Tour de Evans

[Ireallyliketoski2]

By this time the collective Front Range should be quite familiar with this view...

phot courtesy of www.cliffshade.com

For years I stared at this mountain, always my mind would take me there, up the ridge, down the bowl, then a gentle cruise back to the car with the wind at my back and the sun in my face. The dream was to do a winter ascent and ski descent. Finally, my mind had had enough, it was time for my legs to take me there. With the road closed and the gapers nestled in their down jackets, the time had come to climb and ski this peak in proper form.

The weather forecast could not have been more perfect <weather channel voice>Sunday, mostly sunny, winds northwest 10mph, diminishing to 5mph in the afternoon, high 28</weather channel voice>. My bro, climb2ski, the consumate partner, ever present, always punctual, picked me up at 4:30am.

Originally, I had wanted to climb the peak from Guanella Pass and ski the east side; however, with Guanella access limited this year I turned my eyes to the Chicago Creek route. We left Echo Lake at 6am and started the hike under the light of a full moon and a calm, crisp sky.

The trail was broken for the two miles to the cabin, but after that the footprints disappeared and we set the track to the Chicago Lakes. The rising sun revealed surroundings to our liking.


Skinning across Upper Chicago Lake with Mount Spalding in the background, looking fine for the spring time.


Four foot thick frozen pyschedelia, freaky.


After Chicago Lakes the route takes a rising traverse up to the Warren-Spalding saddle then down to summit lake, gaining about 1,300 feet in 0.6 miles. Not much snow to be found on this wind hammered western exposure. Here I am looking up at the sky wondering why a giant mouse is climbing up my leg.


At Summit Lake we took a nice break, we'd been going for awhile now and were beginning to feel somewhat worked. I had a turkey sandwich with mustard and hot peppers, climb2ski had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, pictures are available upon request. After the break we began the climb up to the summit, the face gains 1,500 feet in 0.75 miles. We were able to skin about 500 feet up the face, then switched over to bootpacking and rock hopping. So up and up we went, higher, higher into the sky, like chickens racing hamsters.


We made it to the summit around 1:30pm. I'm happy to be here.


climb2ski starting the descent from just below the summit.


The first turn looks good bro.


After the inital summit block, we headed onto the northeast face.


Here's a free lesson in schralping the gnar.


climb2ski found some good snow and he knows what to do it.


Vast abounding surroundings


climb2ski working the alpine zone


working it


feeling the flow


We skied the face right back to the road. Due to the lack of snow on Chicago Creek route we optimistically opted for a descent of the road. After Summit Lake we reached mile marker 9. The dream appeared in my my mind, I'm gliding down the Mount Evans road, effortlessly cruising a 9 mile groomer, soaking in the surroundings and reflecting on what I had just accomplished.

An hour later as I walked by mile marker 6, the asphalt under my feet reminded me that this was no dream. Mile marker 4 is ahead, what happened to mile marker 5, I don't know, but I know my feet are bleeding. At some point this road has to start descending, right? What's that I see, a snow covered road in the distance, down a hill, across a meadow. My eyes do not deceive me. Oh joy! The next 2 miles were just as I had dreamed, I guess I just had to be patient.

[iskibc]

Excellent work guys. Some good effort on that one. That is a very long trek. I like the approach up Chicago Creek.

What was the total mileage? 14 miles?

That terrain in the background of this pic looks $$$:

[summit]

i like the ice picture!

[grskier]

Nice work...

What was the total roundtrip?

[Woolbury]

Props man. That is a LONG tour with marginal snow. But staring at that big bastid day in and day out makes you want to just go for it. Good job. We'll probably wait till we can drive to Summit Lake though since you already tamed it for us...

[shera]

That ice picture is waaaaay cool.

[springsproject]

Nice writeup and pics. Looks like it was a long day, I like the pyschedelia ice pic too

[goldenboy]

Evans has some great skiing on it, for sure. Back in college I used to do laps there in the early summer and hitch rides back up. Sounds like you earned your descent a lot more than I ever did.

[smitchell333]

The rare earned Evans vertical!!!

That is quite a RT distance - what was it like 18 miles?

Looks like the snow could be better.

[couloirman]

Four foot thick frozen pyschedelia, freaky.

I have no idea whats going on here but I like it. Nice work you guys.

[HikeforTurns]

Wait a second, you actually ski? Now im really confused.


Just kidding, nice work! I have some unfinished business in those parts. soon, very soon.

[xyz]

Didn't it just snow like 18in last week in CO?? Why do the the mountains so look dry?

looks like fun anyway, thanks.

[squaremountain_local]

Nice! looks like some interesting route finding in the upper section.

[Crinkle]

the "ski" brothers are some crazy mofos, i dig them. Nice work on the gnar

[cocavaak]

Answer - it got blown away. I was at Berthoud Sunday and was amazed to see all the snow had been blown off rocky, exposed ridges. Still plenty down the slopes but it's really thin at the tops of some peaks.
I too think the ice photo is cool - good eye!

[Rontele]

great photos 'ski' brothers.

[freshie247]

The ice photo is gravy for the brain.

[IridePow]

Nice work bagging that peak!

[climb2ski]

Thanks for all comments on the ice photo. It was something like 17 miles round trip.

[Ireallyliketoski2]

We were definitely less than enthusiastic about the lack of snow, but the upper couloirs, like sunshine, were well filled in and will be great once the snow pack settles.

The wind works the snow at that elevation. Leeward slopes are well stocked, but too avy prone for my liking and the windward slopes are blown pretty much dry. We did get 500 feet of powder turns from the road down to echo lake, which was some nice frosting on the cupcake.


The numbahs:
distance: 16 miles
vertical: 4600 feet
time: 11 hours 43 minutes
climb2ski's average heart rate: 110bpm

[climb2ski]

Here I am looking up at the sky wondering why a giant mouse is climbing up my leg.

This cracked me up...

Here is a Promo picture for my new place of employment eBags.com

[cab]

two words...

sastrugi kicks butt

good job dudes! That is some impressive work there!

isn't ebags an online dating service?

[bubba-k]

nice work, once that place opens up maggots make sure to say hello, I should be working up there again...