Mt. Blue Sky Trip Report 08/07/2021

Report Type	Mini
Peak(s)	Mt. Blue Sky - 14,268 feet
Date Posted	08/07/2021
Date Climbed	08/03/2021
Author	jweber1400

Evans - West Rudge Summit Lake
Started out 8am with light drizzle, cold and fog/cloud cover. Took this one for granted and did not fully study the 14er route pics and notes. We, along with three other hikers, veered left instead of heading straight up to hike the upper ridge. (See photo 3 and 4 on West Ridge from Summit Lake route description). BIG mistake. This led us on a parallel route between the bottom and top of the long ridge line of Mt Spalding. Got into class 3 scrambling to get out. The problem was that cairns were placed along the way, so we kept thinking we were going the right way- even though it seemed wrong. We knew we had to get up to the top ridge, so scrambled up. Found the correct trail, but due to fog, had a lot of trouble staying on the trail - no cairns to mark this portion (which runs until it essentially meets the turning point to head toward Evans summit. (Photo 14) I believe the trail from the Sawtooth may join up with this part of the trail at some point. Regardless, found the trail (right on the lip of the bowl where you can look down at the parking lot) and headed up Evans. Lots of cairns and it seemed easy - yet again the cairns led us across the Evans face to the road. Photo 16 shows that you start to really ascend Evans pretty quickly - yet we again seemed to follow an upward parallel course. Totally missed where to head up to the summit. Again, the 14ers route description spells this out clearly, but I didn't do my homework. As usual, Bill Middlebrook is awesome and writes great route descriptions.

Evans - West Rudge Summit Lake

Started out 8am with light drizzle, cold and fog/cloud cover. Took this one for granted and did not fully study the 14er route pics and notes. We, along with three other hikers, veered left instead of heading straight up to hike the upper ridge. (See photo 3 and 4 on West Ridge from Summit Lake route description). BIG mistake. This led us on a parallel route between the bottom and top of the long ridge line of Mt Spalding. Got into class 3 scrambling to get out. The problem was that cairns were placed along the way, so we kept thinking we were going the right way- even though it seemed wrong. We knew we had to get up to the top ridge, so scrambled up. Found the correct trail, but due to fog, had a lot of trouble staying on the trail - no cairns to mark this portion (which runs until it essentially meets the turning point to head toward Evans summit. (Photo 14) I believe the trail from the Sawtooth may join up with this part of the trail at some point. Regardless, found the trail (right on the lip of the bowl where you can look down at the parking lot) and headed up Evans. Lots of cairns and it seemed easy - yet again the cairns led us across the Evans face to the road. Photo 16 shows that you start to really ascend Evans pretty quickly - yet we again seemed to follow an upward parallel course. Totally missed where to head up to the summit. Again, the 14ers route description spells this out clearly, but I didn't do my homework. As usual, Bill Middlebrook is awesome and writes great route descriptions.

Comments or Questions

NE_Dad	Same 8/7/2021 4:14pm We did same thing the next day but felt comfortable in the Class 2+ to occasional Class 3 trail below the ridgeline of Spalding until we found the loose gully. I bet alot of folks make this mistake and make it work as you did. I saw a solo party and another party of 2 do it as well. I'm curious enough to go back and see the "correct" route since the blue line in that photo definitely hits the ridge much quicker than we did!
Trotter	not a trip report 8/11/2021 11:30am conditions report at best

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