Mount Blue Sky
Description
WikipediaMount Blue Sky (previously Mount Evans) is the highest peak in the Mount Evans Wilderness in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent 14,266.1-foot (4,348 m) fourteener is located 13.4 miles (21.6 km) southwest by south (bearing 214°) of Idaho Springs in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States, on the drainage divide between Clear Creek in Arapaho National Forest and the North Fork South Platte River in Pike National Forest. The peak is one of the characteristic Front Range peaks, dominating the western skyline of the Great Plains along with Pikes Peak, Longs Peak, and nearby Mount Bierstadt. Mount Blue Sky can be seen from over 100 miles (160 km) to the east, and many miles in other directions. Mount Blue Sky dominates the Denver metropolitan area skyline, rising over 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above the area. Mount Blue Sky can be seen from points south of Castle Rock (65 miles or 105 km south), as far north as Fort Collins (95 miles or 153 km north), and from areas near Limon (105 miles or 169 km east). The mountain was previously named for the second governor of the Territory of Colorado, John Evans. However, due to Evans's involvement in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, there were years of discussion over renaming Mount Evans. On September 15, 2023, the United States Board on Geographic Names officially changed the mountain's name to Mount Blue Sky.
First ascent
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Spalding | 4,222 m | NW 319° | 1.7 km |
| The Sawtooth | 4,202 m | W 279° | 1.8 km |
| Mount Warren | 4,052 m | NE 25° | 2.1 km |
| Epaulet Mountain | 4,126 m | SE 153° | 2.2 km |
| Mount Bierstadt | 4,287 m | W 254° | 2.2 km |
| Gray Wolf Mountain | 4,148 m | NW 335° | 3.5 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super D | Chicago Creek Rock | 6a | 66 m |
| BaDaBoom | Chicago Creek Rock | 7a+ | 66 m |
| BaDaBing | Chicago Creek Rock | 6a | 66 m |
| PTSD | Chicago Creek Rock | 4b | 66 m |
| The Snave | Mt. Evans - mixed, couloirs | 1 | 66 m |
| The Snave Direct | Mt. Evans - mixed, couloirs | 1 | 66 m |
| Diamond Couloir | Mt. Evans - mixed, couloirs | 1 | 66 m |
| Tike's Trike | Mt. Evans - mixed, couloirs | 6a | 66 m |
| Far Right Dihedral (2nd Apron) | Mt. Evans - mixed, couloirs | 4b | 66 m |
| The Snave Direct | Mount Evans, North Face | 1+ | 141 m |
| Ozark Backwoods | West Buttress | 5a | 435 m |
| Ozark Prom Queen | West Buttress | 5b | 435 m |
| 2nd Apron Far Left | Aprons, The | 5b | 709 m |
| Cheap Date [1st Apron] | Aprons, The | 5c | 709 m |
| 1st Apron, Left Side | Aprons, The | 5a | 709 m |
| Slip and Slide [1st Apron] | Aprons, The | 5c | 709 m |
| 2nd Apron Left Side | Aprons, The | 5b | 709 m |
| 3rd Apron Left | Aprons, The | 5a | 709 m |
| 2nd Apron, Right Side Dihedral | Aprons, The | 4b | 709 m |
| 2nd Apron Right Side | Aprons, The | 5a | 709 m |
| 2nd Apron Center | Aprons, The | 5a | 709 m |
| The Napkin (2nd Apron) | Aprons, The | 5a | 709 m |
| Sawtooth Traverse | Sawtooth Ridge, Mt. Bierstadt/Evans combo | 1- | 1.2 km |
| Another Shrubbery | Girlfriend Wall, The | 5b | 1.5 km |
| Knights Who Say Ni | Girlfriend Wall, The | 5b | 1.5 km |