Mt. Blue Sky Trip Report 06/29/2009

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Mt. Blue Sky - 14,268 feet
Date Posted	06/29/2009
Date Climbed	06/28/2009
Author	Alpine

Mt Evans via Mt. Spaulding via Summit Lake
WARNING- NO PICTURES IN THIS REPORT Just a quick TR for this little jaunt. My sons Ben and Josh wanted to go hiking and I wanted to get to the summit of Mt Evans since I have missed on a few winter attempts from Guanella Pass. We chanced across KirkT and a friend at the parking lot and other 14ers.com members along the way - sorry I didn't get any of your names. This route is short and sweet - just enough work to feel good but not so much you are wiped out for the rest of the day. You can experience short sections of what many other 14er trails consist of. Josh's asthma was kicking in so we took our time - even so it only took 3 hours to summit. The east ridge of Spaulding is a fun hike - free of snow for the most part, and avoidable if you want to. The route in this section is never difficult, and mostly enjoyable. Plenty of mountain goats to cheer you on too. The views are great with the south slopes of Spaulding clear around to the north face of Evans visible - with nice lines all the way around. Once on the summit of Spaulding, the back side of the route is obvious even if a trail isn't - tundra hopping down to the saddle, and then back up again to the west ridge. There were cairns for those who feel lost without them, but I am not even sure why they exist. Once on the west ridge, we started out a little higher than the trail, thinking the ridgetop might be pretty fun - but I soon realized that the climbing here might make some nervous if they had not been on similar conditions before, so worked our way back down to the trail. There were a few snow patches to cross - we had our axes but never got them out since a good solid kick step was all that was needed and those for only a few feet at a time until back on rock again. The trail is pretty easy to follow around the back, and soon we found ourselves amidst the hordes on the summit. Moms and Dads worried about their kids falling over the north face, tourists speaking different languages handing their camera to you, skiers clomping along in their boots headed for the Sunrise couloir, military training groups topping out from some route on the east edge of the north face - a dog stepping on our pepperoni (at least he didn't try to eat it), mountain goats wandering around - you can find it all on the top of Evans. A quick descent down the northeast slopes provided a couple good opportunities to give Josh and Ben a taste of glissading. Back at the parking lot we loaded up and dodged the bicyclists down the road - which by the way I find the road more stressful than any of the hiking or climbing on this route. Bottom line - this route is perfect for a quick trip or for those new to 14ers don't have the time or inclination to try something higher up on the food chain. That is, assuming you have a good enough sense of humor to deal with everything that comes with it on the summit - DO NOT come here if you are looking for solitude .

Mt Evans via Mt. Spaulding via Summit Lake

WARNING- NO PICTURES IN THIS REPORT

Just a quick TR for this little jaunt. My sons Ben and Josh wanted to go hiking and I wanted to get to the summit of Mt Evans since I have missed on a few winter attempts from Guanella Pass. We chanced across KirkT and a friend at the parking lot and other 14ers.com members along the way - sorry I didn't get any of your names.

This route is short and sweet - just enough work to feel good but not so much you are wiped out for the rest of the day. You can experience short sections of what many other 14er trails consist of. Josh's asthma was kicking in so we took our time - even so it only took 3 hours to summit. The east ridge of Spaulding is a fun hike - free of snow for the most part, and avoidable if you want to. The route in this section is never difficult, and mostly enjoyable. Plenty of mountain goats to cheer you on too. The views are great with the south slopes of Spaulding clear around to the north face of Evans visible - with nice lines all the way around.

Once on the summit of Spaulding, the back side of the route is obvious even if a trail isn't - tundra hopping down to the saddle, and then back up again to the west ridge. There were cairns for those who feel lost without them, but I am not even sure why they exist.

Once on the west ridge, we started out a little higher than the trail, thinking the ridgetop might be pretty fun - but I soon realized that the climbing here might make some nervous if they had not been on similar conditions before, so worked our way back down to the trail. There were a few snow patches to cross - we had our axes but never got them out since a good solid kick step was all that was needed and those for only a few feet at a time until back on rock again.

The trail is pretty easy to follow around the back, and soon we found ourselves amidst the hordes on the summit. Moms and Dads worried about their kids falling over the north face, tourists speaking different languages handing their camera to you, skiers clomping along in their boots headed for the Sunrise couloir, military training groups topping out from some route on the east edge of the north face - a dog stepping on our pepperoni (at least he didn't try to eat it), mountain goats wandering around - you can find it all on the top of Evans.

A quick descent down the northeast slopes provided a couple good opportunities to give Josh and Ben a taste of glissading. Back at the parking lot we loaded up and dodged the bicyclists down the road - which by the way I find the road more stressful than any of the hiking or climbing on this route.

Bottom line - this route is perfect for a quick trip or for those new to 14ers don't have the time or inclination to try something higher up on the food chain. That is, assuming you have a good enough sense of humor to deal with everything that comes with it on the summit - DO NOT come here if you are looking for solitude

Comments or Questions

KirkT	Great day to be out! 7/1/2009 3:38pm It was nice meeting you and your boys. It was definitely a great day to be hiking in that area as the weather was excellent!! Great write-up! Kirk
Alpine	Thanks 7/1/2009 3:43pm Nice meeting you too. I like that last shot of the reflection in the lake.
travelmannn	trail location up the slopes? 7/2/2009 4:43pm I was considering this hike for Friday (or at least part of this hike). I‘m looking at going up Spaulding and then heading North. Is there a trail from Summit Lake up to Spaulding, or do you just hike up the slopes? Does the trail (if there is one), go around the left (south) side of the of lake as you look at Spaulding from the parking lot? Thanks,
Alpine	Trail up Spaulding 7/2/2009 4:47pm There is a trail - it goes arounnd the right side of the lake as you look at Spaulding. Starts on the NE corner of the lake by the hut/outhouses and follows around the NE corner and starts climbing. There is a small trail - easy to follow almost all the way to Spaulding‘s summit, although it peter‘s out a bit up there. Have fun.

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