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Mount Blue Sky

West Ridge from Guanella Pass
Difficulty Class 2 
Risk FactorsExposure: Moderate
Rockfall Potential: Considerable  
Route-Finding: Considerable  
Commitment: Considerable  
 
TrailheadGuanella Pass
Start11,669 feet
Summit14,268 feet
Total Gain3,100 feet
RT Length9.25 miles
AuthorBillMiddlebrook
Last UpdatedOct 2023
DownloadsgpxGPX Track
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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.

Route

Taken from west of Guanella Pass, 1 shows the route. Locate the well-defined Mt. Bierstadt trail and begin descending east toward Scott Gomer Creek. Weave through willows for nearly a mile to reach the creek, near 11,500' - 2. After crossing the creek, pass a large boulder on the left and reach a small clearing at 11,500'. In the clearing, locate a faint trail and follow it away from the Bierstadt trail and into the willows - 3 and 4. Try to stay on the trail as it heads east and northeast along the creek. This can be a bit difficult because the area is usually wet or even swamped. Near 11,600', the trail reaches the creek near a boulder - 5. Turn right and continue through the willows. At you approach the upper end of the creek you'll see a gully to the east - 6. It's nicknamed "Gomer's" gully and provides a fairly easy way to reach Mt. Blue Sky.

Near 11,700', cross a large clearing and follow the trail up through ledges on the right side of the gully - 7 and 8. Near 12,300', enter the gully and continue up the left side - 9. Climb approximately 600 feet by staying mostly on the left or near the center - 10. Above 13,100', the top of the gully widens and the trail exits on its left side - 11. Continue higher as the pitch eases and your view opens up - 12. Next, you need to locate Blue Sky's west ridge. 13er Mt. Spalding is up to your left and The Sawtooth is up to your right but both are difficult to identify from this vantage. Continue higher until you can see the bump at the west end of the ridge ( 13 and 14) and walk directly toward it.

At 13,700' and the start of the ridge , drop right slightly, and follow a cairned route below the ridge crest - 15. The remaining mile to the summit consists mostly of boulders but you'll find plenty of cairns and trail segments. As you approach the summit area, the terrain gets a bit easier - 16. Just below the summit, intersect the tourist trail that comes up from the summit parking area and walk to the top - 17, 18 and 19. Return via the same route, descend the gully and walk out along the same side of the creek - 20 and 21.

Notes

Through mid-summer this route can be a muddy mess between the Bierstadt trail and the gully. It is often used as a descent route for those combining Bierstadt and Evans with a traverse of the Sawtooth ridge. IMPORTANT: This route enters the Mount Evans Wilderness area. Wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.
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