Evans trip report

Up at 3AM and on the road by 3:30AM, felt like I was back in the Army! Anyways, arrived at the Summit Lake trailhead (via the USA's highest paved road) around 6:30AM and was greeted by a constant high wind and near freezing temps. Thought about just driving up all the way to the top of Evans but wouldn't allow myself to be such a wus. Still, I was glad I brought a lot of extra clothes.

Had planned on bagging Evans and then cutting across the Sawtooth Ridge to hit Mt. Bierstadt. But I was having major second thoughts about that Ridge, both from the lousy conditions that had recently been reported and the fact that I'm a fairly inexperienced mountaineer.

After about an hour of very steep but otherwise easy hiking, I arrived at the top of Mount Evans. There was a crowd about 100 feet below where the parking lot is, but none of those lazy wankers were gonna walk the extra quarter mile up to the actual peak, so for a while I sat alone at 14,264 feet with a Philly blunt and cold PBR! At that height, and with the weather conditions, I was able to actually watch clouds forming.

Not long after I had finished my cigar, a park ranger came up to the peak and I talked to him for a while about crossing the Sawtooth. He STRONGLY recommended that I not do it, due to the weather report (possible T-storms) and the snow on the ridge. He made it pretty clear that he would be pissed if he had to come save my ass. But he did suggest a great alternate route, that would get me in some great bouldering above 14000 feet and allow me to bag Mt. Spalding (one of the Centennial Peaks, aka Colorado's top 100 peaks). While talking to the ranger, I heard a weather report come over the radio, and at the peak it was 38 degrees, which was significantly warmer than at Summit Lake where I had started.

Anyways, I decided to take his advice. The pic above was taken by the ranger, and that's me at the peak of Mt. Evans. In my immediate background, you can see the route I took over to Mt. Spalding. Most of that route was well above the elevation of Pikes Peak, then you drop quickly before a short climb back up to Spalding. Still a very tough trek, but a mistake here probably wouldn't end fatally like it would on the Sawtooth Ridge. Turned out to be a fantastic hike, though I did have to stop frequently to catch my breath.

On top of Spalding I ran into two hikers who were on their way to Evans. It was gonna be the 29th 14er that one of 'em had climbed, and he told me he still wouldn't do the Sawtooth Ridge. So I'm kinda glad I decided to bail on that.

From Spalding it's an easy, well carined hike back down to Summit Lake. Total time for the climb was 4:54, but that included the long break I took at the top of Evans.

Chilled at the lake for a bit, then made the white-knuckle drive back down Evans Road and into Idaho Springs, where I enjoyed a couple 'o brews and some killer garlic fries from the Tommyknocker Brewery.

Took some pics from the journey, and they're available here.