The Route Overview
This was my second class 3 route and I was really enjoyed this route. I arrived to the Bierstadt trail head around 4:10am and was on the trail by 4:15am. The hike up to Bierstadt was quite enjoyable but also bland. I quickly hurried to the summit so that I could be on the Sawtooth by sunrise.
Top of Mount Bierstadt and Beginning the descent to Sawtooth
This view was right below the summit of Mount Bierstadt but I thought it was a good view of the mountain. I did the last push and to be honest, I only spent 5-10 minutes at the peak. I went ahead and prepared for the traverse and began moving towards the traverse.
This was my first class 3 down climb and the moves were really enjoyable. Most of this consisted of moving from boulder to boulder and route finding. To my suprise, this route was marked very well.
Approaching the Sawtooth traverse
Very quickly, I recieved my first proper view of the traverse and realized I had it all to myself. Although the traverse looks wicked, the moves are very comfortable and exposure was pretty minimal.
The Spire
After quite a bit of class 3 moves, you reach this really cool spire that serves as a marker to move off of the ridge direct route. At this point, there are still markers, but it is important to go right around the spire. The moves here are harder and more exposed.
After the spire and towards the shoot
Once you make your way around the spire, you are going to cross to the other side of the ridge and begin your final class 3 section. After walking over a well marked, but exposed trail, you get a good view of the shoot.
This shoot is certianly the most exposed portion of the route, although the moves are quite solid and kept me confident. This portion is steep as well, I had to stop mutliple times to catch my breathe.
The hike towards Mount Blue Sky
The hike to Mount Blue Sky was so much longer than I anticipated. Also, this peak in the photo above is a false summit, not Mount Blue Sky. I could not believe the huge field that was up here connecting the exit of the Sawtooth, Mount Spaulding, and Mount Blue Sky.
The couple of miles towards the summit have you following the side of the ridge that consisted of boulder hopping and other hard class 2 terrain. Truthfully, from here on out, the route was pretty brutal.
The top of Mount Blue Sky
I had the summit to myself and decided to take the time to eat some fruit snacks and an airhead before heading back. I met this older gentlemen near the top and chatted with him about the route and Colorado! After about 20 minutes or so I began back on the same route that I had came up.
Mountain Goats and the descent
Once you make it back around the west ridge approach where you came from the Sawtooth traverse, you will start to aim right towards Mount Spaulding and then down the valley into the gulley that will lead you into the infamous Willows. Although I was dreading the descent, I found myself in absolute awe at the valley that I was descending, it looked like something out of the Sound of Music!
I decided to take a quick break and take it all in. Quickly, I realized there was a pack of mountian goats off to my left side. Seriously, one of the cooler moments I have been able to enjoy while out in the mountains.
Once you reach the gully, the real down climb begins. This section is very steep and filled with loose rock and gravel, I highly recommend allocating plenty of time for this section. I ended up using a lot more time here than anticipated because I was trying to preserve my knees on each step. This, for me, was the most energy taxing part of the whole route.
The willows and finishing the route
I had finally reached the infamous willows... This was a few miles of trekking through mud with knee deep holes waiting to take your leg. To be quite honest, I did not think this part was as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It was slow going, and I did step into some deep holes that left me covered in mud. I opted to wait to address any mud knowing there was a stream at the start of the trail. After slow going trekking through the willows, I made it back to the standard trail and had just a mile or so left to the car.
Conclusion
When reviewing this route, I was quite scared that the moves would be too far out of my comfort zone, I was completely wrong. This class 3 route is super well marked and most rocks are pretty solid. I recommend arriving for parking between 4:00am - 4:30am, I think I was the third person on the sawtooth when starting at this time in the middle of the week. Additionally, I recommend having done a class 3 before attempting this, it requires downclimbing on steep terrain and several exposed moves. I would definetley do this route again, even with the willows at the end!