Route Description

Take Exit 240 at Idaho Springs on Interstate 70. Drive south on Colorado 103 for 13.5 miles to Echo Lake. Pay the entrance fee and drive 9 miles up the Mt. Evans road (Colorado 5) to the Summit Lake parking area.

Details:

Taken from northeast of the trailhead, Photo #1 and Photo #2 show the general route. Leave the parking area (Photo #3) and walk back to the Mt. Evans road. Turn right and continue 0.6 mile up the road to the base of the Northeast Face, near 12,900' - Photo #4. On the right side of the road, look for a small, unmarked trail that starts up the center of the face - Photo #5.

You are approximately 1,350' below the summit. Follow the trail up the middle of the face - Photo #6. About half way up, near 13,500', the slope gets a bit steeper and the terrain more rocky - Photo #7. Photo #8 looks back on the lower portion. Continue up the rugged trail, weave through some rocks above 13,700' (Photo #9) and continue to the top of the face, near 14,000' - Photo #10. Cross the summit parking area (Photo #11), continue right to the tourist trail that leads to the summit and climb a bunch of switchbacks (Photo #12) to reach the top - Photo #13.

Skiing?:

If you hike this route in late winter, there may be enough snow for a full descent to the road. In spring, it rarely has enough snow.