Mt. Yale Trip Report 06/11/2007

Peak(s):	Mt. Yale - 14,200 feet
Date Posted:	06/11/2007
Date Climbed:	06/09/2007
Author:	native_mntguy

Mt. Yale from Denny Creek
Trip length: ~8miles Elevation gain: 4300ft Trip Duration: 7 hours 40 minutes I reached the Denny Creek trailhead just at 5:20am and hit the trail at 5:30. It was a great crisp morning as I headed through the trees. About a mile onto the trail, I realized that I had forgotten my sunglasses. This was proof that mentally I was out of it that day! I made it up to 11,000' and crossed the Delaney Gulch stream and started to climb up the steep hillside. Around 11,700' I did go off trail, and I ended up going too far northeast. Once I came out of the trees I knew I was too far north. Now I wished that I had got my new GPS setup and brought it. Well I decided I could drop back down and find the trail or head up the steep scree and join the trail after the shoulder as it headed northeast toward the saddle. I decided on the later. As I finished tackling the scree, I hit the ridge and saw several hikers above me, and I quickly rejoined the trail around 12,200' where I hit the first snowfield on the way to the saddle. A view of the snowfields. It was now near 9am and I trekked across the snowfields which were still solid at this time. At around 12,400', I realized that I had passed the group I had seen earlier as they decided to go around the snowfields. At 12'600' the had caught back up to me, and we continued up the rest of the way together. We hit the saddle and by now the wind was really blowing. View of the summit ridge I hit the saddle and I thought about getting out the ice axe a couple of times on the ridge but decided I could do without. By now the snow was still firm but not hard. At this point I was really feeling great, as all my previous 14ers I had a headache at 14,000'. Today I never had one and I felt I was zipping up to the summit. Around 10am, I hit the summit just before a guy coming from the east ridge. As the wind was still blowing, I dropped to just southeast of the summit for a bite to eat and enjoy the views. Yale's summit windy and snow covered Mt. Harvard As long as I was out of the wind the summit was enjoyable, but at 10:30 I decided to head back. The group I met up was leaving at the same time. We traversed the ridge and at around 13200' I decided to glissade down a few of the snowfields to save some punishment on my knees. The upper fields were still in great shape while the lower ones where a bit soft as they had been in the sun longer. I continued down the trail....this time staying on trail. Around 12,100' I met several ladies who also had trouble finding the trail. This still didn't make me feel much better though as I usually have a good sense of direction. I continued down into the trees and finally found the point where I did lose the trail. Finally hit the parking lot at 1:15 and headed down to Buena Vista for lunch. Another successful summit, albeit a little more humble. I definitely need to make sure I have a clear head from now on ...plus have my GPS ready to go for Harvard next week! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Mt. Yale from Denny Creek

Trip length: ~8miles
Elevation gain: 4300ft
Trip Duration: 7 hours 40 minutes

I reached the Denny Creek trailhead just at 5:20am and hit the trail at 5:30. It was a great crisp morning as I headed through the trees. About a mile onto the trail, I realized that I had forgotten my sunglasses. This was proof that mentally I was out of it that day! I made it up to 11,000' and crossed the Delaney Gulch stream and started to climb up the steep hillside. Around 11,700' I did go off trail, and I ended up going too far northeast.

Once I came out of the trees I knew I was too far north. Now I wished that I had got my new GPS setup and brought it. Well I decided I could drop back down and find the trail or head up the steep scree and join the trail after the shoulder as it headed northeast toward the saddle. I decided on the later.

As I finished tackling the scree, I hit the ridge and saw several hikers above me, and I quickly rejoined the trail around 12,200' where I hit the first snowfield on the way to the saddle.

A view of the snowfields.

It was now near 9am and I trekked across the snowfields which were still solid at this time. At around 12,400', I realized that I had passed the group I had seen earlier as they decided to go around the snowfields. At 12'600' the had caught back up to me, and we continued up the rest of the way together. We hit the saddle and by now the wind was really blowing.

View of the summit ridge

I hit the saddle and I thought about getting out the ice axe a couple of times on the ridge but decided I could do without. By now the snow was still firm but not hard. At this point I was really feeling great, as all my previous 14ers I had a headache at 14,000'. Today I never had one and I felt I was zipping up to the summit. Around 10am, I hit the summit just before a guy coming from the east ridge. As the wind was still blowing, I dropped to just southeast of the summit for a bite to eat and enjoy the views.

Yale's summit windy and snow covered

Mt. Harvard

As long as I was out of the wind the summit was enjoyable, but at 10:30 I decided to head back. The group I met up was leaving at the same time. We traversed the ridge and at around 13200' I decided to glissade down a few of the snowfields to save some punishment on my knees. The upper fields were still in great shape while the lower ones where a bit soft as they had been in the sun longer.

I continued down the trail....this time staying on trail. Around 12,100' I met several ladies who also had trouble finding the trail. This still didn't make me feel much better though as I usually have a good sense of direction. I continued down into the trees and finally found the point where I did lose the trail.

Finally hit the parking lot at 1:15 and headed down to Buena Vista for lunch. Another successful summit, albeit a little more humble. I definitely need to make sure I have a clear head from now on

...plus have my GPS ready to go for Harvard next week!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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