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There are three marked hiking trails along
the Mount Evans Scenic Byway:
- The Walter Pesman Trail -- from the Walter
Pesman Alpine Garden to the Mount
Goliath Natural Area. Or you could say from the Mount Goliath Natural
Area to the Walter Pesman Alpine Garden. I prefer the downhill hike.
Regardless of the direction hiked, I have never had trouble getting
a rid back to where my van was parked. Covering 612 vertical feet, this
moderately difficult 1.5 mile hike take about 45 minutes one way. Sturdy
footwear is recommended as the trail covers steep, uneven terrain. A
walking stick is also recommended.
- The Walter Pesman Alpine Garden Loop trail is a 1/4-mile loop that
starts and ends at the Walter Pesman Alpine
Garden Parking Area (also know as upper Goliath parking area). This
above timberline trail is excellent for viewing alpine flowers during
the summer months.
- The Summit Trail is a short 1/4-mile trail from the Summit
Parking Area to the Summit
of Mount Evans (14,264 feet). This last 130 vertical feet climb
to the top is highly recommended for the view or if for no other reason
so you can tell all your friends: "I climbed a 14,000 foot mountain
in Colorado on my vacation!"
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There are eight non-marked hikes (with four
destinations) that can be rated as moderate in difficulty:
- Mount Evans (from Summit Lake) is usually via three unmarked routs:
- The easiest route is via the road that is 5 miles long. You can
shorten the route by cutting off the road at the saddle between
Mount Evans and Epaulet Mountain.
- The east slope approach starts about 2 miles from Summit
Lake and is a direct scramble up the west slope. The hike is
up the tundra and boulder slope is strenuous but not difficult.
- The most difficult approach leads west around Summit
Lake (counter-clockwise) to Mount Spalding, then along the northwest
ridge of Mount Evans to the top. The 2 1/2 mile hike has an elevation
gain of 1,800 feet, but gives you the opportunity to climb two mountains.
The view along this route is spectacular.
- Goliath Peak (12,216 feet) can be climbed from two directions. The
first is to start at the Walter Pesman Alpine
Garden, walk down the Walter Pesman Trail, about 1/2 mile and then
head upward over the rocks and tundra to the summit. This moderate hike
is about 2 miles roundtrip and involves an elevation gain of 300 feet.
The second route is more strenuous by starting in the Mt
Goliath Natural Area and climbing about 1/2 mile to the top. There
is no trail and the elevation gain is 700 feet.
- Rogers Peak (13,391 feet) can be climbed from two directions. The
first is to start at the Walter Pesman Alpine
Garden. There is no trail, so just head up the ridge toward the
top of the peak. The peak is about 1 1/2 miles away with an elevation
gain of 1,300 feet. The second approach is to start from Summit
Lake, hike along the edge of Mount Warren, continue along the tundra
and rock ridge crossing a small saddle about a mile northeast of Mount
Warren. The roundtrip is about 4 miles with a total elevation gain of
800 feet.
- Mount Warren (13,307 feet) is a short 1/2-mile hike (1 mile roundtrip)
from Summit Lake. There is no
trail and the elevation gain in 500 feet.
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Two non-marked hike can be rated as relatively
difficult and not recommended unless you are an experienced mountaineer:
- Mount Bierstadt (from Mount Evans) is only 200 lower and 1 1/2 miles
from the Mount Evans summit. Connected by boulder-strewn ridges and the Sawtooth. It is possible
to cross the Sawtooth without ropes; it is not advisable. Any route
from Mount Evans to Mount Bierstadt other than across the Sawtooth involves
a loss of altitude of about 2,500 feet and is also not very practical.
- Lincoln Lake is 800 feet below the road on the east side of Roger
Peak. It can be approached in three ways:
- There is a very obscure trail that follows timberline south to
the lake from the Mt
Goliath Natural Area parking area. In general, follow timberline
for about 3 miles south to Lincoln Lake.
- The shortest route is about a mile down the ridge just north of
the lake. Go east on this ridge from the road to about timberline.
This will put you east of the lake, so head back west keeping to
the edge of timberline. Although short, this rout requires some
scrambling through boulders and fallen timbers.
- Lincoln Lake can also be reached by trail from Summit
Lake via Trail #82 and Trail #45 or from Entrance
Station Campgrounds via Trail #75 and Trail #45. (See Hiking the Mount
Evans Widerness Area.)
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