The following is a guest post from Visit Georgetown:
Besides craft beer and backcountry skiing, Colorado is most commonly known for its hiking
abundance. What draws people to the state to visit, or to live in permanently, is often the views
and experience that the Rocky Mountains offer. Within Colorado boundaries there are fifty-eight
14er’s. In other words, there are 58 peaks that exceed fourteen thousand feet in elevation.
Climbing one of them is a bucket list item for Coloradians and visitors alike.
Climbing two of them? It’s not unheard of. In fact, with only a 45 minute drive from Denver, an
avid climber can summit Mount Evans and Mount Bierstadt in one day! All you need to know is
a little about each peak, how to get there, and how to prepare for this epic hike.
Mount Evans
The closer of the two fourteeners, Mount Evans is between Evergreen, Colorado and Idaho
Springs, Colorado. By taking Highway 103 to Echo Lake and turning onto Highway 5, visitors of
Mount Evans can travel the highest paved road in North America right to the summit of Mount
Evans. Along the way, chances are high that mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and overwhelming
wildflowers can be right in plain view.
Although Mount Evans ranks as the 14th highest fourteener in the state, climbing it on its own is
a favorite for fourteener enthusiasts. This is because of the extremely well-marked trail signs
that keep hikers on track, preventing them from getting lost. For an easier hike, the trail starting
at Summit Lake only takes an altitude adjusted climber about 20 minutes.
For a more challenging hike, the Chicago Lakes trail extends the hike by 10 miles out and back.
While more difficult and more time-consuming, the Chicago Lakes trail passes two alpine lakes,
massive cliff walls, and expansive meadows. It can be quite comical when you hike the Chicago
Lakes trail only to wave at folks who drove to the summit, but the hike is absolutely worth the
effort it takes to summit.
Mount Bierstadt
Just barely grazing above the 14,000ft mark, Mount Bierstadt sits at 14,065ft in elevation.
Further west from Denver than Mount Evans and up the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway above
Georgetown, Colorado, Mount Bierstadt is arguably the easiest fourteener to climb in the state.
Not only does the trailhead start at around the 11,600ft mark, but the trail is clearly marked and
tracked. The hike starts out with a well maintained wooden foot bridge that takes hikers through
marsh, past Deadman’s Lake, and gorgeous alpine scenery.
After the wooden bridge ends and a hiker crosses the small creek, that’s when the hike kicks
into a higher gear.
A thick shrubbery coats the trail for quite some time with an increasing incline for a good portion
of the hike. Once the trail is cleared of this shrubbery, hikers can now find themselves above the
treeline. This is where it’s important that a hiker is well adjusted to the altitude, has plenty of
sunscreen, water, and food to sustain their energy.
The rest of the hike is 100% exposed to the Colorado sun with no form of shade in sight, so
dressing accordingly will keep the hike pleasurable. A few hundred feet below the summit, the
climbing becomes Class 2; hikers must traverse boulders and extreme winds to reach the top.
The views from the top are absolutely incredible; Greys and Torreys, another “Two for one”
fourteener expedition, sit just off to the side of Bierstadt.
How To Get To the Trailheads
You can start from either fourteener’s trailheads in order to summit them both in one day. To
start, let’s assume a Mount Evans start. Coming from Denver, take Interstate 70 to Idaho
Springs. At Exit 240, take a left which will put you on Highway 103. Travel highway 103 for
several miles until you reach Echo Lake. Pass Echo Lake and take a right onto Highway 5.
Highway 5 will end at the trailhead. Parking at Echo Lake instead will get you to the Chicago
Lakes trailhead if you want a more strenuous climb.
If you want to start out on Mount Bierstadt, you’ll also take Interstate 70 but instead of turning off
at Idaho Springs, you’ll instead turn off at the town of Georgetown. By using the Guanella Pass
Road signs to navigate through the small town of Georgetown, you’ll reach Guanella Pass
Road. A ten mile drive up this paved highway will take you right to the Guanella Pass Summit.
You can’t miss the sign or the two parking lots just off to the side of the highway. Park at either
lot and right where the first parking lots restrooms are located is where you will find the
trailhead.
How To Climb Both in One Day
No matter which mountain you decide to summit first, the route that connects Mount Bierstadt to
Mount Evans and vice versa is the same. This route is referred to as The Sawtooth. Please
keep in mind that traversing The Sawtooth requires Class 3 climbing skills. It’s a slow going
climb that will demand a lot from its travelers, so pack light but dress appropriately. Weather on
this ridge can change dramatically and without a second of a notice, and wind conditions can
elevate the potential dangers all the more.
Cairns can be found along the entire route, keeping you on track and providing more focused to
the task at hand. So long as you are confident in your climbing capabilities and are properly
prepared for the challenge, The Sawtooth is a direct route from one peak to the other and can
make for an incredible experience to write home about. As always, respect other climbers and
avoid any setbacks that are preventable such as hydrating properly, sustaining energy levels,
and postponing the climb to another day if weather conditions are questionable.
Mount Evans and Mount Bierstadt are popular climbs amongst the Colorado community, so you
can expect them to have slightly higher traffic than climbs at lower elevations. That said, The
Sawtooth is not climbed nor recommended for beginners, so you can expect fewer people. You
can also expect some of the best views Colorado has to offer and complete the expedition with
bragging rights that you climbed two Colorado fourteeners in one day!
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
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