Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

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
msartin23
Posts: 4
Joined: 1/28/2013
Trip Reports (0)
 

Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by msartin23 »

Image


I know there was a previous thread with someone bringing up this topic, but I believe that person decided to drive between trailheads.

So my question is, can anyone who's been in this area before tell me if they see any problems with this potential route? Aside from the typical elevation and physical fitness concerns, we're all in good shape and aware of potential problems that can come with the altitude. Round trip it will be ~34 miles over the course of 5 days. My concern is getting from Argentine Pass to Guanella Pass, I haven't found anything route wise in regards to that. Just looking for a heads up from someone who might have done that before.

Thanks guys, Matt
User avatar
Jay521
Posts: 1161
Joined: 8/1/2007
14ers: 42  10 
13ers: 175 22
Trip Reports (56)
 

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by Jay521 »

I don't see any problem going from Argentine Pass to Guanella Pass. There are several TR's that describe Guanella Pass to Argentine Peak - which I have done myself and it's all pretty straight forward. The latest TR is http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.ph ... mpeak=1050" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like a fun route! Let us know how it goes.

--Jay
I take the mountain climber's approach to housekeeping - don't look down
User avatar
lurker
Posts: 141
Joined: 9/5/2006
14ers: 51  5 
13ers: 100
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by lurker »

Matt,

It is very doable, in fact some people have done the Loveland Pass to Guanella Pass through hike with a car shuttle.
I hear the South Ridge of Grays can be dicey and carrying a Full Pack would only complicate it.
I would recommend (if you really wanted to camp @ Overnight 1) would be to go up Edwards (East of Grays) and then shoot down Argentine Pass or down the Edwardian couloir.

I've been from Guanella Pass to Argentine Peak and from Horseshoe Basin up Edwards and over to Grays.
Have you considered starting at Guanella? there are more and easier parking spots at Guanella Pass and 2 nights camping in Horseshoe would be much more pleasant.
The Mountains are Calling, and I must Go.
--John Muir
User avatar
msartin23
Posts: 4
Joined: 1/28/2013
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by msartin23 »

Thanks for the info, the more that I look at it, starting at Guanella Pass makes more sense. The main reason for starting at the Grays TH was wanting to climb up Kelso Ridge. I'll make sure I post a trip report.
User avatar
ameristrat
Posts: 592
Joined: 2/21/2011
14ers: 58  6 
13ers: 30
Trip Reports (9)
 

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by ameristrat »

I've climbed the south ridge on Grays - it's not awful, but it is uncharacteristically loose for the front range. It's decently steep in parts and while hiking certainly never even approaches class 2+, it's loose, and with a full pack, you might want to expect a spill or two. Like I said, nothing dangerous, but I remember our feet kept wanting to fly out from under us!

Just be prepared to take your time on the route between 13,700' and 13,300' or so. Also, Horsehoe Basin is all above tree line so be wary of thunderstorms - there isn't anywhere to escape to.

This looks like a cool trip - wish I could take the time off of work to do something like that!
You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know. - Rene Daumal
User avatar
forbins_mtn
Posts: 913
Joined: 6/13/2011
14ers: 28  2 
13ers: 11
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by forbins_mtn »

Great trip idea! Sorry I can't give some beta but I can't wait to see how thus turns out. I really want to do a multiple day/multiple peak and pass trip
jdawud
Posts: 121
Joined: 7/27/2012
14ers: 58 
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by jdawud »

As it happens, you've planned a route that pretty much coincides with part of the route I've plotted for my trip this summer (http://www.14ersthruhike.com/the-route/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). I've looked at it on Google Earth and Garmin's Basecamp SW maps and it looks pretty doable. I've climbed Grays and Torreys once before, and I remember thinking that Evans and Bierstadt weren't THAT far away....

Do It!!!

----Junaid
Junaid 'Speshul 41' Dawud
http://www.14ersthruhike.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
MonGoose
Posts: 1110
Joined: 8/14/2009
14ers: 58  16  17 
13ers: 51 11 1
Trip Reports (16)
 
Contact:

Re: Hiking between Grays & Torreys and Bierstadt & Evans

Post by MonGoose »

What time of year are you planning this trip? My only concern would be if you got caught in an afternoon thunderstorm, there's not a lot of options for retreat. Hopefully you'll have favorable weather conditions.
Post Reply