Mt. Bierstadt Trip Report 07/23/2011

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Mt. Bierstadt - 14,066 feet Mt. Blue Sky - 14,268 feet
Date Posted	07/23/2011
Date Climbed	07/17/2011
Author	RJansen77

Racking up the peaks (Part II)
Day two of our Peakbagging weekend saw Bierstadt and Evans via the Sawtooth. I know this TR is also a week late but I'm hoping it'll help those who want to try the traverse in the near future. Wait, what's the deal with the Guanella Pass road and construction, when is it open? We left the trailhead at 4:15am, and ran into Noelle who joined us for the entire day. It was her first class 3 and she did awesome! The Bierstadt trail is easy to follow and features very good footing. A little sore from our big Saturday, we reached the summit at 6:15am. It was another beautiful morning in the Front Range. Reaching the Bierstadt summit Tyler and Noelle on a beautiful morning I've done class 5 before, but the Sawtooth looked a little intimidating from the summit. However, once we started down it unfolded into a fairly straightforward traverse that we didn't think was all that challenging. Very fun though! First view of the Sawtooth from Bierstadt Front Range waking up Scrambling down good rock from the Bierstadt summit The descent from Bierstadt was simple, and there were cairns the entire way. Some good talus hopping and two small snowfields to cross that are probably melted by now. While there is big exposure on the left side of the ridge, you are never forced to get very close to it as you meander through the rock. Nearing the lower portion of the ridge Tyler loving the fun scrambling on good rock! It is fun to lean over the edge as long as you don't get too close! There is exposure to the left but you are never forced to get too close to the drop Looking back up to Bierstadt The big gendarme is pretty straighforward as well, and there are two ways around it as depicted in the route description on this site. We stayed left and never climbed near the top of it. Eventually you come around to the other side and the ledge traverse stares you in the face. It looks like a loose nightmare but actually isn't bad once you get to it. Approaching the ledge traverse I can see how the ledge would give some people shivers if you are uneasy about exposure, but it was a very fun climb. The broader, looser section near the end seems to have a few different routes, and this picture makes it look worse than it actually is. Climbing up the ledge. How does this happen? An interesting situation... We rounded the corner coming off of the ledge traverse and the broad summit plateau of Evans lay before us. Initially there is no trail, but the ground it tame and we made quick time along the ridge, eventually picking up the trail as we headed for Evans. Some of the local residents. Cruising up the plateau below Evans. Eventually you reach a trail junction where the route drops right around the ridge. It doesn't loose much elevation, and there is a good trail from here around to the true summit of Evans. Summit Lake After traversing below the ridgeline, we rounded a corner and knew the summit was close: Eventually you come around a corner and see this. It was this kind of weekend. 7 peaks in 29 hours! Looking back at Bierstadt from Evans There has been lots of activity on the forum regarding the descent from Evans back to Guanella Pass, and it is pretty much as described on this site. We descended the plateau toward the natural gully, where there was a good yet somewhat loose trail the whole way down. When the gully finally ends, the trail contours left and weaves through the hot, wet, buggy willows until it joins the main Bierstadt trail. It was very wet and muddy, but relatively easy to follow. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures during this section. At the bottom of the gully This basin is beautiful Hiking out through the willows. Once we hit the Bierstadt trail, Dales Pale Ale floated in our minds and we scurried up to the car. Car in sight! Required after a huge weekend. Contemplating what had just happened. Zzzzzzz... This was a really fun day on a solid, exciting traverse. The weekend as a whole was also spectacular. I think the stats were 7 14ers in 29 hours, 25 miles hiked and just over 11,000' vertical gained. As long as you have good weather it makes for a great outing close to Denver. If anyone has any questions about these peaks or routes, feel free to PM me. Thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the hills! Robert Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Racking up the peaks (Part II)

Day two of our Peakbagging weekend saw Bierstadt and Evans via the Sawtooth. I know this TR is also a week late but I'm hoping it'll help those who want to try the traverse in the near future. Wait, what's the deal with the Guanella Pass road and construction, when is it open?

We left the trailhead at 4:15am, and ran into Noelle who joined us for the entire day. It was her first class 3 and she did awesome!

The Bierstadt trail is easy to follow and features very good footing. A little sore from our big Saturday, we reached the summit at 6:15am. It was another beautiful morning in the Front Range.

I've done class 5 before, but the Sawtooth looked a little intimidating from the summit. However, once we started down it unfolded into a fairly straightforward traverse that we didn't think was all that challenging. Very fun though!

First view of the Sawtooth from Bierstadt

Scrambling down good rock from the Bierstadt summit

The descent from Bierstadt was simple, and there were cairns the entire way. Some good talus hopping and two small snowfields to cross that are probably melted by now. While there is big exposure on the left side of the ridge, you are never forced to get very close to it as you meander through the rock.

Tyler loving the fun scrambling on good rock!

It is fun to lean over the edge as long as you don't get too close!

There is exposure to the left but you are never forced to get too close to the drop

The big gendarme is pretty straighforward as well, and there are two ways around it as depicted in the route description on this site. We stayed left and never climbed near the top of it. Eventually you come around to the other side and the ledge traverse stares you in the face. It looks like a loose nightmare but actually isn't bad once you get to it.

I can see how the ledge would give some people shivers if you are uneasy about exposure, but it was a very fun climb. The broader, looser section near the end seems to have a few different routes, and this picture makes it look worse than it actually is.

How does this happen?

We rounded the corner coming off of the ledge traverse and the broad summit plateau of Evans lay before us. Initially there is no trail, but the ground it tame and we made quick time along the ridge, eventually picking up the trail as we headed for Evans.

Eventually you reach a trail junction where the route drops right around the ridge. It doesn't loose much elevation, and there is a good trail from here around to the true summit of Evans.

After traversing below the ridgeline, we rounded a corner and knew the summit was close:

Eventually you come around a corner and see this.

There has been lots of activity on the forum regarding the descent from Evans back to Guanella Pass, and it is pretty much as described on this site. We descended the plateau toward the natural gully, where there was a good yet somewhat loose trail the whole way down. When the gully finally ends, the trail contours left and weaves through the hot, wet, buggy willows until it joins the main Bierstadt trail. It was very wet and muddy, but relatively easy to follow. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures during this section.

Once we hit the Bierstadt trail, Dales Pale Ale floated in our minds and we scurried up to the car.

This was a really fun day on a solid, exciting traverse. The weekend as a whole was also spectacular. I think the stats were 7 14ers in 29 hours, 25 miles hiked and just over 11,000' vertical gained. As long as you have good weather it makes for a great outing close to Denver.

If anyone has any questions about these peaks or routes, feel free to PM me.

Thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the hills!

Robert

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

dwoods15

Fantastic Trip Report!!!
7/24/2011 9:57pm

You guys ripped it up in the mountains! I hope to have the gumption to attempt a long weekend like this. Great time in the mountains!! Great job and bragging rights after this trip... :D

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