HOLD ON! This route is long, requires Class 3 climbing skills and is not recommended for hikers who are new to the high peaks.
Hike to the summit of Mt. Bierstadt
by following the
Mt. Bierstadt - West Slopes Route. Taken from Mt. Blue Sky,
1 is a view of Bierstadt and portions of the Sawtooth ridge. From the summit of Bierstadt, look north to see the Sawtooth and the rugged connecting ridge -
2. Leave the Bierstadt summit and begin your descent toward the Sawtooth by staying right of the ridge crest -
3. As you descend, study the remaining route carefully -
4. Near the low point of the ridge, pass a couple of ridge points on the right side to see a large gendarme ahead -
5. Reach a notch, walk up to the gendarme and choose your line -
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7 and
8. Climb a direct line over the top or go around to the right. Any way you go will require Class 3 moves.
After passing the gendarme, reach a gully before another rock outcropping -
9. Turn left and ascend to a notch
in the ridge -
10. Pass through the notch, turn right, and follow a ledge along the west side of the Sawtooth -
11. The ledge starts off narrow but soon becomes easier and more obvious. To cross the final ledges, turn right and climb slightly before traversing below rock slabs and climbing a dirt ramp -
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13, and
14. Exit the ledges near 13,600' -
15. Once you hit easy terrain, turn right and hike up through talus to reach the top of the Sawtooth
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16.
From the Sawtooth, look east to see the west ridge on Mt. Blue Sky -
17. Descend east and Walk up to the hump at the ridge -
18. Drop to the right slightly and follow a cairned route below the ridge crest -
19. The remaining mile to the summit consists mostly of boulders but you'll find plenty of cairns and trail segments. Continue along the ridge to a point where you can finally see the summit -
20. Hike to the corner of the Mt. Blue Sky road and up 100 feet to the summit
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The descent: You do not have to return over the Sawtooth and Bierstadt to reach Guanella Pass. Hike back to the west end of Blue Sky's west ridge where you can see the Sawtooth to your left -
23. Instead of heading toward the Sawtooth, hike northwest through an open area between the Sawtooth and Mt. Spalding (right). Continue down through this open area to reach the top of a gully
which drops into Scott Gomer Creek -
24. The narrowing terrain will lead you into the gully. It quickly gets steeper but there is a trail down most of the gully -
25. It holds some loose rock and scree so be careful. Near 12,300', exit the gully on the left and find a trail that descends through ledges to reach a clearing near the creek -
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27. Cross the clearing and try to stay on the trail as it enters the willows. From here, route finding through the willows can be unpleasant. There's a narrow trail almost all the way back to the Mt. Bierstadt trail but it's easy to lose. Stay left of the creek and continue west through the willows -
28. Through mid-summer, this area will be wet and you may be forced to bushwhack through the willows. Hike approximately 1 mile along the left side of the creek to reach the Mt. Bierstadt Trail and follow it back up to the trailhead -
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