Route Climbed: From Summit Lake, From Guanella Pass Date Climbed: July - September
I've done this mountain twice, from Guanella Pass late enough in the fall when the infamous willow bog was frozen, and a few years later with Aaron, from Summit Lake on Mount Evans, when we climbed the east side, which, in my opinion, is MUCH more interesting than the traditional--and easier--ascent from Guanella Pass.
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: July 11, 2004
Great hike, very gentle out of the car. Quite a few folks out on this nice Sunday morning. Not too much to look at, but the view of the basin on the north side is very nice. Climbed in conjuction with Evan's via the Sawtooth. Cheers!
Route Climbed: Guanella Pass Date Climbed: July 8, 2004
My 3rd time on the summit. Hiked with usual compadre Andy, his dad Steve, who amazingly had arthroscopic knee surgery 2 weeks ago, and brother Dave who is only 9 years old. Great weather and as much time as we wanted alone on the summit. Can't ask for much more.
Route Climbed: (i) West Flank, (ii) Sawtooth Ridge from Mt Evans' West Ridge
I have a soft spot in my heart for Mount Bierstadt: my first solo-14er; my first ridge traverse; the mountain I take people up for their first taste of high Colorado. It's pretty, the views down onto your quotidian are great (Denver looks like a toy city--or am I thinking of the view from Evans?), as are they in the other direction. Try this one as a first and you'll really feel you're onto something great, and you probably are.
I'll be back again this Friday, popping another friend's 14er-cherry.
Route Climbed: SE Ridge from Mt Evans Highway Date Climbed: July 27, 2001
Great route - my first Class 3. We continued on to the Sawtooth and over Evans back to the car. The only places we saw people were on top of both peaks.
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: June 5, 2004
Made the summit in an easy 2.0 hours, with about 1.5 hours back to my car. Very nice trail - easy to follow all of the way. There was some hard-packed snow near the last portion of the route.
My only complaint was the amount of dogs that were unleashed! Seems just about everyone thought the two signs at the trailhead (All Dogs must be leashed) did not apply to them, or they were above all of that.
There also was loads of people on the trail, at a late starting point in the day no less. Some people did not even know where the mountain was, or if they were on the right trail. Go figure!
There was a little wind at the summit, but that was early and it was picking up as I came down. The views were nice - you can see Pikes, Holy Cross, Quandary, Longs, Torreys & Grays, and a nice view of South Park. All in all, a good hike.
Route Climbed: West Slopes Date Climbed: May 16th 2004
An easy way to the summit, plenty of snow ,5 hours roud trip, strong winds when you reach the X with the south ridge. Splendid view from the summit:Torreys, Grays, Evans, Pikes and all the big ones , the neighbouring The Sawtooth is very special.
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: August 2003
Probably saw about 300 people here on this Saturday in August. Much fewer than that once I got onto the Sawtooth, though. All these horror stories about the willows and now they have nice walkways through it!
Route Climbed: Guanella Pass Date Climbed: September 8, 2003
A gorgeous day with a beautiful layer of fresh snow. I convinced my bro and pop to come along on this one. Nearing the top the weather was looking a little menacing, but we summited and it ended up being nothing. My father succeeded in climbing his first 14er at 56 years old. The next day he felt fine whereas my bro and I were a little worse for the wear. I don't think I'll be able to convince the bro to join me again, but he enjoyed it anyway. A great beginning 14er.
Route Climbed: West Slope (Guanella Pass) Date Climbed: 1964!
This was my first mountain climb, at the age of 9. I wasn't quite hooked until a few years later, but my first climb was really a fun one. We had to bushwhack a path through the willows at that time. Have climbed Bierstadt twice since then, always with children.
Route Climbed: West Slope (Guanella Pass) Date Climbed: September 28, 2002
A neat hike since I was a co-leader for a school outing. Had some nasty weather but everyone had a blast and all but one made the summit! Bierstadt is a great beginner peak and hopefully will get many more addicted to the mountains of CO
Route Climbed: From Abyss Lake Date Climbed: June 9, 2001
Great snow climb and good work by the little bro even though he is a "flatlander"!! Also climbed from Guanella Pass on June 17, 2006 with Kara, Aslyn (7 months old), Chris, Aimee, Yukon, and Denali!
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: July 31, 2002
We dropped a car at Guanella Pass and started hiking from the Burning Bear Campground. This trail leisurely ascends the forested Scott Gomer Creek drainage before reaching a junction with the Rosalie Trail. We stayed on our trail until we neared the heart-shaped, unnamed lake with a given elevation of 11,730'. From there, we ascended grassy slopes to reach Bierstadt's east ridge. It isn't reasonable to take a direct ascent of the east ridge from its base because a massive headwall forms its eastern terminus. From there we had easy class 2 hiking until we went up and over a hump. in the ridge, revealing the crux of this third-class climb. After some interesting routefinding, we were beyond the crux, and had more easy class 2 for the remainder of the ridge to Bierstadt's summit. We descended Bierstadt's standard route to Guanella Pass, retrieving the car we left earlier. A trip report is available here.
Route Climbed: Guenella Pass and Sawtooth (once, at night!) Date Climbed: July 4, 2000 (initialy) September 2000, December 2001, December 2002, Febuary 2003 (since)
Bierdstadt is a fun and managable mountain. Accesable yearround it is a place to introduce friends to both hiking and scrambling routes on a mountain. The chance to drive up the Mount Evans highway to the summit of Mount Evans on an early autumn afternnoon, scramble across the Sawtooth to witness a spectacular sunset, scramble back by the light of the moon to return to your car, might not be the most traditional way to climb a mountain; but it is a sweet way to spend an afternoon after work appreciating something that many Coloradans take for granted.
Saintgrizzly - Jul 29, 2004 1:31 am
Route Climbed: From Summit Lake, From Guanella Pass Date Climbed: July - SeptemberI've done this mountain twice, from Guanella Pass late enough in the fall when the infamous willow bog was frozen, and a few years later with Aaron, from Summit Lake on Mount Evans, when we climbed the east side, which, in my opinion, is MUCH more interesting than the traditional--and easier--ascent from Guanella Pass.
Andrew McKenzie - Jul 19, 2004 2:32 am
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: July 11, 2004Great hike, very gentle out of the car. Quite a few folks out on this nice Sunday morning. Not too much to look at, but the view of the basin on the north side is very nice. Climbed in conjuction with Evan's via the Sawtooth. Cheers!
kcmule - Jul 11, 2004 7:57 pm
Route Climbed: Guanella Pass Date Climbed: July 8, 2004My 3rd time on the summit. Hiked with usual compadre Andy, his dad Steve, who amazingly had arthroscopic knee surgery 2 weeks ago, and brother Dave who is only 9 years old. Great weather and as much time as we wanted alone on the summit. Can't ask for much more.
Ratballs - Jun 22, 2004 8:29 pm
Route Climbed: (i) West Flank, (ii) Sawtooth Ridge from Mt Evans' West RidgeI have a soft spot in my heart for Mount Bierstadt: my first solo-14er; my first ridge traverse; the mountain I take people up for their first taste of high Colorado. It's pretty, the views down onto your quotidian are great (Denver looks like a toy city--or am I thinking of the view from Evans?), as are they in the other direction. Try this one as a first and you'll really feel you're onto something great, and you probably are.
I'll be back again this Friday, popping another friend's 14er-cherry.
lostman - Jun 9, 2004 2:58 pm
Route Climbed: West Slopes Date Climbed: May 8, 2004A wonderful, wonderful day!
lostman - Jun 9, 2004 2:57 pm
Route Climbed: SE Ridge from Mt Evans Highway Date Climbed: July 27, 2001Great route - my first Class 3. We continued on to the Sawtooth and over Evans back to the car. The only places we saw people were on top of both peaks.
mr_g - Jun 7, 2004 8:42 am
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: June 5, 2004Made the summit in an easy 2.0 hours, with about 1.5 hours back to my car. Very nice trail - easy to follow all of the way. There was some hard-packed snow near the last portion of the route.
My only complaint was the amount of dogs that were unleashed! Seems just about everyone thought the two signs at the trailhead (All Dogs must be leashed) did not apply to them, or they were above all of that.
There also was loads of people on the trail, at a late starting point in the day no less. Some people did not even know where the mountain was, or if they were on the right trail. Go figure!
There was a little wind at the summit, but that was early and it was picking up as I came down. The views were nice - you can see Pikes, Holy Cross, Quandary, Longs, Torreys & Grays, and a nice view of South Park. All in all, a good hike.
DaveC - May 20, 2004 9:10 pm
Route Climbed: from guanella pass Date Climbed: april 96first 14er, missed calendar winter, but it was definitely winter! w/shon and G, it was warm up top despite freezing winds on the ascent.
carloselbrus - May 16, 2004 9:33 pm
Route Climbed: West Slopes Date Climbed: May 16th 2004An easy way to the summit, plenty of snow ,5 hours roud trip, strong winds when you reach the X with the south ridge. Splendid view from the summit:Torreys, Grays, Evans, Pikes and all the big ones , the neighbouring The Sawtooth is very special.
sbkelley - May 12, 2004 6:25 pm
Route Climbed: West Slope Date Climbed: August 2003Probably saw about 300 people here on this Saturday in August. Much fewer than that once I got onto the Sawtooth, though. All these horror stories about the willows and now they have nice walkways through it!
amanda&matt - May 11, 2004 3:24 pm
Route Climbed: Guanella Pass Date Climbed: May 8, 2004The most amazing day on a most amazing mountain. A's first 14er. A very religious experience for both of us.
Chris - May 8, 2004 8:11 pm
Route Climbed: West Slopes Date Climbed: May 08, 2004; July 04, 2004May: I intended to cross the Sawtooth Ridge to Evans too, but there was a lot of deep unconsolidated snow on the ridge, so I bailed on that idea.
Great day, very warm conditions, lightly overcast.
July: Nice day, quick run up the west slopes with my wife.
WhereAmI - Apr 23, 2004 3:23 am
Route Climbed: Guanella Pass Date Climbed: September 8, 2003A gorgeous day with a beautiful layer of fresh snow. I convinced my bro and pop to come along on this one. Nearing the top the weather was looking a little menacing, but we summited and it ended up being nothing. My father succeeded in climbing his first 14er at 56 years old. The next day he felt fine whereas my bro and I were a little worse for the wear. I don't think I'll be able to convince the bro to join me again, but he enjoyed it anyway. A great beginning 14er.
Larry V - Apr 20, 2004 8:44 pm
Route Climbed: West Slope (Guanella Pass) Date Climbed: 1964!This was my first mountain climb, at the age of 9. I wasn't quite hooked until a few years later, but my first climb was really a fun one. We had to bushwhack a path through the willows at that time. Have climbed Bierstadt twice since then, always with children.
Ryan Kowalski - Apr 19, 2004 4:35 pm
Route Climbed: West Slope (Guanella Pass) Date Climbed: September 28, 2002A neat hike since I was a co-leader for a school outing. Had some nasty weather but everyone had a blast and all but one made the summit! Bierstadt is a great beginner peak and hopefully will get many more addicted to the mountains of CO
f360driver - Apr 14, 2004 6:35 pm
Route Climbed: From Abyss Lake Date Climbed: 6/7/03Busy summit. Climbed this one on my way to Evans via the sawtooth ridge.
coloradoiceclimber - Apr 10, 2004 3:50 pm
Route Climbed: From Abyss Lake Date Climbed: June 9, 2001Great snow climb and good work by the little bro even though he is a "flatlander"!! Also climbed from Guanella Pass on June 17, 2006 with Kara, Aslyn (7 months old), Chris, Aimee, Yukon, and Denali!
RyanS - Apr 8, 2004 2:17 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: July 31, 2002We dropped a car at Guanella Pass and started hiking from the Burning Bear Campground. This trail leisurely ascends the forested Scott Gomer Creek drainage before reaching a junction with the Rosalie Trail. We stayed on our trail until we neared the heart-shaped, unnamed lake with a given elevation of 11,730'. From there, we ascended grassy slopes to reach Bierstadt's east ridge. It isn't reasonable to take a direct ascent of the east ridge from its base because a massive headwall forms its eastern terminus. From there we had easy class 2 hiking until we went up and over a hump. in the ridge, revealing the crux of this third-class climb. After some interesting routefinding, we were beyond the crux, and had more easy class 2 for the remainder of the ridge to Bierstadt's summit. We descended Bierstadt's standard route to Guanella Pass, retrieving the car we left earlier. A trip report is available here.
JonBradford - Mar 29, 2004 7:58 pm
Route Climbed: Guenella Pass and Sawtooth (once, at night!) Date Climbed: July 4, 2000 (initialy) September 2000, December 2001, December 2002, Febuary 2003 (since)Bierdstadt is a fun and managable mountain. Accesable yearround it is a place to introduce friends to both hiking and scrambling routes on a mountain. The chance to drive up the Mount Evans highway to the summit of Mount Evans on an early autumn afternnoon, scramble across the Sawtooth to witness a spectacular sunset, scramble back by the light of the moon to return to your car, might not be the most traditional way to climb a mountain; but it is a sweet way to spend an afternoon after work appreciating something that many Coloradans take for granted.
Jon
MtnWoman - Mar 26, 2004 12:04 am
Route Climbed: Standard West Face Date Climbed: 2/14/04First 14er climbed, and a winter ascent to boot. The incredible views were well worth the effort.