Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
This is a snow climb. It is only safe when the snow is firm and stable, usually early in the morning in late spring and early summer. You need an ice axe, crampons, a helmet and the skills to use them. Check avalanche conditions before you go.
Snow route · West Gully
Overview
The West Gully is a short, steep snow and scramble route up Mount Blue Sky. From Summit Lake, you go up a gully at the lake's west end to reach a saddle by Mount Spalding, and the west ridge then leads you to the top. It is rated Class 3 with steep snow.
It is for experienced climbers who are comfortable on steep snow and loose rock. Expect steep ground in the gully's upper third, often capped by a cornice. In summer the gully is full of loose red-brown rock and boulders. Compared with the standard trail routes, it is much shorter but far steeper and more serious.
The loop is about 5.25 miles with about 1,650 feet of gain. Plan on 4 to 6 hours.
Plan of the day
Start by
Early, about 6 a.m. You want firm snow in the gully and to be off the ridge before storms.
Turnaround
Turn back if the snow is soft or the cornice looks unstable. Do not climb under a sagging cornice.
Crux
The top of the gully near 13,400 feet, next to the cornice. Stay right, climb loose ledges and finish the last 50 feet right of the cornice.
Route-finding
Simple as far as the gully, which sits where the basin ends. On the west ridge, follow cairns and trail segments below the crest.
Leave I-70 at Idaho Springs using Exit 240. Colorado 103 heads south from there; follow it about 13.5 miles until you reach Echo Lake.
After your reservation is checked, continue roughly 9 miles up Colorado 5, the Mount Blue Sky road, and park at the signed Summit Lake lot. A reservation is needed during the season.
TundraTalus and screeScramblingRidgeRoadExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Summit Lake parking area 12,830' · 0 mi
Head northwest to where the lake ends on the north, and go left on a trail that traces the lakeshore to the southwest.
2
Traverse to the gully 12,950' · 0.6 mi
Once the trail begins descending to the lake, keep your height on the hillside and make a beeline for the gully where the basin ends. Staying high keeps you from losing height.
3
Base of the gully 13,000' · 0.8 mi
Put on your helmet. The lower gully has large boulders that can help you climb.
Watch for: Loose rock. Keep space between you and anyone above.
4
Cornice area 13,400' · 1 mi
The gully steepens. Keep to the right and move with care up to where the loose ledges start. Finish the last 50 feet to the right of the cornice.
Watch for: Never climb directly under the cornice. It can break without warning.
5
Saddle below Mount Spalding 13,600' · 1.1 mi
The slope eases right away. Mount Spalding is to the right. Turn left and head south.
6
Notch before the hump 13,700' · 1.5 mi
Hike toward the first hump on the west ridge and reach a notch just before it. Drop a little to the right and follow a cairned path east below the crest.
7
Below the west ridge crest 13,900' · 2 mi
The trail stays below the crest for most of the rest of the way. It is almost a mile from the hump to the summit.
8
Road corner 14,160' · 2.4 mi
Reach a bend in the Mount Blue Sky road. Climb about 100 feet to the top.
9
Summit of Mount Blue Sky 14,268' · 2.5 mi
The top is often busy with visitors who drove up the road.
Getting down
Do not go back down the gully. Instead, descend the West Ridge route over Mount Spalding back to Summit Lake. Follow the cairned path back west below the ridge, then continue over or around Spalding and down to the lake and parking area.
If things go wrong
Before the cornice, you can retreat down the gully with care. Once above it, going on to the ridge and down the West Ridge route is safer than downclimbing the gully. On the summit, the road is close by, and in an emergency you can seek help there. Call 911 if you have signal.
Other routes
Every way up Mount Blue Sky we list, with its class.
This describes the route in its usual season. Distances and elevations are close estimates for planning. Snow, ice, rockfall, a washed-out road or an afternoon storm can make it a very different climb. Check recent conditions the week you go and turn around when the day tells you to.
