Mount Yale via Colorado Trail in San Isabel National Forest, CO

Hike Mount Yale via Colorado Trail San Isabel National Forest, CO

Class 2 10.9 miles 5100 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Aug 31, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Yale via Colorado Trail GPX Track

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Mt. Yale is one of many 14ers in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, and there are a couple of standard approaches. The more heavily traveled, starting out from the Denny Creek Trailhead, was closed, so I took this slightly more difficult route from the Avalanche Trailhead. It starts off by following the Colorado Trail, with views overlooking Rainbow Lake, before heading up a forested slope to the saddle just east of Mt. Yale. From here, follow a social trail up the ridgeline to Mt. Yale's summit. you get nice views of Mt. Harvard and Mt. Columbia to the north, and Mt. Princeton to the south.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Yale
14196 ft
1876 rise

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Starting along the Colorado Trail.
Starting along the Colorado Trail.
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Along the Colorado Trail, Rainbow Lake to the south.
Along the Colorado Trail, Rainbow Lake to the south.
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A peek at Mt. Yale from along the Colorado Trail.
A peek at Mt. Yale from along the Colorado Trail.
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Very woodsy for the first few miles.
Very woodsy for the first few miles.
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Emerging from the treeline at the saddle east of Mt. Yale. A social trail leads along the ridge. That's Mt. Yale on the left, or at least a false summit.
Emerging from the treeline at the saddle east of Mt. Yale. A social trail leads along the ridge. That's Mt. Yale on the left, or at least a false summit.
Looking back toward the saddle east of Mt. Yale.
Looking back toward the saddle east of Mt. Yale.
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Starting up the ridge to Mt. Yale.
Starting up the ridge to Mt. Yale.
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View south toward Mt. Princeton.
View south toward Mt. Princeton.
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Looking back the way I came up the east ridge of Mt. Yale.
Looking back the way I came up the east ridge of Mt. Yale.
Almost there? Or, false summit?
Almost there? Or, false summit?
A false summit. Womp.
A false summit. Womp.
Heading toward the true summit as the sun majestically hits Mt. Yale.
Heading toward the true summit as the sun majestically hits Mt. Yale.
Mt. Yale ahead.
Mt. Yale ahead.
Another shot south toward My. Princeton.
Another shot south toward My. Princeton.
View southeast, Rainbow Lake center, Mt. Princeton right.
View southeast, Rainbow Lake center, Mt. Princeton right.
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Approaching the Mt. Yale summit.
Approaching the Mt. Yale summit.
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Mt. Yale summit looking southeast toward Mt. Princeton.
Mt. Yale summit looking southeast toward Mt. Princeton.
Mt. Yale summit looking west at the storms coming in.
Mt. Yale summit looking west at the storms coming in.
Mt. Yale summit looking north toward Mt. Harvard (center) and Mt. Columbia (right).
Mt. Yale summit looking north toward Mt. Harvard (center) and Mt. Columbia (right).

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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!