12/30/2011 Route: East Ridge Posted On: 12/30/2011, By: EmmaM Info: Trail was packed up ~1.5 miles from the TH. We established a trench up to the base of Yale‘s east ridge (~12,000ft). Snowpack was deep; we broke trail at times up to the knee/thigh. Snowshoes are necessary below treeline. No summit attempt due to high winds. |
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11/21/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 11/22/2011, By: kushrocks Info: This route started off great as someone had been up the start of this route previously so we did not have to break trail at least to start. Even so traction was helpful. I started off in Microspikes. Around 11,000 trails break off every which way just make sure you take the one to the far right because all the other ones dead end. Snowshoes not necessarily needed for this route. I borrowed a pair but only wore them for about 100 yards just before the route got steep. Around 11,500 we lost the route and took the more direct route straight up hill as things got a lot steeper. We put on crampons which helped. We found and lost the trail about 100 times on the way up as it was drifted over sometimes a few feet deep but it didn’t last very long. I would highly recommend crampons going up the gulley and especially on the upper ridge as the boulders and rocks were extremely slick. Once again we had a whiteout on the summit but got some great views on the way down in between light snow showers. Thankfully this day was nowhere near as windy as the day before on Elbert. |
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10/22/2011 Route: East Ridge Posted On: 10/23/2011, By: dehrlich101 Info: We did not go up the east ridge so I have no info past this point. The mountain had a small amount of snow on it, everything looked avoidable. Wear your blaze orange, there were quite a few hunters in the area of the east ridge. Yale‘s East Ridge - Avalanche Trail Head No snow until the ridge crest at 11,900 where you turn left off the Colorado Trail. Yale‘s East Ridge - North Cottonwood Creek Snow is up to 6 in deep when gaining the 11,900 ft east ridge. |
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10/22/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 10/24/2011, By: skiingyeti Info: The trail was in excellent shape all the way to the summit. No snow up to about 11,000‘. A little icy snow above that up to about 12,500‘, but nothing to slow you down. From 13,000 and up there was more snow on the trail, but rarely more than a few inches and it was easy to follow, no route finding, gaiters not necessary. The summit ridge had a few spots to posthole in, but not bad. |
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10/17/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 10/17/2011, By: aliciaf Info: Mt. Yale received probably about 3-6 inches of new snow Sun-Mon, making the entire trail snow covered. Above treeline, there were huge snowdrifts completely wiping out the trail at times, making it difficult to navigate. We lost the trail about 5-6 times. Some of the snowdrifts were knee-thigh deep. In addition, it was very windy, causing blowing snow and low visibility. Needless to say, we turned around about 1-1.5 miles from the summit. On our descent below treeline, a lot of the snow had already melted. |
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10/2/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 10/2/2011, By: mikemalick Info: A beautiful day on Mt Yale! As you can see the weather was perfect and the aspen were putting on a show. Of course the weather looks like it will undergo a big change this coming week. |
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9/21/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 9/21/2011, By: lackerstef Info: on the beautiful summit right now. perfect morning and clear trail. CFI rocks! |
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9/17/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 9/18/2011, By: dstickn1 Info: Snow above 12,000-ish feet. As deep as 3-4" toward the summit. Rocks plastered with snow. Still doable in hiking boots, though. |
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9/9/2011 Route: east Posted On: 9/9/2011, By: GreenHorn Info: View from BV finally cleared this a.m. Snow on the peak down to about 12,500. |
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7/13/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 7/13/2011, By: SkiBum1287 Info: Gorgeous day on Yale. Got a late start a 8:45, summitted at 11:00, back to the car at 12:55. No snow on the route at all. Intermittent clouds between 9:30 and 11:30 at the summit, but no rain. Plenty of wildflowers along the trail above treeline. As I was hiking, I saw someone in a long sleeve 14ers.com shirt and complimented him (I was wearing my short sleeve synthetic). He and his partner both kind of laughed, and confirmed my suspicion that it was Bill! Thanks again for everything you do! |
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7/7/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 7/8/2011, By: iquack08 Info: Completely snow-free, except for one small patch of snow that can easily be avoided. |
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7/2/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 7/3/2011, By: toekramp Info: Wonderful hike, only a small snowfield (10 yards) to cross around 13,000, but it‘s already so well traveled postholing is not an issue. |
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6/19/2011 Route: East Ridge Posted On: 6/21/2011, By: susah Info: Yale Snow drifts, 6-19-11, trail was clear all the way to tree line- there were snow drifts embedded in the Crags and drain ditches with clear spots scattered between drifts. Note: there were various wandering "off-trail" foot traffic leads that could mislead hikers who are not familiar/confident of the "true" trail location/plotting at tree line. Drifts and exposed area sizes varied between 10 feet to 70yards long and/or wide. No way to tell the shallows from deep spots- just had to test it out.... yeah there will be some post-holing, but nothing that should discourage you Knee high gaiters and hiking boots were enough to make the hike sporting and more fun to traverse. the wind was not bitter but was annoying. |
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6/13/2011 Route: East Ridge Posted On: 6/14/2011, By: greenhorn1 Info: Hiked up Colorado Trail via Avalanche Gulch TH. Intermittent snow last 500 vertical feet to Yale‘s east ridge. Significant snow on the ridge to the summit. Nobody else on trail. |
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6/4/2011 Route: Southwest Slopes Posted On: 6/5/2011, By: KentonB Info: Not much change in the conditions from the last trip report. The first mile is pretty easy with bits of ice and snow on the trail... no need for snowshoes or even traction devices really. After the first mile, I REALLY wish I had brought my snowshoes (left them in the car)... experienced a lot of unnecessary post-holing. It got so bad in places, I was literally crawling on all 4‘s trying to find solid ground (and we left the trailhead early - 6 am). As mentioned in other reports, the trail gets sketchy as you approach tree line and you pretty much choose your own path to the summit ridge after exiting the trees. Can‘t tell you how soft the snow was on the descent. We did Mascot Peak and then made a beeline down the much-less-snow-covered south-western slope of Mascot. That was miserable for other reasons and I do NOT advise anyone to take this route unless you enjoy falling down a lot and risking life and limb. |
