14ers.com

Starting at Summit Lake Trailhead won't allow you to hit the "3,000-foot rule" according to CFI. Is the only other option to hike from Echo Lake Trailhead or is there a way to get to and park at Chicago Lake Trail? Trying to calculate mileage/time to summit.

Can start from Echo Lake, west end to Chicago end.

Or from Bierstadt trailhead.

Blue Sky road will close all summer 2025 for reconstruction near broken Summit Lake part.

You can do it from Guanella Pass, and bypass the Sawtooth. The hard part is navigating that boggy area immediately off the pass. Once you clear that it's relatively straightforward. The route is labeled E3 on the topo map at the link below.


https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=evan3

Guanella from the winter TH (by the Naylor Lake Road) gets you a "CO 3000ft" summit to either of Bierstadt or Blue Sky/Evans (that parking area is at ~10,900'). It's also a great winter route when the willows are buried (up Scott Gomer Creek towards Spaulding to avoid the gully)

madmattd wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2024 12:02 pm Guanella from the winter TH (by the Naylor Lake Road) gets you a "CO 3000ft" summit to either of Bierstadt or Blue Sky/Evans (that parking area is at ~10,900'). It's also a great winter route when the willows are buried (up Scott Gomer Creek towards Spaulding to avoid the gully)

I did Gray Wolf in late October, that's a good time to do this because the ground is mostly frozen, so easier to get past the muddy sections, and snow hasn't started to pile up yet. I think the road is still open to the top too.

Frankly, the 3,000-foot rule may look good on paper, but in the field it's a different story. If you're already well equipped and have a good sense of direction, you could try tracing your own route via the Chicago Lake Trail, but be prepared for a little treasure hunting. There are corners where you feel a bit like an explorer lost in the middle of an Aztec carpet here, but that's part of the charm, isn't it? Otherwise, Echo Lake Trailhead remains a sure bet... but where's the fun in that?!

If you really want a challenge, start at Deer Creek Trailhead. Gain Rosalie, then Epaulie, then Epaulet ( https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=2 ... 1957562344 ), then continue to Blue Sky. It’s a long hike but your elevation gain will be way over 3,000 feet.

Start from further down the road and walk up another 1,000 vert ft.

This is a good option several other 14ers as well.

Dan_Suitor wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:45 am If you really want a challenge, start at Deer Creek Trailhead. Gain Rosalie, then Epaulie, then Epaulet ( https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=2 ... 1957562344 ), then continue to Blue Sky. It’s a long hike but your elevation gain will be way over 3,000 feet.

Did this on Saturday - it is indeed a LONG day! I clocked just under 20 miles with skipping the 13er summits on the return by skirting around them.

Very pretty and outside of Blue Sky only saw 2 people all day until very close back to the trailhead.

hberry wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 8:37 am

Dan_Suitor wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:45 am If you really want a challenge, start at Deer Creek Trailhead. Gain Rosalie, then Epaulie, then Epaulet ( https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=2 ... 1957562344 ), then continue to Blue Sky. It’s a long hike but your elevation gain will be way over 3,000 feet.

Did this on Saturday - it is indeed a LONG day! I clocked just under 20 miles with skipping the 13er summits on the return by skirting around them.

Very pretty and outside of Blue Sky only saw 2 people all day until very close back to the trailhead.

Nice! Did you catch how many vertical feet? I'm assuming somewhere over 6,000 feet of total gain.