Mt. Yale Trip Report 06/30/2007

Peak(s):	Mt. Yale - 14,200 feet
Date Posted:	06/30/2007
Modified:	07/01/2007
Date Climbed:	06/14/2007
Author:	chasrobt

Mt. Yale, Denny Creek
I arrived at the Denny Creek trailhead at 5:00am. My car was the only one in the parking lot. After getting my pack arranged and gear out, I began the climb at 5:30am. The sky was packed with stars--although hardly visible through the forest canopy. I was traveling with my hiker buddy Amber, a 2-year old Golden Retriever. I needed my headlamp, however it was spooky--climbing in the dark! The temperature was 35 degrees, with a hint of spindrift type snowflakes occasionally. The trail was dry, we made good time up to the sign at the trail split (Hartenstein Lake to the left, Yale to the right)--at 6am. The trail wound through the forest, eventually dropping back down to the streambed. A large bird--I suppose an Owl--glided away through the yet dark forest. Photo #1 below shows a favorite scene of mine the "ice flow" section over the trail. Ten minutes later--about 7:15am we were at the Log Bridge crossing--Photo # 2 shows Amber crossing the bridge. At this point the trail heads northwest and begins a number of switchbacks--drops down into a forested area--then emerges from tree line at about 11,800 feet--with the trail heading SE for 1/3 mile or so. Five deer had been feeding in the area; they had soon run out of sight. When we reached the shoulder there were sections of snowfields--yet they were hard packed enough for support. After crossing the snowfields at the high point of the shoulder the trail begins another series of switchbacks--the trail was slick in places from ice and scree. Amber raced ahead making it to the saddle ahead of me. She disappeared briefly from view; she had found snow cover on the north side of the ridge to roll in and cool off. The view from the ridge was great--clear weather, with Harvard and Columbia in view to the NW. Photo #3 I stashed my pack and tied Amber off in a rock shelter area, out of the wind at about 13,500 feet elevation--which she did not like--she barked a little, then settled in as I climbed up and over the first rocky section. After climbing through the rocky section, the remainder of the trail leading up the summit ridge was visible--. The photo is taken after I descended,--looking back up the ridge. Photo #4 I reached the summit at 9:45am, still clear weather, about 42 degrees and windy. There was quite a lot of snow on the summit. A summit canister was not visible on the peak. The views of the Arkansas Valley and Buena Vista were spectacular. Photo #5 I took the descent from the summit slow--finding footholds in the snow and rocks. Soon I picked up Amber and we headed down the scree and icy areas leading down from the ridge. As we descended we passed numerous groups of climbers making their way upward through the snow and trail switchbacks. We moved down the shoulder, making the traverse back to the west and into the trees. It was beginning to get warm--. Soon we down climbed through the switchbacks and back to the log bridge crossing--By now I had drank three liters of water from my CamelBak. The weather had warmed considerably by now and my long sleeved sweater and gaiters were no longer needed. The temperature was 60 degrees. The walk back down the trail was quiet; I took my time, wading in the creek with Amber--and along the way seeing quite a few birds, ground squirrels and rabbits. We passed through the trail juncture and on down, reaching the trailhead at 1:30 pm--a great day. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Mt. Yale, Denny Creek

I arrived at the Denny Creek trailhead at 5:00am. My car was the only one in the parking lot. After getting my pack arranged and gear out, I began the climb at 5:30am. The sky was packed with stars--although hardly visible through the forest canopy. I was traveling with my hiker buddy Amber, a 2-year old Golden Retriever. I needed my headlamp, however it was spooky--climbing in the dark! The temperature was 35 degrees, with a hint of spindrift type snowflakes occasionally.

The trail was dry, we made good time up to the sign at the trail split (Hartenstein Lake to the left, Yale to the right)--at 6am. The trail wound through the forest, eventually dropping back down to the streambed. A large bird--I suppose an Owl--glided away through the yet dark forest. Photo #1 below shows a favorite scene of mine the "ice flow" section over the trail. Ten minutes later--about 7:15am we were at the Log Bridge crossing--Photo # 2 shows Amber crossing the bridge.

At this point the trail heads northwest and begins a number of switchbacks--drops down into a forested area--then emerges from tree line at about 11,800 feet--with the trail heading SE for 1/3 mile or so. Five deer had been feeding in the area; they had soon run out of sight.

When we reached the shoulder there were sections of snowfields--yet they were hard packed enough for support. After crossing the snowfields at the high point of the shoulder the trail begins another series of switchbacks--the trail was slick in places from ice and scree. Amber raced ahead making it to the saddle ahead of me. She disappeared briefly from view; she had found snow cover on the north side of the ridge to roll in and cool off. The view from the ridge was great--clear weather, with Harvard and Columbia in view to the NW.
Photo #3
I stashed my pack and tied Amber off in a rock shelter area, out of the wind at about 13,500 feet elevation--which she did not like--she barked a little, then settled in as I climbed up and over the first rocky section.

After climbing through the rocky section, the remainder of the trail leading up the summit ridge was visible--. The photo is taken after I descended,--looking back up the ridge. Photo #4

I reached the summit at 9:45am, still clear weather, about 42 degrees and windy. There was quite a lot of snow on the summit. A summit canister was not visible on the peak. The views of the Arkansas Valley and Buena Vista were spectacular. Photo #5
I took the descent from the summit slow--finding footholds in the snow and rocks. Soon I picked up Amber and we headed down the scree and icy areas leading down from the ridge. As we descended we passed numerous groups of climbers making their way upward through the snow and trail switchbacks.

We moved down the shoulder, making the traverse back to the west and into the trees. It was beginning to get warm--. Soon we down climbed through the switchbacks and back to the log bridge crossing--By now I had drank three liters of water from my CamelBak.

The weather had warmed considerably by now and my long sleeved sweater and gaiters were no longer needed. The temperature was 60 degrees. The walk back down the trail was quiet; I took my time, wading in the creek with Amber--and along the way seeing quite a few birds, ground squirrels and rabbits.

We passed through the trail juncture and on down, reaching the trailhead at 1:30 pm--a great day.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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