Mt. Bierstadt

Where we went:  Mt Bierstadt
What went wrong: Packed too heavy, should have started earlier.
What we did right:  Prepared for a longer hike with extra food and clothes.
How you can avoid mistakes:  Be sure to be prepared for a long, steep hike with multiple climate changes as the altitude increases.  We experienced, sun, clouds, rain, snow, and sleet all in one day.

Our first fourteener!  What a thrill.  Mt. Bierstadt is billed as an easy hike, but it was quite strenuous for these 50+ knees and legs.  Although we planned for a longer hike, with extra clothes for the colder summit, we didn't end up needing more than our regular jackets, and the extra sweatshirts were bulky and heavy to carry in the packs.  We were glad for gloves, though, not only for cold, but for boulder climbing.  It took six hours out and back, with some difficult climbing at the top.  But the views were worth it!

Exit I-70 at Georgetown, and follow signs to Guanella Pass Road.

We left down town Denver at 6:00 am and arrived at the trail head at 7:30 am.  The lower parking lot was already full!

Spur trail from upper parking lot.

The start of the trail with Mt. Bierstadt in the distance.

The first part of the trail is through the willows.

The trail can be muddy!  Bridges help in the worst areas.

Stream crossing.

Make good time on the easy trail through the willows. 

Rocky over look.  Good place for a rest.

The middle trail is through an alpine meadow.

Posts serve as trail markers.

The trail is wide and obvious, but becomes more rocky and steeper along the way.

Rocky trail.

The summit is in sight.

The trail is popular, and the summit crowded.

Made it!  An added bonus, I found a geo cache.

Six hours later we were back at the trail head.  The clouds had rolled in and we had been snowed on, and rained on lightly.  We started the climb at 7:30 am, but earlier would be better to beat the afternoon storms. 

Would we hike this trail again?  Yes, but would avoid thunderstorm season.

St Mary's Glacier

Where we went:  St. Mary's Glacier
What went wrong: Didn't have the right equipment to make it to the top.
What we did right:  Took jackets - even in August!  Had a five dollar bill for parking.
How you can avoid mistakes:  Snow is slick to walk on.  Use ice cleats, or some other traction device to climb with confidence here.

St Mary's Glacier is actually a snow field, which sits above Idaho Springs.  Once the driving route leaves I-70, the roads get narrower and more twisted.  The trail is short, but a rocky climb.  Beyond the maintained trail, climbing is increasingly more difficult, but worth it to see the snow up close.  But climbing on the snow without ice cleats was too much for us, so we didn't make it all the way to the meadow at the top.

The road to the trail head becomes narrow and twisting.  It took about an hour travel time from downtown Denver.

Down hill side parking is a much bigger lot.

Don't forget to bring a five dollar bill for the permit.

The trail head is between the parking lots on the street.

The trail is wide, but rocky.

Either way goes to the snow field.  The left fork is smoother.

First glimpse of the snow.

Travel through a camp ground beside the lake.

End of the maintained trail.  

Below the snow field there are still trails, and lots of vegetation around the lake.

The edge of the snow field as it melts.

Water from the melt trickles among the rocks.

The higher we climbed the steeper the mountain, with no trail to speak of. 

The end of the trail for us.

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Would we hike this trail again?  Yes.  The hike up is boring, but the beauty at the top is worth it.