Approach, Map & TotalsTake the Mt. Evans road from Echo Lake to Summit Lake, a 14 mile drive. You'll have to pay a user fee if you plan on using any of the facilities, such as parking or toilets. Theoretically, if you park somewhere off to the side of the road and do not use the facilities, you do not have to pay the fee. The pay station is at the beginning of the Mt. Evans road as it leaves the Squaw Pass Road.
Admittedly skeptical at first, I've seen positive results from the fee system on Mt. Evans.
Park at or near Summit Lake. The earlier your start from home, the better your parking spot will be. During the summer, a late arrival might mean a packed parking lot, but look around for parking at various places along the road as well. Be sure to park well off the road without damaging any of the tundra. You'll need to start early anyway, despite the short length, to avoid the afternoon weather show Evans loves to put on.
(See route profile below, supplied by SP member Odysseus
Mount Evans Loop
3.7 miles, 1,829 feet GAIN
Can be executed in either direction, great for beginning climbers and a quick outing. The blue line is one of several optional climbing or bail routes.
TOPO! edit and embellishments by Aaron Johnson
Route Description  
From your car, hike north along the lake shore on a tourist trail to the saddle overlooking Chicago Lakes Basin. Strike west toward the ridge leading up Mt. Spaulding. If you're lucky, you'll get to mingle with the Evans mountain goat herd along the way. There is a climber's trail that winds up through some fun Class 2 stuff. This is a good place to improve rock climbing skills if you have not climbed previously. Many variations will present themselves along the route. Take the route you are most comfortable on, but if you can, stay on the used areas to minimize your impact on the landscape. Climb to the top of Mt. Spaulding. The steepness relents the higher you go. The summit is a jumble of boulders atop a sprawling expanse of tundra. Take a break, enjoy the view of Evans to the south and Bierstadt and the rest to the west.
    
Proceed south, staying near the edge of the Spaulding cliffs, dropping south down onto the flats between Spaulding and the Evans ridge. From here, one can continue west on a side trip to the tip of the Sawtooth across Class 1 tundra. This is an exciting place, and a good spot to get used to exposure. Bierstadt can also be climbed from here (see that route on the Bierstadt page). Return toward the Mt. Evans ridge to continue the loop.
Ascending the Mount Evans Ridge, the Sawtooth in the background
Photo by Aaron Johnson If the side trip to the Sawtooth is not in your plans, continue southward toward the soaring Mt. Evans ridge. From here, the climbing gets really interesting and fun. This is a great "clinic" for the uninitiated to learn about climbing and to determine what their current abilities and comfort with exposure are. There are cairned routes you can elect to follow, or you can pick your own variation. The closer to the edge and top of the ridge you are, the more difficult and exposed the climbing will be. A good course for beginners is to gradually gain altitude as you ascend the west side of the ridge. Always strive to gain altitude gradually. Do not descend on this route since terrain below actually gets steeper. For beginners, this will amount to nearly two hours of good practice climbing through a seemingly endless maze of climbing opportunities. Great views and photo ops will abound.
As the ridge winds toward the east, continue to get closer to the top as your group's comfort level allows. Eventually, the road will come into view. By this time, stay just below or on top of the ridge. Avoiding contact with the road will make it seem more like a climb. Some minor ups and downs along the ridge top will take you to the summit. Staying a bit lower will intersect with the tourist trail to the top, which is fine.
After your time on the summit, continue eastward. Avoid the trail and scramble down through a dramatic notch. You can peer down along the west face of the Evans eastern summit. This is another dramatic place where one can get used to great heights. From here, continue east and start dropping down the east side of the mountain. You'll be north of the Summit House parking lot. The Summit House used to be a tourist trap restaraunt that had the greatest greasy doughnuts for starving climbers to consume. It burned back in the 70s and is now a token attraction with some telescopes. The Mt. Evans observatory, the nation's highest, is just south of the Summit House.
 
As you descend through the boulder sprinkled slope, the highway will be seen below. Angle left, to the northeast as you drop. The closer to the ridge coming from the Evans east summit, the more involved your scrambling will be. Your starting point at the Summit Lake parking lot will come into view. Pick your route down and finish just before the outlet waters draining from Summit Lake under the road. In a wet year, follow the road back to the lot for the short distance. In dry years, you can cross the stream, but try to stay on rocks and minimize your impact on the tundra.
Total mileage is 3.7 miles, the halfway point being where you begin climbing the Mt. Evans ridge from the Sawtooth plateau. I've rated this great get-in-shape-climb Class 2+, but it can easily be kept at Class 2,or increased to Class 3 or even 4. The route can be done in reverse, which gets most of the climbing out of the way early on. Both work very well.
In the event of bad weather, which Evans is nortorious for, you'll see it coming and will see many opportunities to bail off the ridge and hike back to the lot along the shores of Summit Lake. For the inexperienced, a good bail point is just south of the half way point, just before the climb of the ridge itself. There is usually a large snow bank at the west end of Summit Lake. There are a number of places south of this snow field where a scramble to lower, safer ground is feasible. Bail options are fewer on Mt. Spaulding. If on the Evans ridge, it's best to keep going and stay on the route, since retreat in a practical direction from here is not possible. See the map in this route description (above) for a good bail option.
Evans is considered easy by most who climb it, but do not lose your respect for it. Evans is a powerful mountain that will teach you a hard lesson if need be. Because of the size, the Evans massif can make its own weather, and the storms can be violent. The north face cliffs below the ridge should not be underestimated. People have died climbing, parasailing and hang gliding in this area. Do not start this route in questionable weather.
Be sure to check out the pictures accompanying this description. They illustrate the terrain and conditions to expect on this climb.
Essential GearFor early season hikes, crampons and ice axe are good ideas. But since the road opens when conditions permit, this hike is usually done when snow is present in patches, so the usual hiking gear would be fine. Always bring clothing essential for winter conditions. I have done this hike many times to get in shape, and the weather always sees fit to contribute! Hand work is common, so be sure to have gloves, stocking cap, layered clothing and/or a coat. Invariably, the weather hits later in the hike, when you're most exposed to it, high on the ridge. BRING PLENTY OF WATER as there is no reliable water source on this route. Beginners should be sure to have a first aid kit and asprin for the inevitable bumps, scratches and headaches.
Mount Evans Mountain Goat HerdA large mountain goat herd calls the Mount Evans-Guanella Pass area home. Your chances of encountering members of the herd are pretty good during your visit. Bring your camera! Do not get too close, though, and do not harass the animals. You'll find them very used to human activity and far from camera shy. However, be advised that they are simply after the salt in your urine, and some may be brazen in collecting a sample. Getting too close, particularly to mamas or babies could also invite a defensive attack, so keep your distance and make no sudden moves or sounds.
The goats often linger along the Mount Evans road and the Summit Lake parking area, seeking the salt deposits in the gravel put on the road for traction. Drive by any goats you encounter slowly. Do not feed the goats.
The same precautions apply to Bighorn Sheep.
Photo by SP member mutant1
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