"Adventures": Bierstadt

Mount Bierstadt one of the Colorado 14ers (14,060 ft elevation) and a companion mountain to Mount Evans is located just west of Denver and south of I70. We planned to summit it on a Saturday morning with some friends of ours while we were living in Colorado Springs. Since we had learned from previous hikes that spending the night before the hike at an elevation higher than 10,000 feet always makes the hike go easier we decided to camp in a nearby Forest Service campgrounds and meet our friends at the trial head at 7:00am in the morning.

We left work early and drove through Denver, west on I70 and arrived early evening on Friday before the hike. we set up camp for the evening and proceded to have Happy Hour.

From Bierstadt

It was a bit cool at this high elevation but it was a nice evening. we walked around that campgrounds and climbed into the tent early. We had to be up fed and going to meet our hiking partners by 7:00.

The next morning was brisk as we headed off down the service road to Guanella Pass and the trail head for the climb. When we arrived the trail head was quite crowded. It seems a lot of people were going to summit Bierstadt today. We finally located our friends, rigged our packs and were off down the trail.

The approach to the mountain follows a wetland and Scott Gomer Creek through a valley before it starts climbing up the west side of the mountain.

From Bierstadt

As you start to make your way up the many switchbacks crossing the western face the view of wetlands below looks quite different than when you were walking through trying to avoid getting your feet wet.

From Bierstadt

Just before we get to the final rocky summit stretch we stopped for a break and admired the view

From Bierstadt

Like many of the 14 thousand foot summits of Colorado the last piece of the trail involves picking your way over broken rocks trying to find the trail markers.

From Bierstadt

Looks like a few people beat us to the top

From Bierstadt

Lunch and a well earned rest is in order at the top, and of course the pictues and views.

From Bierstadt

For those that crave an even higher level of adventure the trail continues on along the Sawtooth ridge (in photo below)and you can get to the top of Mount Evens roughly 2 miles away.

From Bierstadt

We had thought about trying for Mount Evans and make this a double, but it was already 1:00pm in the afternoon and the clouds were moving in. The one place you do not want to be in a lightning storm is on the summit of a 14thousand foot peak. We could see in the distance in the next valley lighting strikes. Time to get out of here!