Bard Peak (May 2008, April 2018)

On a trip to Grizzly Peak above Loveland Pass on May 17, 2008, we spotted this compelling face of Bard Peak (13641'). So we (Bob Portmann, Jonathan Kriegel, Elke Dratch, Kim McGranahan and I) did it the next day. Very rewarding, though the start was rough. We parked at the Bakerville exit and just headed north and up, but the first 500 vertical was a pretty horrendous bushwhack. We did find a nice trail and that helped at the end, and then we could skin up to the saddle with Parnassus, and then the summit. Our up-route was in the big hole in the low center of the photo, and a highlight there was a stand of bristlecone pines near tree line. Parnassus us well known for its very large stand of bristlecones on its south face. The route up and the summit offered great views, from Evans to Grizzly and Sniktau, with many interesting lines on Torreys and its neighbors visible. I wonder if this line is ever skied? The highway can be off-putting, but one quickly leaves it behind.

For descent we came down the large white face into the curving portion of the gully at bottom and conditions were fine. When we struck our trail again we took it out to the highway, and were surprised to come out about a quarter mile west of the car, at a chain-up area; head up about 10 yards past the yellow Chain-Up Area sign.

Here is a view of Grays and Torreys from Bard. The name of the face coming straight at the viewer from the summit is the Little Diamond. The Tuning Forks are prominent to the right of the summit, and Grays Peak is behind.

Here is Bob Portmann just leaving the summit.

Randy Garrison and I did Bard in May, 2016, though weather chased us down about 300 feet below the summit.

Randy, Henry Gibb, Chet Roe, and I did Bard to the summit on April 29, 2018. Snow was fine, though coverage near the top was poor. The approach is a bit heinous, as this photo by Henry shows.