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Mount Harvard

 South Slopes
Difficulty Class 2 
Ski/Board: Intermediate, D4 / R2 / III  
Risk FactorsExposure: Moderate
Rockfall Potential: Moderate  
Route-Finding: Moderate  
Commitment: Moderate  
 
Start9,900 feet
Summit14,424 feet
Total Gain4,600 feet
RT Length13.75 miles
Last UpdatedJul 2025
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Trailhead

In Buena Vista, 1/2 mile north of the center of town, turn west onto County Road 350 (Crossman Ave.) and measure mileage from here. Continue on CR 350 for 2 miles and turn right onto CR 361. At 3 miles, turn left onto CR 365 (dirt). Continue for over 5 miles to the reach the trailhead and end of the road, at 8.1 miles. The trail starts on the west side of the parking loop.

Route Description

From the trailhead ( 1), take the excellent trail downhill to a bridge crossing, and follow it for 1.4 miles to another bridge ( 2). Shortly after crossing it, you'll arrive at a trail junction ( 3). Stay right for Horn Fork Basin and Bear Lake. Continue hiking for nearly 2 miles, staying left at the junction for Mt. Columbia ( 4). Hike a bit higher to reach tree line at 11,500', where Harvard comes into view ( 5). This area offers many dispersed camping spots. Proceed east and then north into Horn Fork Basin .

Weave through willows and cross a stream as you approach the basin's north end ( 6). Above 12,000', the trail steepens ( 7). Continue higher to reach the Bear Lake trail junction. Stay right and continue up to a flat area near 12,500' ( 8). Next, you'll climb a rugged talus section to gain a shoulder. Using the trail constructed by the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, ascend through the talus ( 9). Above this tedious section, arrive at the crest of the shoulder at 13,000'. At this point, you'll have a clear view of the remaining route ( 10). Cross the upper basin and ascend the slope below Harvard's south ridge, following cairns, rock steps, and a relatively well-defined trail ( 11). Be careful to stay on the trail as it switchbacks up to the ridge ( 12).

At the ridge, turn right and hike north along the ridge's right side toward the summit ( 13). Finally, you'll reach the final pitch, which is the crux of the route ( 14,  15). The rock on this pitch is mostly stable, and there is a way to keep the difficulty at "Difficult" Class 2, even though it's not obvious ( 16,  17). Take your time and choose your route carefully as you gain the summit of Colorado's 3rd highest 14er ( 18,  19).

Skiing?

Leaving the summit:  20
Dropping into an exit gully:  21
Descending the south face and exiting the drainage:  22,  23

Notes

IMPORTANT: This route enters the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness area. Designated wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.
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