Trip
Scramble – Guanella Pass Tour d'Abyss
The standard route up the west slope of Mt. Bierstadt, then across the Sawtooth to Mt. Blue Sky (formerly known as Mt. Evans). Then heading down into the Abyss Lake drainage before ascending Mt. Bierstadt again via its southeast ridge, finishing by descending back down to Guanella Pass. Plenty of class 3 scrambling at high altitude!
Contacts
- Fri, Jul 19, 2024
- Denver
- Scrambling
- Adults
- Difficult D
- Difficult
- Mileage: 14.0 mi
- Elevation Gain: 5,700 ft
- High Point Elevation: 14,271 ft
- Pace: 2mph average moving speed
- 2 (4 capacity)
- 1 (2 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
Meet in Woolly Mammoth Park'n'Ride section BB (across from the Exxon station) at 6:45am for a prompt 7:00am departure. It's here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NwADBAt4DtvEF3VD8
I'll drive an 8-passenger SUV that should hold all of us.
Depending on traffic, we should be able to start from the Mt. Bierstadt trailhead around 8:00am. It's here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ngPB4WePFnSdvSsE6
NOTE: On the way back at the end, I'd like to make a brief stop in Empire to get milkshakes. Bring some money for a delicious apres-hike treat!
To sign up for this activity, please send me a description or GPS track of a similarly difficult high-altitude activity you've done in the past few months.
This will be a fast-paced difficult butt-kicker! The entire day will be spent above tree line, moving quickly (3-4mph) on trails where possible, and scrambling briskly through the Sawtooth and Blue Sky and the southeast ridge of Bierstadt. We'll try to save our breaks for the mountaintops.
If afternoon thunderstorms threaten, we may need to hunker down and wait, or take an alternate route down the Abyss Lake drainage and around to Guanella Pass for safety. Please be prepared for these possibilities.
Water sources are limited. Non-potable (creek) water is available in Gomer Creek about 1 mile in, and then in the Abyss Lake drainage around mile 8, and finally back in Gomer Creek around mile 13.
Required Equipment
Please bring appropriate clothing for the possibility that we may need to hunker down to wait out an alpine storm in the afternoon.
Also, wear footwear that's grippy for scrambling.
Be sure to have suitable sun protection and eyewear for high altitude.