The standard, shortest route to the closest 14er summit to Denver, climbing from a high scenic-byway trailhead over a connecting 13er.
The route starts at the Summit Lake parking area on the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway (Colorado 5), reached from Idaho Springs via CO-103 to Echo Lake and then the toll byway. The byway is typically open only from roughly mid-June through early September, with dates shifting year to year, and has also seen construction-related closures in some recent seasons — confirm current road status before planning around this trailhead. From Summit Lake, the West Ridge Trail climbs steadily, crossing over 13,860-foot Mount Spalding before continuing toward Blue Sky. The final section crosses a Class 2 talus field on Blue Sky's southwest face to reach the summit.
Reverse the route back over Spalding to Summit Lake. Some parties skip re-climbing Spalding by descending Blue Sky's east gully directly to the byway and walking the road back to Summit Lake instead.