Leader in Training (LIT) Hike – Mt Bierstadt via West Slopes

Meet at Wooly Mammoth Park and Ride Sections AA for car pooling at 6:AM

Costs to carpool – Distance to/from Wooly Mammoth to Guanella Pass TH is 43 miles. Going CMC rate is .30 to .40/mile, divided by the number of passengers (no driver).

Directions To Trailhead: From the north: Take the Georgetown exit off of Interstate 70. Drive through Georgetown and follow the signs for the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway. Drive 12 miles to the top of Guanella Pass (11,700') and park in one of the two large, paved parking areas on either side of the road. The Bierstadt trail starts near the parking area on the east side of the road. The upper parking area (on the west side of the pass) has restrooms.  From the South: Take US 285 west from Denver or east from Fairplay. Drive to the town of Grant which is about 12 miles west of Bailey. In Grant, turn north on the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway and drive approx. 13 miles to Guanella Pass.

In Winter (To be confirmed)

From the north: Usually only plowed to the campground approx. 1.5 miles below Guanella Pass. From the south: Usually plowed to Duck Lake, approx. 1.75 miles below the pass.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/CRbysoigiuxVfDzf7?g_st=ig

Water/Food Considerations (this section is totally stolen from Davis Woodward from the winter welcomer on Quandary a few weeks ago)

For those of you newer to winter hiking, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding water and food that are different from summer. If you use a bladder for water in summer, I highly recommend you consider switching to Nalgenes (or some other similar wide mouth water bottle) in the winter season. The tubes/bite valves have a propensity to freeze. Even trying to blow air back may not work, or you could simply just forget once, and then you've got a frozen bite valve. The insulating hoses don't seem to do much either. I usually carry one Nalgene in my pack, and one in a parka strapped to the front of my pack for easy access.

Think about what food you typically bring on a hike, and how that would be frozen. If you typically eat Clif bars on a hike for example, that will be rock solid during a winter hike (I've known people who've chipped teeth on them!). A way to alleviate this is to plan ahead a little and keep what you are going to eat next in a chest pocket of a layer close to your body. You can also alter what you bring to more softer foods. If you aren't sure how your favorite snack will fare, just toss it in the freezer overnight and try to eat it right out of the freezer!

Beta

14ers.com: https://www.14ers.com/peaks/10038/mount-bierstadt (includes photos of route)

Condition updates:14ers.com:  11/14 report suggests snowshoes.  Guanella Pass Open.  https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/peakstatus_peak.php?peakparm=10038