6/3/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 6/4/2017, By: drchele Info: Left TH at 4:30 AM. Intermittent snow in the trees, so we donned microspikes in the forest before we hit the avalanche runoff area. The creek was raging, but we had no difficulty with any crossings. We missed the 'right turn' at ~11,600' and wound up following the creek about 1/4 mile too far along the Horn Fork Basin Trail and had to reroute. Glad I had Gaia GPS. I relied on recent conditions reports that suggested microspikes were sufficient, but I really wish I'd had my crampons when ascending the snowy slope from 11,800 to 12,800. (I'd done Yale a few days earlier and toted my crampons to the summit and back down, unused). Once off the snowy slope, it was a typical talus and tundra scramble to the shoulder with minimal intermittent and mostly avoidable snow. The ridge at ~13,600', was snowy, but solid and amply wide, without a cornice. I cut in steps along the final pitch to the summit, which we reached about 10:15 AM. We glissaded down the snowy west slopes and back to treeline without difficulty (glad I had my ice axe to arrest). Back to car about 3:10PM. Minimal to no post-holing on the descent; just the typically squishy slippery slush. We had impeccable weather with no wind and mostly sunny skies. Did not need flotation. |
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5/29/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 5/30/2017, By: JQDivide Info: Snowshoes not needed. Used mircospikes Snow starts in the upper trees, spotty, some is avoidable. More snow on the northern side of the ridge. Little to no snow from treeline to below pt 12,800. Continuous snow from the slope of pt 12,800 to the summit. A few spot without, melting away. More snow on the summit now, than back in December. |
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5/29/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 5/30/2017, By: soloclimber97 Info: Went up the standard summer route, once on the west slope you can pretty much avoid snow all the way to the summit ridge. Never put on snowshoes or microspikes, just had my ice axe out on the final pitches to the summit. |
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5/26/2017 Route: Southwest Couloir Posted On: 5/26/2017, By: lrosenmayer6 Info: Started at 4:45 from N. Cottonwood Creek TH. Intermittent snow almost right away. Put snowshoes on around 11,000'. Made it to ~12,300' in the couloir before I turned around. It was nearly 40 degrees in the couloir before the sun had even hit the snow, the snow was pretty loose and post-holey and the pitch was very steep, so I quit in the name of safety. I was looking for an excuse to quit anyway because the couloir was kicking my butt. Flotation + traction or you will probably be miserable. |
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4/30/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 4/30/2017, By: bmcqueen Info: Started in fresh powder this am from Harvard Lakes TH (by time I came down though, CO Trail was basically dry again). I booted up the fresh snow to treeline where it got deep enough that I broke down and wore my snowshoes. I actually wore them all the way to the top and back down to the CO Trail cut-off. Spikes wouldn't have helped much today on all the fresh snow, but give it a couple days and spring snow conditions will be back. EXTREMELY windy on the ridge between 13k and 13.6k. Almost spun, but just kept adding layers and pushed on to the summit. |
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12/31/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 12/31/2016, By: RyGuy Info: The trench from the Colorado Trail turn off up to 12,000 has been refurbished and additional features added. (New pull-outs, better width and now more supportive if you opt not to use snowshoes.) Overall the route is in great shape. All wind scoured or dry above 12,200. |
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12/26/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 12/26/2016, By: bmcqueen Info: We stamped the existing trench this am. It's in good shape now. We ditched snowshoes just above tree line. One of us used spikes from there; one didn't. Personal preference. |
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12/4/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 12/4/2016, By: Eli Boardman Info: The section of the ridge through the forest has anywhere between 4 and 12 inches of snow. Gaiters are recommended. I carried microspikes but did not use them because I did not think they would help much in the pure powder. The alpine part of the ridge is mostly windswept and dry, with only a few snowdrifts here and there. In general, Columbia and the surrounding peaks are still quite dry, especially the ridgelines. The standard (west) route on Columbia looked dry from the top, but I can't say for sure. |
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11/14/2016 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 11/15/2016, By: CO_GPS_Guy Info: Fantastic day climbing Mt Columbia -- spent the night in Horn Basin and then trekked up in crazy winds that finally died down at 10am as we summited. Several snow patches above 13,500' - easily circumvented. Much tougher staying upright while hiking back down the trail due to scree and loose gravel. Not one person seen from nighttime arrival on 11/13 to afternoon departure on 11/14. Horn Fork Creek still flowing strong -- with ice in some spots. |
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11/13/2016 Route: Harvard Columbia Traverse Posted On: 11/13/2016, By: quinnwolf Info: Little snow until the talus field below the "rabbit". Then between 0 and 6 inches from there the rest of way. About half the traverse had some snow (enough to get in the way, but not enough to be dangerous as long as you watch where you step). I carried traction, but never used it. Followed somebody's previous tracks through the snow which helped a lot. It looks like this will change drastically on Thursday though, finally. |
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10/22/2016 Route: From Frenchman's Creek TH Posted On: 10/23/2016, By: Count40 Info: Summer conditions. Those few patches of snow easily avoidable. There was no need for traction. Just a note about this class 1/2 route (did not spot it elsewhere): from 4WD, at 10300 ft TH 10 miles return, add 3.2 return for 2WD TH at 9300 ft If driving in at night, you might mistake the 4WD turnoff (it looks like a turn-off, on the left, not like a continuation of the same road) for just another camping spot. Just watch the odometer mileage, as per Roach. 4WD stretch to be respected, narrow, without many chances to move out of the way. Portion runs along narrow wooded ridge. Jeep Wrangler likes it, with care, but Subaru not so much (NOT at all, actually). Quite a bit of hunting going on in the area. You will know either by camps close to 2WD or 4WD THs, or by horse packs. Orange colors would not hurt. |
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9/8/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 9/9/2016, By: BB Info: Started at Colorado Trail trailhead going north toward Harvard Lakes. Follow the CT trail up through the first two switchback turns. Not far up the third leg of switchbacks, look for a large cairn on left side of trail -- the SE ridge trail begins here. For the most part, this trail is well marked with small cairns all the way to timberline. In spots the trail can be lost, such as where downfall hides it. Except for the lower section and a couple other spots, the trail is just off the top of the ridgeline on the north side; if you lose it, look there for cairns. Trail ends at timberline. From there the entire SE ridge route is straightforward, just follow the ridge line; a few knobs can be contoured around. Nothing more technical than a few stretches of talus (no snow at all on this day). It is long, however, and you are well above treeline for a couple miles, making any quick retreat from lightning difficult (not a cloud in the sky on this day). Beautiful climb. |
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8/31/2016 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 8/31/2016, By: bmcqueen Info: After a brief wintermission, Harvard and Columbia are pretty close to back to summer conditions. A touch of snow up high on each, but nothing that made us even consider getting the spikes out of the packs today. Traverse is pretty much dry. We did the lower, less technical and less time consuming version and still took us 3:24 from Columbia summit to Harvard summit. |
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8/14/2016 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 8/16/2016, By: MonGoose Info: Just in case you were wondering, Columbia's West Slopes still suck. Although CFI is working hard on a multi-year project to completely reroute the trail, the new trail won't be open for a few more years. Until then the standard trail remains the same. As you climb up the nasty gully, make sure to cut right (south) to the shoulder around 12,500'. I was amazed at the number of people who tried to climb straight up the entire gully. |
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7/9/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 7/11/2016, By: thebeave7 Info: Climbed directly from the first switchback after the river crossing up the South ridge. Steep but completely snowfree. No snow on the ridge or that we could see on the standard trail up either. Dropped the traverse toward Harvard, crossed upper Frenchman Creek at the 12600ft mark in the talus, snow is a non-issue and all can be easily avoided. As of 7/9 there were good strong waterflows at 1300ft on both the Columbia and Harvard side of the traverses if you need to refill water. Flowers are popping on the Southeast face of Harvard, beautiful weekend up there. |
