Mt. Evans in 5280

5280 magazine's April issue has my story describing the cornucopia of outdoor sports available on Mt. Evans, the fourteener closest to Denver. (36.5 miles from the Capitol dome as the raven flies.) With a paved road to the summit open all summer (and an even longer season to Summit Lake at 12,830 feet), there's no easier access to high-altitude spring skiing, hiking, and climbing in Colorado. Last summer I did my first big climb on Evans in many years, the Cannonball Corner, and it has inspired me to get back up there more often—starting next month, as soon as the road opens, to check out the rumored monster ice climbs that may form in the wet, dark corner of the Black Wall. I've walked in twice during the fall to look for these climbs, without any luck. Maybe a spring visit is the secret formula. First cold day after the road opens, I'm there.