Mt. Yale Trip Report 06/22/2021

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Mt. Yale - 14,200 feet
Date Posted	06/22/2021
Date Climbed	06/20/2021
Author	DhruvNambiar

Mt. Yale - Southwest Slopes
Hello! My name is Dhruv Nambiar. For some context, a month or so ago I started a GoFundMe to help combat the COVID-19 crisis in India. As part of the fundraiser, for every 500 dollars raised I would hike one of Colorado's 14ers. We ended up raising over 5000 dollars, and this is the first of ten hikes that I will be doing. We woke up at around 1:00 AM to prepare for the hike, arriving at the Denny Creek trailhead at around 4:00 AM. We began the hike at 4:30, using headlamps to see the trail. The hike up to the treeline isn't necessarily difficult or grueling, more so that it is just quite long. There are a few log bridges that you'll pass near the start, and as you approach the treeline, looking away from the mountain grants a really nice view of the surrounding peaks. Once we passed the treeline, we encountered the major problem of the hike; the wind. I hadn't really expected the hike to be too cold, and the weather was looking clear for the day, so I only brought a light sweatshirt. Big mistake. While the weather wasn't necessarily freezing. the wind chill was immense and something that I had not prepared for. As soon as we got out of the treeline we started to feel it, and it began to really pick up as we went up the switchbacks to reach the saddle. We took breaks behind rocks wherever we could to warm ourselves up, but farther up on the mountain, these areas became few and far between. On the final summit pitch, a few members of our group and I pathed around the northeast side of the mountain, to avoid the wind. It wasn't very technical climbing, but some sections were a bit more exposed than on the other side. It was definitely worth it, however. The views on the summit were spectacular. You have a full 360-degree view of Buena Vista, the Collegiate Peaks, and many other beautiful mountains all around you. In addition, the hike was not too strenuous as a whole, especially if you come prepared for the weather. On the way down, thankfully, the wind died down a bit and we were able to enjoy the hike without that as a major factor. We summitted at around 9:00, and reached the trailhead again at 12:30. The hike is long but not overly tough, and I definitely believe that it's worth it. The hike took around 8 hours in total, climbing a total elevation of around 4,300 feet and 10 miles. I would definitely recommend bringing a windbreaker or a heavier jacket for this hike if you are planning to do so(which I definitely urge you to do). I can't speak for the level of wind on other days, but better be safe than sorry. In the end, I definitely recommend this peak to anyone looking for a decent climb with great views to compensate. Thank you for reading, and I hope to continue with more of these soon! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Mt. Yale - Southwest Slopes

Hello! My name is Dhruv Nambiar. For some context, a month or so ago I started a GoFundMe to help combat the COVID-19 crisis in India. As part of the fundraiser, for every 500 dollars raised I would hike one of Colorado's 14ers. We ended up raising over 5000 dollars, and this is the first of ten hikes that I will be doing.

We woke up at around 1:00 AM to prepare for the hike, arriving at the Denny Creek trailhead at around 4:00 AM. We began the hike at 4:30, using headlamps to see the trail. The hike up to the treeline isn't necessarily difficult or grueling, more so that it is just quite long. There are a few log bridges that you'll pass near the start, and as you approach the treeline, looking away from the mountain grants a really nice view of the surrounding peaks.

Once we passed the treeline, we encountered the major problem of the hike; the wind. I hadn't really expected the hike to be too cold, and the weather was looking clear for the day, so I only brought a light sweatshirt. Big mistake. While the weather wasn't necessarily freezing. the wind chill was immense and something that I had not prepared for. As soon as we got out of the treeline we started to feel it, and it began to really pick up as we went up the switchbacks to reach the saddle. We took breaks behind rocks wherever we could to warm ourselves up, but farther up on the mountain, these areas became few and far between. On the final summit pitch, a few members of our group and I pathed around the northeast side of the mountain, to avoid the wind. It wasn't very technical climbing, but some sections were a bit more exposed than on the other side. It was definitely worth it, however.

The views on the summit were spectacular. You have a full 360-degree view of Buena Vista, the Collegiate Peaks, and many other beautiful mountains all around you. In addition, the hike was not too strenuous as a whole, especially if you come prepared for the weather.

On the way down, thankfully, the wind died down a bit and we were able to enjoy the hike without that as a major factor. We summitted at around 9:00, and reached the trailhead again at 12:30. The hike is long but not overly tough, and I definitely believe that it's worth it. The hike took around 8 hours in total, climbing a total elevation of around 4,300 feet and 10 miles.

I would definitely recommend bringing a windbreaker or a heavier jacket for this hike if you are planning to do so(which I definitely urge you to do). I can't speak for the level of wind on other days, but better be safe than sorry. In the end, I definitely recommend this peak to anyone looking for a decent climb with great views to compensate. Thank you for reading, and I hope to continue with more of these soon!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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