Mt. Evans

Ever since I climbed Pikes Peak and realized that a road to the top meant that non-hikers could reach the summit, I had saved Mt. Evans to be my finisher. My friends who aren't climbers could then drive to the summit and still join in my celebration of summiting my 58th 14er. After multiple weather issues delayed my climbing schedule, by the time I was ready to climb Mt. Evans, the state had closed the road to the summit for the season.

All the partners that I had previously arranged to climb with now had conflicts. I sent out invitations to some other climbers, but expected that once again I was going to be hiking solo, just like almost 75% of my previous climbs since I started this quest to climb all of Colorado's 14ers. But then I heard from Sharon Crawford, a fellow orienteerer and 14er finisher from a few years ago, who was back after winning a bronze and silver medal at the World Masters Orienteering Championships in Italy at age 77. She said I shouldn't climb my finisher alone and volunteered to hike Mt. Evans with me.

There are multiple routes to climb Mt. Evans. Many choose to climb via Mt. Bierstadt and traverse over the Sawtooth ridge to Mt. Evans' west ridge. Another popular route is to start from Summit Lake and hike over Mt. Spalding to the west ridge (and many then hike the road back to Summit Lake.) I have climbed Mt. Bierstadt multiple times, and once spent an hour on the summit watching other climbers try the Sawtooth traverse and bail near the far side and return. I decided I would climb from Guanella Pass directly to the west ridge via the infamous willows and marshes along Scott Gomer Creek.

It was quite different to sleep in my own bed prior to a climb; I hadn't done that in several years. I met Sharon at the trailhead just as dawn was breaking at 6:00 a.m. to find the parking lot already full and cars parked along the road already. And here I thought that waiting until after the Labor Day holiday would mean there would be fewer climbers.

There was just enough light that we didn't need headlamps, but a heavy frost coated the grasses and boardwalks. As we got to the creek crossing, I missed hearing other hikers shout a warning that the rocks were covered with glare ice, but had a light enough step to make it across the creek unscathed. Unfortunately Sharon slipped on the first rock and fell, finding herself sitting right in the creek. Thankfully she was not injured, hiking kept her warm, and eventually the sun would dry her out.

An unmarked trail winds through the willows, if you could find it. In places it was overgrown, in others it was flooded under standing water, and worst of all was the mud—deceptively appearing like wet ground, until you sink six or more inches into the muck. I only lost the trail once through the willows at a place where it was mostly under water and I failed to notice it turn. But after finding our own way through the willows for a while we rejoined the main "trail."

It took us an hour to make our way through the mile and a third of willows, mud, and water to reach the base of the gully. The 1300' climb up the gully took us another hour and a half until we finally reached the broad slope before the ridge. We joined the mountain goats enjoying the sunshine and made our way to the beginning of the west ridge. There is no trail between the gully and the start of the west ridge, but it's easy hiking on the tundra. Our solitude ended as we joined multiple groups making their way from Mt. Spalding as well as more coming from the Sawtooth and Mt. Bierstadt.

Once the three routes merge, the trail traverses through the rocks along the side of the west ridge. It felt like there was a continuous line of hikers either heading up or returning back. Eventually the summit came into view and then the final switchbacks to the top. We joined dozens of people on top taking pictures, eating lunch, and celebrating their climb. There were kids, dogs, and even a mountain bike that was ridden up the road, then all the way to the summit.

I talked with several people for whom this was their first 14er. I took lots of pictures hoping to get that perfect summit shot. Sharon had brought some Swiss chocolate to celebrate my finisher. We ate some lunch and realized after a while that it was kinda quiet. We looked around and saw that there were only two others on the summit. A glance at the time showed that we had been up here for an hour and a half. Must be time to start heading back.

On our return we followed the ridge all the way over to the saddle with Mt. Spalding (13,842') while mentally wrestling with the idea of side-hiking to the summit. I decided the unranked 13er would exceed my capabilities to make it back to the trailhead before sunset, so we continued back to the gully and the willows.

The trail through the willows was easier to follow coming down, but just as wet and muddy as this morning. At 5:43 p.m. we made it back to the trailhead and I had officially completed my 58th 14er! Finally!

"You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen."
— Rene Daumal

Pictures

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