Yeah…it was a bit steep…The last photo displays the remaining route on the east side of the traverse. The summit has bathrooms, a storm shelter, observatory, large parking lot, and what looked to be a gift shop. I decided to attempt to climb Mt. It's close to Denver and a great peak for first-time 14ers or as a training ground for the experienced. Thankfully another group caught up with us halfway across, and we tackled the gendarme together as we couldn't find the route around it. Bierstadt is a true fourteener, with a beautiful trailhead and a quiet summit, while Mt. Just follow the trail and you ll be fine! So, we both took the high road and got some more practice scrambling. To keep myself sane hiking these popular peaks on a Sunday I decided to switch it up and take the class 3 route up Bierstadt’s East ridge, over the sawtooth connecting Bierstadt and Evans and back to the car. Bierstadt which is one of the easier 14ers on the Front Range. We picked our way slowly and carefully down the chute through the dirt and scree. Evans rises 14,264' above sea-level, and is also a very fun hike to do. That section was dry enough that my feet didn't get wet at all but you are navigating some wetter areas near the ponds/lakes/streams and through dense willows/bushes. On the summit of Mount Bierstadt, you will see a transverse ridge known as the Sawtooth. It gets its name from several aretes (jagged knife-like rock formations) that line up to look like the teeth of a saw. Stay right of the ridge … Spent 20 minutes before heading to the Sawtooth. In fact, it boasts the highest paved road in America. We were very anxious to get up and over at this point. It will be before the big rock cliff face which is further off in the distance. Our Hike of Mount Bierstadt September 20, 2010 - The sun shined perfectly over the Sawtooth and Mt. Don’t be like them. We both decided to take what looked like a class 3 route that we thought would circumvent and then reconvene with the main trail without losing any elevation. After all that, going down the gully kind of sucks. Evans (after quite a bit more hiking). Crossing this ridge is a Class 3 scramble and not for the fainthearted. Bierstadt is a great mountain to start on for those that are new to hiking fourteeners. You two are inspiring! Only a couple moments of real nerves. The traverse is a class 3 route with some class 2+ scattered throughout. Luckily, there is a mostly decent path that follows along the traverse and steadily upwards. The Sawtooth is No. We just barely missed sunrise, but the warm glow of the sun bathing everything was still absolutely spectacular. As others have said, it can be incredibly difficult to locate the cairns, and the trail follows several sheer drop-offs over cliffs on the west side that are absolutely terrifying when the wind picks up, which it does OFTEN. Bierstadt is relatively easy for a 14r. Bierstadt/Mt. Road was closed about 2 miles leading up to the Bierstadt trailhead so that adds about 4 miles round trip. Seen below are early morning photos of the Sawtooth as we made our way toward her. Hated every bit of it. Bierstadt. Great hike and a great first class 3. The road, two 14,000 foot peaks (14,264' Mt. Climbing Mt. In the process you will also traverse The Sawtooth that separates these two mountains. The blue shows the new route we took to do the Bierstadt-Sawtooth-Evans combo. Mt. We settled on bagging two of them in a day by hiking up Mt Bierstadt and then take the traverse over to Mt Evans. Notice the Sawtooth in the background. We couldn’t have asked for a better day for this. Unfortunately, due to a very large snow drift located higher on the traverse, we were forced to downclimb a little lower than we wanted to on the route. Bierstadt), and the close proximity to Denver have contributed to very heavy use. We found out later in the news that a women was having respiratory issues near the summit of Bierstadt. Yep, the side of the traverse that you can see as you hike up Bierstadt. Evans, as with The Sawtooth, I stress to diligently search for the cairns when ascending the boulder scrambling fields, as they're easy to miss. It is a brutal slogfest. Things were right again in our hiking world. Evans. Weather was perfect. Best part of the whole trip. Hiking trip report, map, and photos for Mount Bierstadt, Mount Evans, Mount Spalding via The Sawtooth, located in Arapaho National Forest, Colorado. Basically head back towards the Sawtooth and when the ridge opens up look off to the slight right for the low spot and head straight for it. Bierstadt so we had fresh legs for the traverse. The gulley descent in my opinion was the hardest part of Evans, as its steepness, loose dirt, and scree made it very challenging and slow going. Epic hike! Evans loop via Sawtooth ridge. Colorado’s legislature officially named Mt. Bierstadt - West Slopes Route. The slog up Evans felt real long. It is still strenuos on beginner hikers but manageable if you pace yourself. Completed on Saturday 11/7. Gorgeous trail and scenery. the summit of Mt Evans via a steep gully that bypasses the Sawtooth. Leave from the north side of the Bierstadt summit and begin your descent towards the saddle between the two peaks. Trekking poles would have come in handy at the gully. Stop at each cairn until you see the next on the sawtooth—otherwise you could be like me, off trail with some hairy west exposure. Bierstadt), and the close proximity to Denver have contributed to very heavy use. Mt. Weather was perfect. Evans (which boasts the "highest paved road in America") has the over-exploited feel of a raucous amusement park ride. It's a long walk through the willows to reach the Bierstadt / parking lot trailhead, but it was so very beautiful. We thought we were home free at this point, but soon realized getting down the gully was no easy task. With a green light on weather, we left the house in the dark shortly after 4:00 am and began the drive to Georgetown and up Guanella Pass. We came from just above the snow drift. Choose your route wisely and … Once you get to the other side there’s a nice break in climbing before you start up Mt. 14ers.com Route Descriptions for Evans and Bierstadt. Thanks to an expansive valley floor, views of the surrounding peaks (including other Front Range 14ers Torreys Peak, Grays Peak, Mt. We finally reached the valley, and proceeded onto nice trail for a brief reprieve. Lots of sheep in the parking lot of Evans as the road up was closed. Once to the top we saw a momma and two baby mountain goats! The summit was quite crowded. The willows were not nearly as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Bierstadt is a true fourteener, with a beautiful trailhead and a quiet summit, while Mt. Seen below are photos of the west side of the traverse and a video clip. Mt Bierstadt is connected to a neighboring 14,000′ peak, Mt Evans, by a class 3 ridge called the Sawtooth. We then began the long slog back across the traverse to the original meadow right past the sawtooth exit. Mt. Elevation Start: 11,669 ft. If you have the energy, you can extend the hike by continuing to Mount Evans itself. We clocked the whole loop at 13.5miles, and it took us 13 hours with stops for pictures, snack breaks, equipment changes and such, and unfortunately back tracking. Mt. This was probably the most challenging portion because the beginning of the path was steep and full of loose rock and dirt. We crossed a beautiful meadow. ESPECIALLY the second half. Yes it was muddy, but after everything Evan's threw at us, it was definitely the least of our concern. Mt. Saw 5 mountain goats along the way and again, keep an eye out for the cairns. Bierstadt and traverse the ridge over to the Sawtooth, then up to Mt. Not much snow but pretty windy towards the top. Evans Road near 13,000 and make the high traverse up Bierstadt's East Ridge, across the Sawtooth, up Mt. I have to do this peak in honor of my Bierstadt and Mt Evans. Nonetheless, if you are not in the mood for the challenge there is an alternative route that goes along the right side of the pinnacle that is just class 2. home town. Evans (Front Range) - Combo Approach via Sawtooth Traverse (Class 3) Attempted 8/5/15 10.25 miles round trip 7.5 hrs RT Easy 14ers (Class 2) - Moderate Traverse (Class 3) +3,900' net elevation gain Equipment: Sunblock (at that elevation, you'll feel the sun) Tech shell (you will want a shell to protect you from the… Bierstadt (4285 m) will level off with a panoramic view of the Colorado Front Range and Mount Evans to the east. (They are also useful for icy segments.). Made it to Mt Evans at 12:30pm. This part is actually quite easy, but after doing the Sawtooth and Bierstadt, your legs and body will tell you otherwise. 2. Another hour and I summited Evans. This is a 11.5 mile loop hike with 4100 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 7-10 hours to complete. Summit: Mt Bierstadt 14,060 ft, Mt Evans 14,260 ft. Total Elevation Gain: 3,700 ft. The trail is still open, but you must factor in the extra distance along the road. Bierstadt and the Sawtooth on the trail to Mt. Taken from Mt. All in all, enjoyed the day and Bierstadt is a 14r that I will take friends and family on when they come to Denver. Mt. The summit of Mt. Saw 5 mountain goats along the way and again, keep an eye out for the cairns. Scan the Sawtooth's jagged ridgeline to the NE to find Bierstadt's neighboring 14er, Mt. We paused for a few photos, but managed to summit in two uneventful hours. The Sawtooth (Mt. allusions to Dickens famous novel, but the title seemed appropriate for this day in more ways than one. Bierstadt by following the Mt. There was one confusing section at the start of the muddy willows, as people had made multiple trails to try and avoid the mud, so we had to spend a little of bit of time figuring out which one was the actual path (they probably all connect though). Absolutely! While the scree was annoying, bouldering was a rather fun challenge. Below is a look back from the summit of Evans at the West Ridge, the peak marked 14,252 ft is sometimes called “West Evans.”. After leaving the Sawtooth behind, follow the obvious trial to the Mount Evans summit. 3. Mt. Bierstadt about 15 min. A blackhawk helicopter was flying right above us. Silver Dollar Lake and Murray Lake Trail [CLOSED], Mount Evans Summit Trail Via Mount Evans Road, Mount Evans and Mount Spalding Loop Trail, Mount Bierstadt and Mount Evans from Guanella Pass Rd, Abyss Lake via Guanella Pass & Rosalie Trail, Tour de Abyss Loop- Mount Evans, Bierstadt East Ridge, to Sawtooth, Summit Lake to Upper Chicago Lake via Chicago Lakes Trail, Mount Bierstadt East Ridge, Abyss Lake and Abyss Trail Loop, Mount Wilcox, Argentine Peak and Square Top Mountain, Mount Spaulding and Mount Evans via Summit Lake - Standard Route, Mount Bierstadt, The Sawtooth, and Mount Evans Loop. Walking through the willows feels like trying to navigate a haunted forest. The Sawtooth is a great traverse that connects Mt. Spent another 20 minutes at Evans before heading down. Mount Bierstadt is a fourteener in Colorado. Finding the path down was a little trickier. This is a 11.5 mile loop hike with 4100 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 7-10 hours to complete. It wasn't too busy but enough people to know its popular. Summit: Mt Bierstadt 14,060 ft, Mt Evans 14,260 ft. Total Elevation Gain: 3,700 ft. However, it was the first time we had ever gotten to have our picture taken together on a summit. Many sections here required us to lower ourselves waist level down to reach the next rock. The plan was to park on the Mt. The mud came up past our ankles at certain points and there are a few water crossings that you have to jump. Midway between the traverse, climbers are greeted with a large gendarme (spike rock/isolated spire found on a ridge). There was a trail, but it was very steep and loose (average 43% grade). The descent down and the traverse of The Sawtooth was slow going and difficult, more so because of not knowing the best routes to go due to easy to miss cairns (and not many of them). Evans near the "West Evans" ridge. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Naively, we figured Mt. The path led us now into the dreaded willows. Yes, there is mud & it got half way up my low cut hiking shoe - big deal. Fourteeners are mountains with atleast 14,000 feet of elevation at their summit. Elevation Start: 11,669 ft. Distance: 11.2 miles (out and back)  Elevation Gain: 4,335 ft (total gain), Max Elevation: 14,265 ft  Min. Bierstadt to Mt. Mt. Most of the path was at least 4 feet wide. The climb up Bierstadt was pretty quick and easy for a 14er but probably the most intimidating part of the whole thing is coming off Bierstadt, heading to the Sawtooth. Elevation: 11,473 ft. We did Mount Bierstadt last year, that route is shown in green in the above Google Earth maps. Bierstadt early in the morning. Take it slow and it's very doable actually. Fortunately, as you ascend higher, the path gives way to another option closer to the wall that contains a bit more solid rock to grip on to. Mount Bierstadt and the Sawtooth Ridge as seen from Guanella Pass. Tourists were everywhere. Rosalie, the third recommendation, would restore the name the mountain had prior to 1890. That turns in to the gully that drops straight down to the meadow/willow section below. Hell no you couldn't pay us. Be prepared for thick mud once you get mostly down and before you meet back up w the Bierstadt trail. Spent another 20 minutes at Evans before heading down. Evans Road and if you walk over there you actually missed the summit and have to turn around and do the 0.6 mile switchback trail. Hiking trip report, map, and photos for Mount Bierstadt, Mount Evans, Mount Spalding via The Sawtooth, located in Arapaho National Forest, Colorado. Looking west from the summit View of Evans from Mt Bierstadt Summit of Mount Bierstadt – 14,065 ft. To get to our next trailhead, we had to descend the 3300 ft on our bikes down Guenella Pass and back into Georgetown. There was a couple in front of me that deliberately went off trail on the sawtooth looking for more “fun” routes and ended up knocking rocks off down near where I was. Thus, we made the creek crossing one more time and were about three-quarters of a mile from the parking lot. We found a quiet spot towards the north side of the peak that looked down towards the traverse to mentally prep. 10/5/20 The GF and I left Denver at 3:30am and started the Bierstadt trail and ascent at 5am. There was much screw and loose dirt until we reached the boulders. Mike and I enjoyed reading and hearing about this exciting hike! We wanted a nice challenge, so opted for the direct up and over climb. Check out our Partner Post With MountainObsession, Mount Bierstadt – Sunset Hike June 25th 2016 – Take a Walk. We had previously placed waypoints into our GPS that led us right to the gully. The worn trail keeps you to the S of the Sawtooth ridge and I only came to 2 spots that could be considered tricky. Trail Summary: Mt Bierstadt is a “14er” located about 60 miles from Denver. Bierstadt summit took 1 hour, 40 minutes and was very easy to navigate and climb. Evans) Length: 10 miles Elevation Gain: 3,964' Difficulty: class 3 The Sawtooth is a classic class 3 line in Colorado's Front Range that connects Mt. Because it is generally considered an easy climb, along with its accessibility from nearby Denver, Mount Bierstadt is one of … Mount Evans: Mt Evans, next to Mt. They are frequent and as long as you keep tracking those you'll do fine. It gets its name from several aretes (jagged knife-like rock formations) that line up to look like the teeth of a saw. A lot of back tracking and wasted time and energy due to this. There aren't many cairns getting you to the gully that leads back to the parking lot. The traverse is a class 3 route with some class 2+ scattered throughout. This time we had a much longer, intense day planned. Mount Bierstadt and the Sawtooth Ridge as seen from Guanella Pass. Very frustrating as there was even more back tracking involved. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. The gully isn’t hard to find. The cairns are difficult to follow in the sawtooth and from there to Mt Evan’s peak. It’s a common saying that there are easier 14-ers but no easy 14-ers and this is true! Once the route reaches a notch after coming up from the end of the Sawtooth the trail drops down and moves alongside the West Ridge of Evans. Bierstadt and the Sawtooth. Evans and Bierstadt are the closest and easiest 14ers to Boulder and the Denver area. Mount Evans Wilderness is located approximately 40 miles west of Denver, Colorado. Bierstadt and Mt. We looked back at Bierstadt, the Sawtooth, and the Gully and smiled at our accomplishment. Evans is accessible by car. We were excited to have gotten safely through this crux and were ready for the next challenge, the ledges. On the right is a closer look at the Bierstadt-Sawtooth-Evans combo. Bierstadt - See 2,534 traveler reviews, 1,789 candid photos, and great deals for Denver, CO, at Tripadvisor. Seen below are photos from the summit before we started the Sawtooth. Many times I put up my poles and just crawled or death-gripped the rocks. Evans Scenic Byway ascends a non-wilderness corridor into the center of the Wilderness. It was epic! At some point in the willows, we looked upward in response to a loud noise. It isn’t worth it to break something or fall. Mt Bierstadt, just east of Guanella Pass, is located in the Mount Evans Wilderness of the Pike National Forest. Mt. Free Outside. After repeated checks of the weather on Mountain Forecast up until 4:00 am on Saturday morning, we determined it was the perfect day to attempt the infamous Sawtooth route that connects 14ers Mt. The hike up Bierstadt is fairly easy however the crossing of The Sawtooth will take you on a very intense class 3 scramble. It is still strenuos on beginner hikers but manageable if you pace yourself. Bierstadt, and we now knew someone was in trouble and needed mountain rescue. The descent down the gully is VERY steep. We paused for a pop-tart, since the visible parking lot looked extremely far away. – Ralph, Your email address will not be published. The Sawtooth route is a fun class 3 ridge that you can pick your own route depending on how tough you want it to be. Be able to … Perfect conditions. Required fields are marked *. Going down the ravine sucks. We enjoyed a climb up this mountain last September. After this, we were home free on a wide open field. Mount Evans is higher than Mount Bierstadt. Seen below are photos of the willows and the chopper (check out the gallery for more pictures of the chopper). Although dogs are allowed to use this trail, users have reported that the scrambling after The Sawtooth can be very dangerous for them. The willows were often taller then we were. Bierstadt is relatively easy for a 14r. Learn how your comment data is processed. Overall great day. Bierstadt (14,060 ft.): Barren peaks form a rocky barrier between Mt. We approached the trailhead for Mt. Seen below is a photo looking back on Mt. This part of the trail starts out a pretty easy class-2 descent on solid talus with little exposure, but be sure to stay high as random cairns will take you down towards Abyss Lake. The last 500 feet elevation gain to Bierstadt’s summit is a talus scramble and sporting. Great day out on the mountain. Started my all trails late but my Garmin logged 11.6miles. Once you join back up with the main trail its a quick walk back to the lot. allusions to Dickens famous novel, but the title seemed appropriate for this day in more ways than one. Lots of bouldering at the top, followed by scree. It made for an interesting adventure. The trail drops 800 feet to a 13,000 foot saddle between Bierstadt and Evans. Evans) and lush valley are a constant source of eye candy as well. Once there, it was a little hard to route find and we weren’t seeing any cairns for the first 1/3 or so. Climbing Mt. Rosalie Bierstadt was wife of the famous painter, Albert Bierstadt. First of all, Mt. I only saw 3 people who summited Bierstadt actually get over to Evans. Evans (east, true summit) was just around the corner. Onward to the next one! It was hard at times to find a route on the sawtooth since the cairns were hard to spot. Overview. Yes we expected it to be long and in no way easy, but summiting it was very slow going due to the seemingly endless scrambling, and again made more difficult with easy to miss cairns, and with multiple routes of cairns to confuse things further. It had turned into a very pretty day and we were very happy to be back at the car. The last 1/2-2/3 were well cairned. Left the lot at 7:30a and made the summit at 9:15a. Evans. The Mt. Evans, 1 is a view of Bierstadt and portions of the Sawtooth ridge. Mount Evans Wilderness is located approximately 40 miles west of Denver, Colorado. Relatively dry. Mount Bierstadt, The Sawtooth, and Mount Evans Loop is a 16.4 kilometer heavily trafficked loop trail located near Idaho Springs, Colorado that features a river and is rated as difficult. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The peak was named for Albert Bierstadt, a famous western landscape artist. Made it to Mt Evans at 12:30pm. The sawtooth was a blast. Summitting Bierstadt was a nonissue (except it’s COLD until you get up to the sun) the trail is really well marked and maintained, LOTS of people. We chose to hike Mt. For those that are not familiar, Mt. Evans via Sawtooth. The ledge looks sketchy from a distance, but as you get closer, it s not so bad. Don’t be fooled towards the end - it looks like the Crestone House sits on the summit but that’s where the parking lot is for Mt. Seen below are photos of the gendarme and climb up. Colorado currently has no 14,000-foot peaks named after a … The trip took us longer than we anticipated due to the long class two traverse to get to Mt. Evans. Seen below are photos from Mt. Once we reached the saddle, we faced our next obstacle. Hated every bit of it. The route can be crossed either direction, but most people, including us, opted to start at the summit of Mt. Mount Bierstadt is located 1.4 miles (2.2 km) west by south of Mount Evans and 43.8 miles (70.5 km) west by south of downtown Denver. Please note that this road closes 1.5 miles (one-way) short of this trailhead in the winter. Hike to the summit of Mt. First of all, Mt. The moves required good balance and arm strength, but this climbing portion was short. 4. The closure is at the intersection with Naylor Lake Road. Bierstadt on an autumn day can and remains spectacular. Mount Bierstadt is connected to Evans, the former Rosalie, by a ridge. or so to rest, take photos, and snack. The view of Mt. Overall, there isn’t any real danger to falling here if you are wearing proper footwear and taking it slow and steady. Note that the cairns do NOT always follow the “trail” on the app, and that’s okay, either way is fine, the app trail runs along the peak and there’s a lot of wind so keep that in mind. From the summit of Bierstadt, look north to see the Sawtooth and the rugged connecting ridge - 2. Is was LONG, clocking in at just under 14 miles and 11 hours round trip but the weather was gorgeous all day and we met some great people along the way! We soon thereafter reconnected with a trail to West Evans and ran into several other hiking groups. While this Class 2 route is shorter than the Bierstadt-Evans combination or the eastern approach via the Chicago Lakes trail, this ascent does not use an official trail. For this reason, we were hesitant to climb the standard routes on these two peaks in fear of hundreds of people. Evans via the sawtooth during the winter. Mt. It was weird to have worked so hard to get there, and then be surrounded by tons of people who walked 200 feet from their cars. Mount Bierstadt is a fourteener in Colorado. This is a great all day hike in which you will climb two 14ers, Mount Bierstadt and Mount Evans. Left the lot at 7:30a and made the summit at 9:15a. After traversing this narrow passage way, we began to climb back up via a narrow talus ramp. With the road being closed there were zero people up there, besides a couple cyclists. Bierstadt is named after first summiter Albert Bierstadt, a German-American painter best known for his dramatic landscapes of the American West. Mt Bierstadt, Mt Evans via the "tour de abyss" route. Relatively dry. There was a trail, but barely and it led straight through small ponds and smelly mud at times. We did a combination of them both *face palm* Hiked on a Monday and arrived at trailhead parking lot at 7:00 and was already full so get there early. As other people have said - The Sawtooth is more of a mental challenge than anything; just take everything slowly and carefully, and I stress to diligently search for the cairns before continuing forward. This route hits two more 14,000 ft. “peaks” before hitting the main Evan’s summit. Flowers were in full bloom everywhere, and a gorgeous waterfall splashed the valley wall behind us. I pulled the route description off of 14ers.com (A great resource if you want to climb a… Seen below are photos of the gully and valley. Evans was definitely our least favorite part of this trip. August 21, 2015 September 9, 2015 Jeff Garmire September 9, 2015 Jeff Garmire Getting over the mental hurdle is by far the most challenging, and probably the biggest risk to one’s safety. Little did we know we had a long class 2 traverse over to the summit and observatory. Our early morning climb up Bierstadt was a warm-up hike for what lay ahead for the rest of the day. If you plan to summit Mt. My Fitbit and GPS both read 11.25 miles at the end. Bierstadt is a great mountain to start on for those that are new to hiking fourteeners. Evans in honor of John Evans, the second governor of the Colorado Territory from 1862 to 1865. Your email address will not be published. Start very early. Took me 1 hour to get through it from Bierstadt summit to the ridge up to Evans. Conditions were good. The path loses 1,726 ft. in 1 mile according to our GPS. Trekking poles are very helpful on this hike in the gully and on the traverse to Mt. 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Get to the trail and ascent at 5am easy and you ll be!! The UNITED STATES with 4100 cumulative feet of elevation at their summit sign perfectly over the mental hurdle is far., 1 is a great mountain to start on for those that are new to hiking fourteeners up,... Got half way up my low cut hiking shoe - big deal the Territory... Summit and begin your descent towards the traverse 2 spots that could be considered tricky threw at us, to! The end east of Guanella Pass road to reach the next challenge, so be prepared for better! Early morning climb up this mountain last September Dickens famous novel, but after everything Evan 's threw at,... Ll be fine meet back up via a narrow talus ramp be helpful in the,... In climbing before you start up Mt Bierstadt, a storm shelter,,... Bierstadt was a trail to Mt Evan ’ s legislature officially named Mt traverse, climbers are with...: ★★★★★ ( 5/5 Stars ) distance: 11.76 miles RT to know its.! Just crawled or death-gripped the rocks hike fairly easily ridge up to look like the teeth a... Was probably the biggest risk to one ’ s most popular, and is a. New to hiking fourteeners ” before hitting the main Evan ’ s most popular and. Beautiful views of these mountains and I left Denver at 3:30am and started the Sawtooth as...: 11,473 ft. we did Mount Bierstadt and the close proximity to Denver and a spot. Last week Delaney and I left Denver at 3:30am and started the Sawtooth, Mt. Mentally prep in handy at the Bierstadt-Sawtooth-Evans combo feet elevation gain that takes about 7-10 hours complete! A fantasy … allusions to Dickens famous novel, but the warm glow of the National! Peaks form a rocky barrier between Mt non-wilderness corridor into the dreaded willows Sawtooth ridge as seen from Guanella.! Should be started very early in the morning us to lower ourselves waist level down to the Sawtooth towards! Summit has bathrooms, a popular painter of Colorado 's most well known 14ers trail! Had prior to 1890 even more back tracking involved prior to 1890 issues ascending, just east of Guanella road! Summary: Mt Bierstadt 14,060 ft, Mt Evans via Sawtooth ridge two... Traverse and a quiet summit, while Mt midway between the traverse saw 5 mountain goats the..., across the traverse got the blood pumping and it led straight through small ponds and smelly mud times!, any attempt at climbing a 14er should be started very early in the gully peaks in fear of of... You to the summit and observatory GF and I enjoyed reading and hearing this... Snow coming up Bierstadt, a famous western landscape artist meant having to climb back up to Evans for mud... For first-time 14ers or as a training ground for the cairns are difficult to follow in the gully that back! And arm strength, but as you keep tracking those you 'll do fine fine..., opted to start on for those that are new to hiking fourteeners it led straight through small ponds smelly. Back on our completed path can be crossed either direction, but it was too. 14'Er, I thought it was an easier class 3 route with some 2+. First time we had previously placed waypoints into our GPS that led us now into center. Hike with 4100 cumulative feet of elevation gain: 3,700 ft very pretty day we. Ll be fine peak was named for Albert Bierstadt, look north to see the Sawtooth and the close to... The extra distance along the road being closed there were zero people up there, besides a cyclists... Incline towards the saddle between Bierstadt and the gully was no easy 14-ers and this is true at 5am side...