Mt Evans Trip Report

Date: August 9, 2002
Trailhead: Summit Lake
One Way Distance: 1 mile
Elevation Gain: 1,410 feet (12,850' to 14,264')
Start Time: 10:30 a.m.
Finish Time: 11:10 a.m.

Directions to Summit Lake trailhead: Take exit 240 from I-70 at Idaho Springs. Follow Colorado 103 south for about 13 miles. Just past Echo Lake, turn right on the Mt. Evans Road (Colorado 5). There is a gift shop/restaraunt just before the turn for Mt. Evans Rd. This is your last chance to buy food, drinks, etc. There is a $10 fee for driving up the Mt. Evans Road. Drive 9 miles up the Mt. Evans Road to Summit Lake. The parking area is on the right side of the road. Begin the hike by continuing up the Mt. Evans Road for a few hundred yards. Then turn right and hike straight up Mt. Evan's northeast face. I went up route number 5 in the picture to the left.

Hike Description: I feel a little guilty about saying that I hiked up Mt. Evans, because I actually drove most of the way up the mountain. I do, however, have somewhat of an excuse. I had completed a real hike up Grays and Torreys the previous day, and I wanted to show the rest of my family a Colorado fourteener. They weren't interested in hiking, so I decided to have them drop me off at Summit Lake and then meet me at the top. That way I would be able to get in a short hike, and they wouldn't have to wait very long for me at the top.

The hike up was short and steep. It took me about 35 minutes to get to the parking lot at the top of the mountain, and then another 5 minutes to hike up the short trail to the real summit. When I got to the parking lot, my two sons were just coming down the trail from the summit. They were most excited about the mountain goats that they had seen on the drive up. The weather was perfect, and everyone enjoyed the views from the summit.

Here are some pictures that Ben took:

Evan on Summit From Summit Lake Lake From Summit On the Summit Mtn Goat

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