
Leaving the trailhead and entering the woods.

The trail follows North Fork of Cottonwood Creek for a while. Nice morning water noises and whatnot.


Some views of the surrounding mountains on occasion.



Peek at Mt. Columbia! I did Mt. Columbia second and I'm glad I did.


The forest finally opens into meadows at the base of Mt. Harvard. You can see Mt. Harvard on the right.

Looking back toward Mt. Yale.

Heading through the meadow. Mt. Harvard is in the center of this photo.

Looking back again down the valley I came up.

Mt. Harvard center. The route goes up the left side (southwest ridge) and the face visible here.

Looking back down.

Some dudes hanging out taking in the view.

Trail starts to get more steep,

Quick detour to see Bear Lake. The view of the lake is better as you ascend Mt. Harvard.

Looking back.

Starting up into the easy Class 2 boulder field, a trail leading nicely through it.

Looking back, a baby lake on the left becoming visible.


Bear Lake behind me (right).

Boulders go away and a dirt trail appears, steeply climbing the face of Mt. Harvard.



Mt. Columbia (center left).






Bear Lake (right) and Mt. Columbia (center left).

Mini Class 2 (+?) scramble to the summit.

Mt. Harvard summit view. Bear Lake center, Mt. Columbia left.

Mt. Harvard view looking toward Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford to the north.

Looking along the ridge to Mt. Columbia from Mt. Harvard's summit. You can see Mt. Columbia on the right, the end point.



A use trail leads along the ridge.




Although tempting, the ridge looks really scary. Maybe it goes? Probably not. When you get to this spot, where the land just sort of falls away, follow the ridge down (east) a few hundred feet.

Looking back up the way I came, boulder-hopping.

A notch leads down into the basin below the scary ridge (right). Stay as high on this boulder field as possible - no reason to lose unnecessary elevation.

Along the boulder field, hugging the ridge. Mt. Columbia on the left.


Looking back - scary ridge on the left, slope to come down on the right.

Approaching the saddle with Mt. Columbia.

Looking back.

Just after reaching the saddle, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.

Continuing up Mt. Columbia.



Just below Mt. Columbia summit, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.

Mt. Columbia summit.

Mt. Columbia summit, looking south.

Looking back toward Mt. Columbia summit.

Starting down the standard route up Mt. Columbia. It's awful. Hopefully a new trail is constructed soon to reduce the crazy erosion on this ultra-annoying route up.



Looking back up a particularly steep section on the way down Mt. Columbia.


The trail leads back to the Horn Fork Basin to complete the loop.
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