Colorado 14ers: Tour De Abyss (Mt Bierstadt & Mt Blue Sky) Hike Guide

The Tour De Abyss is a 14er hike that summits both Mt Bierstadt and Mt Blue Sky but includes some fun Class 3 scrambling along the way. This hike varies slightly in distance but is about 9 miles long. This was filmed in October and does require the Mt Blue Sky Road to be open unless you really like sufferfests.
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[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Read a full guide on this hike here: www.thevirtualsherpa.com/tour-de-abyss-colorado-14ers-hike-guide/

[@Valaran1]

The artist who named Rosalie after his wife was actually Albert Bierstadt, who Mount Bierstadt is named for. If I remember correctly he lived near the base of Grays and Torreys and was one of the first to document a lot of the flora and fauna in the area.

[@centennialpeaksadventures]

Yes! Spot on

[@Movingmountians77]

Did this last month. I'm from Illinois, and my brother and I made the trip out there for Labor day, and camped out at the campground before Evans Road. Surprisingly it wasnt to busy. However, they literally closed the road for the season the day of our hike, (after Labor Day). So that kinda sucked. Wasn't expecting to do the extra miles. 🙃 But I guess you should always expect the unexpected when hiking 14ers. Was number 23, and 24 for me. I make a lot of 3 day weekend trips out there from Illinois to hike 14ers. Needless to say, I'm used to getting a little altitude sickness lol. The Tour specifically was an epic hike, the hardest part for us, was that slog getting up to Evans after the sawtooth 🤢. Other than that we had a lot of fun. Videos, and pictures definitely don't do it justice. For someone I don't know, I have a lot of respect for you and the plethora of knowledge you dish out in your videos. Keep it up sir, your channel is awesome 👌

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Cheers and appreciate it - yeah I got lucky too. They closed the entire road about a week after I did this for the season. Always sucks dealing with road closures, especially when unexpected!

[@an_adventurous_life_]

Great Video and hike/climb. I did Bierstadt, sawtooth to Evans, and then Spalding down to the lake. Sawtooth was my favorite part

[@bloodmuffins793]

Great video! This is one of my favorite routes on any 14er. Did this with my mom once for her first 14er. It was pretty special

[@kathrynsmith8554]

Loved this route and was the best way to enjoy a bit of solitude on these peaks, at least until you get to the summits. Was also awesome getting to enjoy the sunrise starting early towards the top of Evans (I opted to park at the summit lot). Great content as always!

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Agree - without a doubt the best way I’ve found so far to summit these two.

[@ManivanAdventures]

Awesome! I just posted a video of Bierstadt today too! Lol Nothing as crazy as this, just the normal trail, but I hope to do stuff like this some day! This looks like so much fun! As always, great video my dude!

[@pw2883]

Hi Sherpa! I always enjoy your adventurous videos. I conquered my first 14er, Mount Bierstadt, on 10/21/22, from Guanella Pass as a 61.5-year-old. The altitude sure slowed me down, but otherwise no problems. It became very windy at the summit so I didn’t stay long. It was a big relief to be off the summit and down the boulder field!

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Congrats 🎉

[@andrewstephens9843]

Awesome! I wasn’t able to make it back to Colorado this year, but I will next year for sure. Be safe out there!

[@integralogic]

One of my favorite hikes ever. The backside of Bierstadt is a bit intimidating

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Agree - it snuck up on me in spots too, especially being in such a hurry due to the weather.

[@NotCloudy15k]

Great video, and guide, as always! Keep up the great work!

[@gjalnisilver]

So, what I've taken from your videos so far is, "it's a loose mess" is the theme of the rockies in general? :D JK, it's so much fun watching, can hardly imagine how fun it might be hiking there. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to try some of the easier (less exposed) routes myself... if there wasn't a massive pond in between I'd be there in a heartbeat. ;)

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

You aren't that far off - yeah, lots of loose scree fields and weather affected rock. Unfortunately, that's what happens when there is note a ton of living plant life to give the winds, snow and rain something else to deflect from hitting the tops of all of our mountains. Still an awesome place, you just learn to deal with it.

[@codyli123]

Love the bighorn sheep at the end. Unfortunately I haven't gotten to see them on any of my hikes

[@cadelesher5987]

Thanks for the video we are so lucky to get to experience the mountains

[@XxxUnderestimatedxxX]

Did this route earlier in the summer, didn’t see a soul until at was at the summit of bierdstat, couldn’t believe it since it’s such an awesome route. Great video! Also, personally I’ll only do a countdown if it’s multiple people I’m taking a picture of

[@TheZerohero1996]

Great video per usual! I hike failed this earlier this year- took a bit of a slide down the gully on the way down and wasn't in a good enough mental to send the rest of the route after. Just a bit spooked. I ended up at Abyss Lake at around 8am with it all to myself way before anyone reached it from Guanella Pass. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful days of the season for me. Reascending that gully was NOT fun afterwards, but was still better than going down. I'll go back to actually complete this route next season for sure :)

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Sorry to hear about the fall - think some of the other beta out there is pretty bad tbh. I’d hang right on the descent down to the lake, much easier then the other main beta on this. Hope you snag it next time!

[@marcump]

I was going to add to my comment but it disapeared before saving. I love the solitude of the Mountaineering route, the views coming down the portal is worth returning that standard route. I can't wait.. I'm planning my excursion in late summer of 2023

[@mountainflyhigh]

Those north couloirs on Evans are a traditional opening day ski route down to the lake when the road opens in early June. Same with the east slope behind the observatory down towards the road. WAY more fun than hiking down those rocks ;-)

[@samwouters1113]

I hiked this back on August 7th and had a blast! Maybe I am misunderstanding your comment at the 2:50 mark (sorry if that's the case) but there was ample parking at the switchback located at 39.579341, -105.637311 when I hiked (4 vehicles plus room for a couple more). We followed the same route after descending into the basin and then made a beeline to our vehicles from the summit of Evans. If Strava is to be trusted, it was about 5.75 miles. As far as pictures go, I'll usually count down and take 2 or 3 pics on "cheese"

[@MaxMansfield]

I hiked into that same storm from Arapaho pass. Luckily I brought the right layers too.

[@WhiskyTrekker]

This looks like a fun route!

[@declanducc3139]

This looks so much more fun than the willows! 😂 I shoulda done this lol

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Not even close to being a debate - this is 100x better 😂

[@eddy0083]

3-2-1, but always take multiple so they can't ask for another. As for the ramp from the large tower to the approach to Evan's being 'easy'... You said the same about the ledges at Longs and on a windy day that was terrifying.

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

I’m with you -always snapping multiples. For sure - wind can change everything but don’t think this ramp is at all comparable to the ledges on longs but I guess to each their own.

[@JosiahFilm]

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[@carsonc1214]

Such a great route, until you get to the top of evans. Some people who drove to the top were holding a sign that read “to see the beauty you must fight the pain”

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

😂

[@MileHighGrowler]

I get a kick out of the people up there who can barely huff and puff the 1/4 mile and smell of a fresh shower and cologne/perfume as our sweaty and tired selves come over the ridge on foot. But it IS a really cool way for those who aren't able to hike to see the world from that vantage point.

[@jgv1]

October? Early October? I hated this trip last week on October 21. Cold dang morning and insane wind.

[@amateurhouradventures]

Definitely countdown, usually take a wide one and one zoomed in. Probably excessive..

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Multiples is key for sure - I always know when I hand it over to a stranger it’s a massive gamble chocolate

[@AnulBead]

So with the permits you can’t get an alpine start? You have to wait for gate opening and reservation or walk the whole road?

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

No, you can arrive before your reservation time - you just need to display your ticket. They do not close the gate before the park opens.

[@AnulBead]

@@TheVirtualsherpa excellent, great piece of information, much appreciated sir! Thank You

[@thethingilike]

Not wrong about cancelling. Evans is changing to Mt Blue Sky

[@mountainflyhigh]

Because that what the Indians called it? - LOL

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

If they're really doing that that's so stupid. It's just going to confuse people and het them lost. There aren't even indigenous in this area anymore.

[@marcump]

I feel like changing the name of Mt. Evans at this point is ridiculous I wish people would stop whining about everything and would just leave well enough alone. Native people have their names, we have ours.. what's next, Pike's Peak?

[@cashcherry7846]

I parked at 13300 on the road for free and saved some mileage. Also free to park there, but not much capacity.

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

The fee is for the highway itself, reservation is for parking spots.

[@carsonc1214]

We also went down the gully with the wood post at the top, don’t do that, that’s not a good idea.

[@mloney9772]

I count to 5 because that’s when people get real.

[@ryankrause618]

i never count down when i take people's photos, and i never noticed until i got called out for it lol. i just take like 10 and hand them their phone back

[@eldersine]

Great hike, let me know if you want to plan a collab sometime

[@beeseumz]

I always just fire away when I take pictures. It so much more natural and I hate the manufactured look

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

Right there with ya

[@TruthHasSpoken]

With tourists I say, "three two one" and take the pic on TWO. Works great !

[@TheVirtualsherpa]

But how do you know who the tourists are?

[@TruthHasSpoken]

@@TheVirtualsherpa Live in a resort town so it's pretty obvious: especially when they are walking around with a camera / phone in hand admiring certain landmarks; more so when it's a couple and they are taking a joint selfie or one spouse takes a pic of the other. I like to step in and ask would they like me to take their picture. 7 out of 10 say yes, 3 say no. :) (note, visited RMNP last month ... so my spouse and I became a bit interested in who would ever climb some of "those" peaks, especially those with knife edges... did a little searching on youtube and found your channel. Wonderful job with your narration and video'ing as we've watched a few but not a lot of channels on the same).