Taken from Guanella Pass,
1 provides an overview of the route. Locate the Bierstadt Trail and begin by descending east toward Scott Gomer Creek -
2. Navigate through willows on wooden bridges and trail sections for nearly a mile (
3 and
4) to reach the creek
, near 11,500' -
5. Cross the creek and continue through the willows as you approach Bierstadt's west slopes. Near 11,800', switchback up a steep slope and exit the willows -
6. You'll then reach flatter terrain, near 12,300', on the north end of a shoulder
.
With the remainder of the route now in view, hike southeast up the shoulder -
7. Pass an overlook at 12,600' and continue higher -
8 and
9. Around 13,000', the terrain becomes noticeably steeper -
10. Follow the well-defined trail (
11 and
12) and zigzag your way up to a ridge
crest, at approximately 13,750' -
13. Walk northeast to the base of the final pitch -
14. While the summit may not yet be visible, only 250 feet of elevation gain remains. This final section is the crux of the route and the reason it earns a Class 2 difficulty rating. Without a trail, navigate your way through the boulders, staying on or just left of the ridge crest -
15. When the terrain eases, walk a short distance further to reach the summit -
16 and
17.
GPX Track File
