, despite it's authenticity as a joke ...
Go get it
User avatar
Jim Davies
Posts: 7638
Joined: 6/8/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 67
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Jim Davies »

Read that thread, and save yourself some misery. No machete required. :D
Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it's great when you stop. -- Chris Darwin
I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
User avatar
Rockymtnhigh69
Posts: 1265
Joined: 5/30/2006
14ers: 31 
13ers: 4
Trip Reports (9)
 
Contact:

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Rockymtnhigh69 »

oh no...The Willows... :-&
On my first take-off, I hit second gear and went through the speed limit on a two-lane blacktop highway full of ranch traffic. By the time I went up to third, I was going 75 and the tach was barely above 4000 rpm....
And that's when the Ducati got its second wind. From 4000 to 6000 in third will take you from 75 mph to 95 in two seconds - and after that, Bubba, you still have fourth, fifth, and sixth. Ho, ho.

~Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature

(VT)
User avatar
Jim Davies
Posts: 7638
Joined: 6/8/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 67
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Jim Davies »

Yeah, just the smell of willows sometimes causes flashbacks. :shock:
Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it's great when you stop. -- Chris Darwin
I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
User avatar
Aug_Dog
Posts: 396
Joined: 6/3/2010
14ers: 31 
13ers: 16
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Aug_Dog »

DISCLAIMER: I know about the danged willows, so leave it.

I guess my point is, I am going to be do Massive Saturday and am thinking seriously about Evans Sunday. So, I will be gassed, but still up for it. I don't really want to traverse back across the saddle after the Evans summit and was thinking the gulley would be best?
Go get it
User avatar
Jim Davies
Posts: 7638
Joined: 6/8/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 67
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Jim Davies »

If by "saddle" you mean the Sawtooth, then you really need to read that thread. Or not. Have fun!
Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it's great when you stop. -- Chris Darwin
I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
User avatar
Aug_Dog
Posts: 396
Joined: 6/3/2010
14ers: 31 
13ers: 16
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Aug_Dog »

Jim Davies wrote:If by "saddle" you mean the Sawtooth, then you really need to read that thread. Or not. Have fun!
oh whatever, I meant traverse.
Go get it
User avatar
Dave B
Posts: 2390
Joined: 6/14/2010
Trip Reports (9)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Dave B »

I highly recomend doing the east ridge of Bierstadt from Mt. Evans road, traversing the sawtooth, summiting Evans and then a nice gentle walk back down to 13,000 feet and your car.

Bierstadt's east ridge is superb climbing, I enjoyed it more than the Sawtooth to be honest.
Make wilderness less accessible.
User avatar
Cruiser
Posts: 1993
Joined: 11/24/2005
14ers: 50 
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Evans via Sawtooth

Post by Cruiser »

Just be prepared for a bit longer day than you might initially expect. The traverse over from Bierstadt to the top of the Sawtooth isn't bad but the stroll along the West Ridge is fairly time consuming and leaves you exposed above treeline for a good little while. It's a lot of fun though, just start early. And read the other thread that Jim mentioned. It's a lot nicer then bashing through the muck and mire from the base of the gully to the point where the trail meets back up with the main route on Bierstadt's shoulder.

Oh, and Davey is right. The East Ridge on Bierstadt is a nice way to get the trip done without using Guanella Pass.
Where ever you are... There you are.
Post Reply