Mount Bierstadt Mountain

Address: Guanella Pass Road trailhead (near Grant, CO), access from US-285/Guanella Pass

Hours: Trail access year-round; seasonal conditions apply

Admission: Free (public land). Parking at Guanella Pass may be limited; no entrance fee.

Mount Bierstadt is a 14,060-foot (4,287 metre) peak in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in central Colorado and is one of the state’s recognised “fourteeners.”

A well-known objective for hikers and peak-baggers, the mountain is commonly climbed as a day route from Guanella Pass, following a standard non-technical ridge and scree approach. The summit offers broad alpine views of surrounding Front Range peaks and nearby mountain valleys.

The peak is a natural Rocky Mountain summit that has long been used for recreational mountaineering and hiking; it appears on historic regional maps and climbing registers dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time it has become one of the more frequently climbed Colorado fourteeners because of relatively easy access and a short approach from the pass.

The mountain sits in the Front Range of central Colorado near Guanella Pass and the town of Georgetown, within the state of Colorado, United States.

• Elevation: Summit elevation is 14,060 feet (4,287 metres), making it one of Colorado’s named “fourteeners.”
• Typical route: The most common ascent starts from Guanella Pass and is classed as a non-technical scramble (Class 2), making it a popular day hike for experienced hikers.

Drive from Denver via I-70 and US-285 to the Guanella Pass area; the common trailhead is off Guanella Pass Road (co. road 381). Parking is limited-arrive early or use a shuttle if available.

• Start very early-the lot at Guanella Pass fills by 6:30-7:30am on summer weekends.
• Acclimatize first; Bierstadt is often used as a first 14er and can sneakily tire those unfamiliar with altitude.
• Wear microspikes or crampons for spring snowfields and carry an ice axe for steeper sections.