Mt. Bierstadt

Route: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Posted On: 12/23/2024, By: lcwreed
Info: The Sawtooth was clear of snow in the tough spots. Barely any snow on the way over to Blue Sky. Took the Sawtooth back and it was a bit more chossy with the snow heated up. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/21/2024, By: cgoliveri
Info: If you want to do a winter 14er, now is the time! The conditions were great today (12/21/24). Hardly anyone on the trail, which made this really nice. The walk up to the summer trailhead was easy from the winter trailhead parking. While you might be tempted to put on spikes for that walk, I really don't think you need it. The road is in pretty good condition. Snow/ice in the shady spots, but I found a lot of the sun exposed areas without snow. As for the trail, there is a good snowpack, just make sure to stay on the trail. I found it a tad confusing as I was going to the summit, since it looks like there are a number of possible options to take off the main trail. Many of those resulted in postholing for me. Much easier to see the packed trail as I was descending. I highly recommend trail spikes/crampons and poles for the descent, but I am sure others would say they are not necessary. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/21/2024, By: pcsongei
Info: Hiked Bierstadt via the West Slopes this morning, started from the lower parking lot around 6:45. I took the shortcut at the second to last switchback on the road and there was a nice packed trail through the trees and past the little lake that was easy to follow. This trail met up with the main trail maybe a quarter to half mile down the actual trail. The Bierstadt trail is generally packed down pretty good and easy to follow all the way to the summit. I did not bring snowshoes - not necessary unless you're planning on being off trail or heading up or down the gully from Sawtooth & Blue Sky. I wore microspikes for most of the hike after getting on the main trail near the creek crossing. You could get by without traction but it made the descent much easier. Start: 6:45am Summit: 9:15am Finish: 11:15am RT distance/elevation: 10 miles exactly, ~3,300 feet 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/18/2024, By: northeric
Info: Summited during the storm in late afternoon. The trail is still fairly easy to follow until you reach 12,500 and up and then it's following cairns and packed, wind-loaded snow. There was another two inches or so of fresh snow on the trail through the willows on the descent but still really easy to follow. No need for an axe, just used poles. I forgot my spikes in the car but ended up not really needing them. Could've been nice up high but it was fine. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/15/2024, By: Ptglhs
Info: Great conditions for an ascent right now. Brought snowshoes and an axe, didn't need either. Some type of traction would be helpful for 12.6k to summit. Cut off from the road to the lake is a confusing Warren of social and moose trails. Saw a moose late in the day at the parking lot. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/8/2024, By: Cruiser
Info: Great day on the mountain. Trail is packed from the parking lot to the summit. Route finding is painless as a result. A few dry patches but more than 90% of the route was on snow. Creek crossing is a non issue as the snow covers it completely. Brought snow shoes and spikes but didn't use either of them. Poles were helpful, especially during the descent, but also not necessary. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/4/2024, By: Jay521
Info: Road closed at the normal winter closure on the Georgetown side. No need for snowshoes as of now. Traction might be helpful although I never put mine on. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/17/2024, By: shapovalovm
Info: Went up Bierstadt for some practice. TH is easily accessible by any vehicle and Guanella pass is still open (Google says it closes on 26th). Parking was half-full when I arrived and almost completely full when I left. Most of the trail has snow on it, but also most of it is either packed or thin. There's a couple of spots between 13000-13500 where I postholed to maybe 2/3 knee depth on the way up. Gear: * snowshoes - IMHO for the amount of snow left on trail are overkill. That said, I've seen people use them all the way to the summit, which to me was wild given how much slower they make you on that kind of snow. * spikes - useful and that's what I wore all day long. You can probably manage without them too. * gaiters - not crazy useful up, other than those couple postholing spots. Very useful down as they allow for more sloppy descent without thinking too much where to step in the snow. Saw a bunch of people with no gaiters. * ice axe - Completely useless. I'll stretch it further and say, ice axe is useless on W Slopes on Bierstadt in general, unless there's some weird weather event that dropped half-foot of ice on these slopes AND somehow magically made the slope 5-15' steeper (in which case most of us should not be there anyway). Even for Evans-Sawtooth-Bierstadt combo it probably is still useless. By almost-winter standards, it was pretty crowded: counted at least 20 people. Overall, clear skies, barely any wind, relatively warm. Nice day, 2:20 up, 1:15 down. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/18/2024, By: heyaidan
Info: Guanella Pass still open. First third of the trail is very manageable with spikes, but once you start the switchbacks snowshoes are really helpful. It was a bit hard to navigate the trail, as a lot of people were dodging the deeper snow. Wind chill got pretty intense at times too. I also started super late, 10am, and was back in my car around 5pm. Good luck! 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/15/2024, By: 2468matt
Info: Successful summit. Guanella Pass is still open to trailhead, but I started by the winter closure to observe the 3000 rule. Icy patches on road, especially the last 2 miles, but I had no problems driving carefully in a 2WD car with regular tires. Trail was covered in snow the whole way except for some wind blown patches higher up. Some thigh-deep snow drifts above 12000. I saw 4 other hikers in boots. I moved more efficiently in snowshoes, although that may change in coming days as snow continues to thin. It was a sunny day above freezing but windy in the morning. Arrived at TH around 8:30am. 1 car. Summit at 12:15pm. Back to TH by 3pm. 4 cars. Then down the road to my starting point. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/3/2024, By: Argysc
Info: Left TH around 6:30am (3 cars total). Some intermittent packed snow up to 12,500, then mainly packed snow above 13,000. Spikes were very helpful above 13,000. Began snowing around 10:00am and forecasted to snow through the night. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/3/2024, By: RockyMtRachel
Info: Started at 10:15. Plenty of parking. Google maps said the road to Guanella Pass was closed but it was open. I did the entire hike in my boots without traction or poles, but wish I had my microspikes. (I couldn't find them so I decided to give it a go.) It was sunny and gorgeous with very little wind, even on the summit. No need for snow gaiters. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 10/27/2024, By: jbuikema
Info: Excellent day to summit. Sunshine and light winds during the morning hours. Spikes were helpful for upper half of the hike. Trail was busy, but not over crowded like during peak season. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 10/26/2024, By: kilimannejaro
Info: I was the last climber off the mountain (friends, I made it!) Needed microspikes starting around 13.6k'. Multiple slippery spots on the well-trod path. Weather was good--late starts and finishes weren't dangerous. 

Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 10/15/2024, By: jshirsch
Info: It was a great day, no snow whatsoever. It got pretty chilly and was glad to have my puffer jacket, but it definitely heated up a little toward mid-afternoon. It was a little windy on the last part of the ascent but cleared up at the top. We started at 7 (from the parking lot) and easily found a spot. I wore snow pants and some thinner pants underneath, and was warm by 8 or so, but i would rather be too warm than too cold.