Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia Loop in San Isabel National Forest, CO

Hike Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia Loop San Isabel National Forest, CO

Class 2 15.9 miles 6400 gain 8-11 hrs Loop Jul 13, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Harvard and Mount Columbia Loop GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Follow North Cottonwood Creek on an easy to follow trail to the summit of Mt. Harvard. Along the way, a spur trail shoots off to visit Bear Lake, if you’re so inclined. From Mt. Harvard’s summit (a Class 2+ move required to get up there), take in the views of Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford to the north, and Mt. Columbia to the south. Then, head east along the obvious ridge, just south of the ridge itself, on a social trail. Eventually, you’ll get to a terrifying-looking sawtooth ridge that looks like Class 4 or 5 (maybe) if you decide to continue along. However, you can easily avoid the ridge by heading east and losing a few hundred feet of elevation just below the ridge. Try to keep as high above the boulder field as you can – no reason to lose extra elevation. I actually found cairns most of the way, but you don’t really need them. Just hug the ridgeline and continue to the summit of Mt. Columbia. From the summit, continue along the ridgeline for a bit until you locate the standard route up Mt. Columbia, which was just awful to go down. I believe they are working on creating a trail that will reduce the erosion, so keep that in mind if you’re doing this route in the future – my track down Mt. Columbia could be closed to make way for a true trail.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Harvard
14420 ft
2340 rise
2
Mount Columbia
14073 ft
873 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Leaving the trailhead and entering the woods.
Leaving the trailhead and entering the woods.
The trail follows North Fork of Cottonwood Creek for a while. Nice morning water noises and whatnot.
The trail follows North Fork of Cottonwood Creek for a while. Nice morning water noises and whatnot.
Image 2 from gallery
Some views of the surrounding mountains on occasion.
Some views of the surrounding mountains on occasion.
Image 4 from gallery
Image 5 from gallery
Peek at Mt. Columbia! I did Mt. Columbia second and I'm glad I did.
Peek at Mt. Columbia! I did Mt. Columbia second and I'm glad I did.
Image 7 from gallery
The forest finally opens into meadows at the base of Mt. Harvard. You can see Mt. Harvard on the right.
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.
Looking back toward Mt. Yale.
Heading through the meadow. Mt. Harvard is in the center of this photo.
Heading through the meadow. Mt. Harvard is in the center of this photo.
Looking back again down the valley I came up.
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.
Mt. Harvard center. The route goes up the left side (southwest ridge) and the face visible here.
Looking back down.
Looking back down.
Some dudes hanging out taking in the view.
Some dudes hanging out taking in the view.
Trail starts to get more steep,
Trail starts to get more steep,
Quick detour to see Bear Lake. The view of the lake is better as you ascend Mt. Harvard.
Quick detour to see Bear Lake. The view of the lake is better as you ascend Mt. Harvard.
Looking back.
Looking back.
Starting up into the easy Class 2 boulder field, a trail leading nicely through it.
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.
Looking back, a baby lake on the left becoming visible.
Image 20 from gallery
Bear Lake behind me (right).
Bear Lake behind me (right).
Boulders go away and a dirt trail appears, steeply climbing the face of Mt. Harvard.
Boulders go away and a dirt trail appears, steeply climbing the face of Mt. Harvard.
Image 23 from gallery
Image 24 from gallery
Mt. Columbia (center left).
Mt. Columbia (center left).
Image 26 from gallery
Image 27 from gallery
Image 28 from gallery
Image 29 from gallery
Image 30 from gallery
Bear Lake (right) and Mt. Columbia (center left).
Bear Lake (right) and Mt. Columbia (center left).
Mini Class 2 (+?) scramble to the summit.
Mini Class 2 (+?) scramble to the summit.
Mt. Harvard summit view. Bear Lake center, Mt. Columbia left.
Mt. Harvard summit view. Bear Lake center, Mt. Columbia left.
Mt. Harvard view looking toward Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford to the north.
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.
Looking along the ridge to Mt. Columbia from Mt. Harvard's summit. You can see Mt. Columbia on the right, the end point.
Image 36 from gallery
Image 37 from gallery
A use trail leads along the ridge.
A use trail leads along the ridge.
Image 39 from gallery
Image 40 from gallery
Image 41 from gallery
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.
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.
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.
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.
Along the boulder field, hugging the ridge. Mt. Columbia on the left.
Image 46 from gallery
Looking back - scary ridge on the left, slope to come down on the right.
Looking back - scary ridge on the left, slope to come down on the right.
Approaching the saddle with Mt. Columbia.
Approaching the saddle with Mt. Columbia.
Looking back.
Looking back.
Just after reaching the saddle, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.
Just after reaching the saddle, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.
Continuing up Mt. Columbia.
Continuing up Mt. Columbia.
Image 52 from gallery
Image 53 from gallery
Just below Mt. Columbia summit, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.
Just below Mt. Columbia summit, looking back toward Mt. Harvard.
Mt. Columbia summit.
Mt. Columbia summit.
Mt. Columbia summit, looking south.
Mt. Columbia summit, looking south.
Looking back toward Mt. Columbia summit.
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.
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.
Image 59 from gallery
Image 60 from gallery
Looking back up a particularly steep section on the way down Mt. Columbia.
Looking back up a particularly steep section on the way down Mt. Columbia.
Image 62 from gallery
The trail leads back to the Horn Fork Basin to complete the loop.
The trail leads back to the Horn Fork Basin to complete the loop.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!