May 10, 2018

For me the hiking season started in January with a walk between Ka’anapali Beach and Black Rock, at sea level but in order to be ready for my fourteener goals this year the time has come to gain some elevation. After doing some research online and reading some recent trip reports I decided to hike Chief Mountain because it is above 11,000ft. From the online trip reports I knew there would be snow and I would need some form of traction devices to safely ascend the mountain however, the only traction devices I have ever used are snowshoes and crampons.  So a quick trip to the outdoor store to discover and purchase traction devices that do not require special stiff boots was in order. After asking some questions and getting a pair I was on my way up I-70 to Squaw Pass Road (103) which, if not still closed from the winter snow, leads to the summit of Mount Evans.

It was a beautiful mountain drive to the 10,700 foot trailhead. The parking is a little side area off the road, and there were already at least half a dozen cars parked. Of course there was snow at the trailhead and lots of it. Happy I bought those traction devices for my shoes. I wish I could say it is an easy trail but it starts off steep and eventually gets a little more gentle as you get closer to the summit. The snow was deep in some areas and in others it was just normal trail but the views of the snow-covered Rocky Mountains were amazing.  It took me one hour and eleven minutes to travel the 1.5 miles to the 11,709ft summit, where I saw another group of hikers and three chipmunks. The view of Mount Evans was spectacular as well as the fourteeners Grays and Torreys Peaks. The descent was uneventful and took me 46 minutes, again so happy I had traction devices. Overall it was a great hike with amazing views of the Colorado Front Range.