Mt. Harvard Trip Report 07/21/2008

Peak(s):	Mt. Harvard - 14,424 feet
Date Posted:	07/21/2008
Date Climbed:	07/19/2008
Author:	ndolbeare

Wrapping Up Unfinished Business on Harvard
We had attempted Harvard in '07 on a late spring trip but didn't summit due to an unfortunate marriage of careless mistakes and bad choices. This weekend seemed like a good time to head back up there and take another crack at it. We've hiked into Horn Fork basin a couple of times before so we were looking for a different route and hoping for one that would have less people. We found what we were looking for by starting from the Frenchman's Creek trailhead. Until we reached the ridge we saw no other people. We drove up on Friday night and arrived around 10:00 PM. The road wasn't too bad but it didn't strike me as any easier than the Matterhorn Creek or Baldwin Gulch 4WD roads, both of which are rated more difficult on the "Trailheads by Difficulty" page. The 4WD parking lot is very small with room for only 4, maybe 5 vehicles. We set up the tent and settled in for a few hours of sleep. The first mile and a half is through the trees below the upper basin. After 45 minute of hiking we broke into some small meadows and enjoyed the sun's first rays. We only encountered 2 snowfields during the hike. This one was still frozen solid so we easily skirted it by climbing up a few feet rather than kicking steps across it. A slide down this wouldn't have hurt but you would have been soaked in the creek at the bottom. The 2nd snowfield would be avoidable if the creek wasn't too high to cross but that wasn't the case for us. We hiked back to the snowfield and delicately crossed so we could avoid taking off our boots and socks. After you get across the creek you're finally above treeline and have the first view of the ridge between Harvard and Columbia. This shot was taken looking back down. The trail to this point was very easy to follow but that would soon change. From here the trail basically disappears but there are a few cairns pointing you in the general direction. We followed the directions from Roach's book which said to gain access to the ridge you can see in the picture below and then follow it to the summit. Another shot looking up to the ridge. Our route took us to the right of the snowfield. This picture was taken looking back down from near the top of the snowfield. The trail between Harvard and Columbia comes down the ridge on the left side of the picture. We decided to hike up to the high point and follow the crest of the ridge to Harvard's summit. After a little more hiking we could finally get a peek at the summit which is just to the right of the 2nd highest point in this picture. Climbing up and over this point provided some good scrambling. Coming down from the point in the previous picture. We hit this saddle about halfway along the ridge. Once on the ridge the trail between Harvard and Columbia was pretty easy to follow. This shot was taken about 15 minutes from the top. On top with Princeton and Yale in the background. Looking down into the Horn Fork Basin. Looking north from the summit. Coming down we saw this mountain goat charging down the slope. He's in the lower left corner of the picture. After what seemed like a never-ending hike back to the car we changed out of our hiking clothes, tore down the tent, threw it all in the back of the SUV and headed down the road. Rosie's Brewpub in Leadville provided some outstanding post-hike refreshment. This was a nice, private hike (until the summit ridge) but the approach lacked the great view of Harvard that one gets from Horn Fork Basin. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Wrapping Up Unfinished Business on Harvard

We had attempted Harvard in '07 on a late spring trip but didn't summit due to an unfortunate marriage of careless mistakes and bad choices. This weekend seemed like a good time to head back up there and take another crack at it.

We've hiked into Horn Fork basin a couple of times before so we were looking for a different route and hoping for one that would have less people. We found what we were looking for by starting from the Frenchman's Creek trailhead. Until we reached the ridge we saw no other people.

We drove up on Friday night and arrived around 10:00 PM. The road wasn't too bad but it didn't strike me as any easier than the Matterhorn Creek or Baldwin Gulch 4WD roads, both of which are rated more difficult on the "Trailheads by Difficulty" page. The 4WD parking lot is very small with room for only 4, maybe 5 vehicles. We set up the tent and settled in for a few hours of sleep.

The first mile and a half is through the trees below the upper basin. After 45 minute of hiking we broke into some small meadows and enjoyed the sun's first rays.

We only encountered 2 snowfields during the hike. This one was still frozen solid so we easily skirted it by climbing up a few feet rather than kicking steps across it. A slide down this wouldn't have hurt but you would have been soaked in the creek at the bottom.

The 2nd snowfield would be avoidable if the creek wasn't too high to cross but that wasn't the case for us. We hiked back to the snowfield and delicately crossed so we could avoid taking off our boots and socks.

After you get across the creek you're finally above treeline and have the first view of the ridge between Harvard and Columbia.

This shot was taken looking back down. The trail to this point was very easy to follow but that would soon change.

From here the trail basically disappears but there are a few cairns pointing you in the general direction. We followed the directions from Roach's book which said to gain access to the ridge you can see in the picture below and then follow it to the summit.

Another shot looking up to the ridge.

Our route took us to the right of the snowfield.

This picture was taken looking back down from near the top of the snowfield.

The trail between Harvard and Columbia comes down the ridge on the left side of the picture. We decided to hike up to the high point and follow the crest of the ridge to Harvard's summit.

After a little more hiking we could finally get a peek at the summit which is just to the right of the 2nd highest point in this picture.

Climbing up and over this point provided some good scrambling.

Coming down from the point in the previous picture.

We hit this saddle about halfway along the ridge. Once on the ridge the trail between Harvard and Columbia was pretty easy to follow.

This shot was taken about 15 minutes from the top.

On top with Princeton and Yale in the background.

Looking down into the Horn Fork Basin.

Looking north from the summit.

Coming down we saw this mountain goat charging down the slope. He's in the lower left corner of the picture.

After what seemed like a never-ending hike back to the car we changed out of our hiking clothes, tore down the tent, threw it all in the back of the SUV and headed down the road.

Rosie's Brewpub in Leadville provided some outstanding post-hike refreshment.

This was a nice, private hike (until the summit ridge) but the approach lacked the great view of Harvard that one gets from Horn Fork Basin.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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