Backpacked up to Hork Forn Basin and enjoyed a night of camping before heading up to Harvard around 5:45. Summited at 8:15 and enjoyed the summit for 1/2 hour, arrived back at the car by 1:15. Beautiful area, great trail, and the little scramble at the top was a lot of fun!
LivingColorado - Jun 20, 2012 3:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2012
First of the Collegiates!
My first 14er in the Collegiate Peaks! We camped up in Horn Fork Basin the nights before and after this trek, which made for a very enjoyable trip, as it's absolutely beautiful up there. I'd highly recommend to anyone.
Matt Lemke - May 18, 2012 4:51 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2012
Solo via standard route
Great morning for a 14er. Nice and warm and not too much wind. The snow around treeline was a pain as well as the hundreds of downed trees but it wasn't too bad. 3.5 hours up and 3 hours down.
DerekFreed - Mar 30, 2012 3:47 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
via Frenchman Creek
A very enjoyable route!! Love the upper basin area, plan to return this way to collect Columbia someday...
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 23, 1995
Harvard
Mike and I played sousa on the sousaphones on top. Tony and Fullerton flew a kite.
Second ascent, this time solo from Frenchman Creek with PT 13374 and Columbia. First time I was up Harvard (2006) was in a snowstorm with zero visibility, it was nice to finally enjoy the summit view after all these years!
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 7:27 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2009
Harvard Columbia Traverse
Starting to get antsy to just finish the 14ers. Harvard was OK. I can't believe I talused over the top of Columbia again. The connecting 4th class ridge is unremarkable.
Long, satisfying, beautiful climb. Didn't go over to Columbia because of snow. Next time.
Scott - Sep 9, 2011 1:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
Harvard
March 18
I decided to make a winter ascent of Mount Harvard and Columbia with the 14ers.com group. It was the end of the winter season and I really needed to get another 14er in. I got a later start than I wanted and most people were already gone when I reached the trailhead, but two others were there trying to drive the road in the snow. We both tried to drive farther, but I got pretty stuck.
After digging out and packing up I headed up the mountain. Because of the late start I was moving very quickly (for me at least) and arrived at camp at about 11,400 feet in 2.5 hours. I had a nice chat with everyone before heading to bed.
March 19
It was a very long night and I didn’t get much sleep at all. I thought about (especially) my wife and kids a lot throughout the night and it was hard to sleep. The moon was bright and beautiful during the night.
My heart just wasn’t into the climb in the morning and I had a lot on my mind. We had a large group, but I kept mostly to myself and I was dragging pretty slow. The views of the surrounding crags were beautiful and the weather was pretty good, but it was a bit breezy (and a bit cool in the wind).
It was a long, but not difficult climb and I reached the top alone. Everyone else had either headed back down or left late and was still coming up. I took some photos and ate on top (it was fairly chilly) before heading back down. I expected to have a pretty good glissade on the way down, but the snow wasn’t as good as I expected and the glissades were pretty mediocre at best.
After arriving at camp I contemplated whether or not to spend the night. On one hand I didn’t want to have to come back and finish Mt. Columbia, but on the other hand, I really missed my wife. Sunday is the day that I usually cook her breakfast in bed and I knew I would feel sad if I missed it. I had called her from the top and she told me to have a good time and to not worry about her, but I still missed her much.
I stayed and talked with the group about various things just over an hour before deciding to head back down. After packing up camp, it was already 6:09 PM, so I headed down the mountain quickly and after getting off track once (false trail) I reached the vehicle at about 8:20 PM. It was a long drive home and I finally walked in the door at 1 AM.
pacojgarza - Aug 29, 2011 9:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2011
2nd time around
Did my first repeat 14er exactly a year after the first summit. The trail was really wet and muddy around timberline; I used a snow bridge to cross the swollen creek then went slightly off trail a few times to avoid large snow fields below the summit. It was a 7.5 hr. roundtrip from North Cottonwood creek trailhead.
JustinShapiro - Jul 25, 2011 1:26 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2011
Harvard - yes! Columbia?
We went on a day with 50% percip looking to do both Harvard and Columbia. We made it to Harvard - no problem, but we go lost on the way to Columbia (we stayed high on the ridge instead of hiking below it and ended up on some class 4 stuff) and once we realized our mistake it started raining and we B-lined it down. We'll have to do Columbia another day...
sevenvii - Apr 3, 2011 11:48 am Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
No summit
Failed attempt on a pretty good day, albeit pretty windy. Tried to sneak in another peak before the change from Winter to Spring, but it wasn't in the cards. Had a great time with a lot of folks from 14ers.com though.
Kiefer - Mar 23, 2011 12:26 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
South Slopes
Climbed with Fletch and Stephanie and about 15 other 14er.com members as part of a winter gathering. As Steph said, windy at the top with just enough ice on the rocks to make things interesting.
Surprisingly hard in winter...not a 'gimmie' as I initially thought.
StephanieLynn - Mar 22, 2011 6:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
nice day
A little windy near the summit. Fun day with lots of people from 14ers.com.
Jeremy Hakes - Jan 16, 2011 2:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2009
2nd time.
Nice hike.
centrifuge - Jan 12, 2011 10:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2007
Harvard Columbia
shoulda brought more water
tomlauren - Jan 2, 2011 11:40 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2010
Harvard - Columbia
Climbed Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia from North Cottonwood Trailhead after a beautiful camp at 11,440 feet in Horn Fork Basin.
Panthera uncia - Dec 22, 2010 5:47 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2009
scvanm - Sep 4, 2012 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2012
22ndMade it to Harvard, had to give up trying for Columbia too. I just can't camp at 11,500 when driving in from Omaha. Solo
bighornmonkey - Aug 2, 2012 11:24 am Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2012
twoferdid harvard first, then columbia as a twofer.
4th 14er this year.
mountainloverCO - Jul 15, 2012 9:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2012
Harvard Standard RouteBackpacked up to Hork Forn Basin and enjoyed a night of camping before heading up to Harvard around 5:45. Summited at 8:15 and enjoyed the summit for 1/2 hour, arrived back at the car by 1:15. Beautiful area, great trail, and the little scramble at the top was a lot of fun!
LivingColorado - Jun 20, 2012 3:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2012
First of the Collegiates!My first 14er in the Collegiate Peaks! We camped up in Horn Fork Basin the nights before and after this trek, which made for a very enjoyable trip, as it's absolutely beautiful up there. I'd highly recommend to anyone.
Matt Lemke - May 18, 2012 4:51 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2012
Solo via standard routeGreat morning for a 14er. Nice and warm and not too much wind. The snow around treeline was a pain as well as the hundreds of downed trees but it wasn't too bad. 3.5 hours up and 3 hours down.
DerekFreed - Mar 30, 2012 3:47 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
via Frenchman CreekA very enjoyable route!! Love the upper basin area, plan to return this way to collect Columbia someday...
xpda - Oct 29, 2011 12:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 23, 1995
HarvardMike and I played sousa on the sousaphones on top. Tony and Fullerton flew a kite.
chicagotransplant - Oct 23, 2011 6:17 pm Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2011
Frenchman CreekSecond ascent, this time solo from Frenchman Creek with PT 13374 and Columbia. First time I was up Harvard (2006) was in a snowstorm with zero visibility, it was nice to finally enjoy the summit view after all these years!
Ted Eliason - Oct 13, 2011 7:27 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2009
Harvard Columbia TraverseStarting to get antsy to just finish the 14ers. Harvard was OK. I can't believe I talused over the top of Columbia again. The connecting 4th class ridge is unremarkable.
Spindle - Sep 24, 2011 4:27 pm Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2011
from North Cottonwood THLong, satisfying, beautiful climb. Didn't go over to Columbia because of snow. Next time.
Scott - Sep 9, 2011 1:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
HarvardMarch 18
I decided to make a winter ascent of Mount Harvard and Columbia with the 14ers.com group. It was the end of the winter season and I really needed to get another 14er in. I got a later start than I wanted and most people were already gone when I reached the trailhead, but two others were there trying to drive the road in the snow. We both tried to drive farther, but I got pretty stuck.
After digging out and packing up I headed up the mountain. Because of the late start I was moving very quickly (for me at least) and arrived at camp at about 11,400 feet in 2.5 hours. I had a nice chat with everyone before heading to bed.
March 19
It was a very long night and I didn’t get much sleep at all. I thought about (especially) my wife and kids a lot throughout the night and it was hard to sleep. The moon was bright and beautiful during the night.
My heart just wasn’t into the climb in the morning and I had a lot on my mind. We had a large group, but I kept mostly to myself and I was dragging pretty slow. The views of the surrounding crags were beautiful and the weather was pretty good, but it was a bit breezy (and a bit cool in the wind).
It was a long, but not difficult climb and I reached the top alone. Everyone else had either headed back down or left late and was still coming up. I took some photos and ate on top (it was fairly chilly) before heading back down. I expected to have a pretty good glissade on the way down, but the snow wasn’t as good as I expected and the glissades were pretty mediocre at best.
After arriving at camp I contemplated whether or not to spend the night. On one hand I didn’t want to have to come back and finish Mt. Columbia, but on the other hand, I really missed my wife. Sunday is the day that I usually cook her breakfast in bed and I knew I would feel sad if I missed it. I had called her from the top and she told me to have a good time and to not worry about her, but I still missed her much.
I stayed and talked with the group about various things just over an hour before deciding to head back down. After packing up camp, it was already 6:09 PM, so I headed down the mountain quickly and after getting off track once (false trail) I reached the vehicle at about 8:20 PM. It was a long drive home and I finally walked in the door at 1 AM.
pacojgarza - Aug 29, 2011 9:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2011
2nd time aroundDid my first repeat 14er exactly a year after the first summit. The trail was really wet and muddy around timberline; I used a snow bridge to cross the swollen creek then went slightly off trail a few times to avoid large snow fields below the summit. It was a 7.5 hr. roundtrip from North Cottonwood creek trailhead.
JustinShapiro - Jul 25, 2011 1:26 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2011
Harvard - yes! Columbia?We went on a day with 50% percip looking to do both Harvard and Columbia. We made it to Harvard - no problem, but we go lost on the way to Columbia (we stayed high on the ridge instead of hiking below it and ended up on some class 4 stuff) and once we realized our mistake it started raining and we B-lined it down. We'll have to do Columbia another day...
sevenvii - Apr 3, 2011 11:48 am Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
No summitFailed attempt on a pretty good day, albeit pretty windy. Tried to sneak in another peak before the change from Winter to Spring, but it wasn't in the cards. Had a great time with a lot of folks from 14ers.com though.
Kiefer - Mar 23, 2011 12:26 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
South SlopesClimbed with Fletch and Stephanie and about 15 other 14er.com members as part of a winter gathering. As Steph said, windy at the top with just enough ice on the rocks to make things interesting.
Surprisingly hard in winter...not a 'gimmie' as I initially thought.
StephanieLynn - Mar 22, 2011 6:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 2011
nice dayA little windy near the summit. Fun day with lots of people from 14ers.com.
Jeremy Hakes - Jan 16, 2011 2:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2009
2nd time.Nice hike.
centrifuge - Jan 12, 2011 10:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2007
Harvard Columbiashoulda brought more water
tomlauren - Jan 2, 2011 11:40 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2010
Harvard - ColumbiaClimbed Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia from North Cottonwood Trailhead after a beautiful camp at 11,440 feet in Horn Fork Basin.
Panthera uncia - Dec 22, 2010 5:47 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2009
Double DipHiked Harvard then traversed over to Columbia.