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Mt. Bierstadt

Peak Condition Updates  
4/20/2013
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 4/21/2013, By: SurfNTurf
Info: It's about as wintry as I've ever seen Bierstadt, including previous trips in November, February and March. The road is paved and plowed to the standard winter closure from the Georgetown side, about 1.5 miles short of the Guanella Pass summit. From the closure, the road is buried under a significant amount of snow. It eclipses the guardrail in places. We had to break easy trail in the morning, but by the time we were headed down the Saturday traffic had a firm trench in place. Snowshoes are mandatory beyond the summer TH. One member of our party summited without them, but let's just say he's unlikely to leave them behind ever again. The snow stays continuous all the way to the top. A summit ski is IN, but sharks are lurking in many areas on the face. We roped up from about 12,000' to the summit. The slope angle reaches AT LEAST 20-25 degrees. A fall there might be very bad for the skin on your knees. You can never be too safe. To conclude, a PSA: don't be stingy with your sunglasses/goggles. It was very cloudy and snowing most of the day, except for one hour of direct sunlight from 2-3 p.m. I kept waiting for it to get cloudy again and put off pulling out my goggles until it was too late. Three of our four team members have spent most of today nursing snowblindness. Now if you'll excuse me, a cold washcloth and a dark room are calling. (sorry for the crappy iPhone pics, forgot my camera at home) PHOTO 1 - Initial trail PHOTO 2 - On the face PHOTO 3 - Summit PHOTO 4 - I'd rather have a kidney stone P.S. if you lost a snowboard on Bierstadt recently, PM me. 
2/16/2013
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 2/17/2013, By: dpage
Info: Started at the Georgetown side closure of Guanella Pass. Did not need snowshoes on the road. Through the willows there‘s a nice bootpacked trench. Above treeline the snow was wind scoured. Stayed in boots all day but traction devices may have been handy at times. 
1/17/2013
Route: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Posted On: 1/18/2013, By: taylorzs
Info: Did the Sawtooth yesterday. Lots of snow on the east side of the ridge. Not enough snow to ski anywhere but plenty of waist deep postholing on the traverse. It was fun, but a very long day and not easy going at all. Third time to do the Sawtooth, first time in winter. Past scrambles on the Sawtooth, I found easy. Yesterday was very challending. Ice, postholey snow, and increased exposure due to current conditions, made it quite the day. 
1
1/6/2013
Route: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Posted On: 1/7/2013, By: I Man
Info: Paul (CaptainP) and I hiked Biersadt and Evans on Sunday the 6th. Paul used the Grant side approach, and got stuck in his truck, needing chains to get out. He parked at the gate. I took the Georgetown approach and enjoyed a well groomed road to the gate closure. We each left the car at 730am and met at the TH at 8am. The roads are well groomed and go by quickly. The trail to Bierstadt is boot packed and the upper slopes are not holding much snow. The Sawtooth is a different story. The east side was completely covered. An ice axe is 100% necessary. The west side ledges are holding enough snow to catch your attention. I have done the Sawtooth in summer, and fall, and found this trip to be a much more difficult and committing. The trail to Evans has snow, but snowshoes are not needed. We descended the dreaded willows route and were ecstatic to find a well packed trench leading all the way back to the main trail. We did not use snowshoes (or bring them). I used microspikes. Paul did not. Sorry, I don’t have any good photos of the 'Tooth. 
2
1/1/2013
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 1/1/2013, By: robbieflick
Info: Went up today. New snow did not change need for snowshoes; they are unnecessary and we booted the entire way up. A little bit of postholing up top but too rocky for snowshoes to be useful up there anyway. Most of the trail was packed but a bit loose, except for the finish. Agree that spikes could be useful! Weather was cold, calm and clear - a perfect combination! Surprised we only saw a few people on it. 
12/30/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/31/2012, By: Jay521
Info: To reiterate MountainHiker's post - there was no need for snowshoes on the entire route. Took spikes but never put them on. Certainly this could change with the snowfall predicted for today. If conditions remain as they were on Sunday, Bierstadt would make for a nice, easy New Year's Day climb. Image 1 shows the boot pack trail through the willows. Image 2 shows the conditions above 13K 
2
12/29/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/29/2012, By: MountainHiker
Info: From Naylor Lake winter TH. Well packed trail on road to Guanella Pass and through the willows. Above the willows the packed trail braids away from the real trail in several places. We left the snowshoes in the Jeep. MountainHikerette wore MicroSpikes but I was fine without them. Used poles. Some did wear snowshoes. 
12/21/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/23/2012, By: jnorris
Info: Guanella Pass Closed 8.2 miles up from the Georgetown side for winter. Shin to knee deep snow on Guanella Pass Rd past Winter Road Block. I put on snow shoes immediately on the other side of the road block and made it to the TH in about a hour. The snow remained deep through the Scott Gomer Creek area. It wasn't until above approx 12,300 ft on the shoulder before the snow thinned out to where it was manageable breaking trail without snowshoes. From there to just below the final summit pitch were a few snow drifts that were avoidable by staying on the rocks. Just before the final summit pitch there was a deep patch of snow approx 25-40 yards wide, that in places I sunk up to my waist. 
12/20/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 12/21/2012, By: taylorzs
Info: Very little snow above 12,000‘. I was hoping for the elusive west slopes summit snowboard descent after recent snow cycles. Oh well. Approached from Grant side. Lots of snow below treeline and some great, although avalanche prone snow conditions over in the old Guanella pass ski area. I did not see any avy activity but lots of whumping and cracking. The picture was taken from the top of Guanella pass ski area. 
4
12/7/2012
Route: West slopes
Posted On: 12/10/2012, By: sheller
Info: A few snow patches along the trail. Brought microspikes, but never felt the need to put them on. Very windy at the top. Felt like fall conditions with some added windchill. As we were headed down there was a little snowfall, but I doubt it had a significant impact on the trail. 
11/24/2012
Route: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Posted On: 11/26/2012, By: igoreka
Info: The road was dry and clean, no problem there. Started hiking in the morning and the mud path was frozen, and the creek was mostly iced. Ascend to Bierstadt was clean, very little snow. The Sawtooth traverse however had enough snow where gators is a MUST, deep snow in unexpected places - between the rocks and just didn‘t want to take chance to wet the feet. The climbing of the sawtooth is rather clean of snow. Evans ascend has no snow. We descended through the gully between Spalding and the Sawtooth - no snow there, nice and dry. The creek path is as usual hard to find, but the most of the water is frozen and you don‘t have to deal with mud. Again: BRING GATORS, no need for micro-spikes or snowshoes. Thank you! 
11/23/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/25/2012, By: BlackCoffeeFix
Info: Road to the trailhead via Georgetown was entirely clear save for some Bighorn Sheep on the road. West slopes were clear with packed dirty snow in spots (I had microspikes but did not need them on the packed sections). Overall the trail is clear and 85% dirt at the lower elevations with packed snow on the trail more prevalent above 13,200. 
11/6/2012
Route: Bierstadt, Sawtooth, Blue Sky
Posted On: 11/7/2012, By: jmd_10
Info: No snow on the way to Bierstadt. Some snow one the sawtooth. Not much of a problem with footing, though it did hide some rocks. No snow on Evans. The biggest issue was after dropping down from Evans. The return through the willows had some very bad smooth ice (from melting and refreezing) that was very slick. No consequences though other than a bruised tailbone. 
11/4/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/4/2012, By: KTriver07
Info: There is almost no snow/ice on the way up. some patches but everything is clear. you can feel the weather change for sure. it was obe cold climb 
11/3/2012
Route: West Slopes
Posted On: 11/4/2012, By: javy20040
Info: I hiked yesterday Saturday, November 3rd Mt. Bierstadt. The Guanella Pass Road is clear of snow all the way from Georgetown to Grant. The whole trail to the summit is all clear of snow as well. It was cloudy all day and windy and cold at the summit. Until conditions change, any kind of traction is needed.