A 24 Hour Trip

I haven't posted recently because I've been spending my free time preparing for the launch of a startup rather than getting outside, but I did find 24 hours to sneak away for a much needed trip to the mountains.

Rangerdog and I left the North Cottonwood Creek Trailhead at 4:00 PM and walked west and north for a few miles before setting up camp just below treeline in Horn Fork Basin. As I was staking out my tarp it began to snow. I climbed into my sleeping bag to stay warm and read The Marriage Plot (in hardcover, as weight is not a concern on a 24 hour trip) to pass the time before falling asleep early, dreaming that the weather would cooperate for my summit attempt in the morning.

Upper Horn Fork Basin

Dawn broke cold and clear. I eventually convinced myself to leave the warmth of my down bag and start off down the trail for Mount Harvard. The sun finally rose over Mount Columbia at 8:00 and warmed me with its rays. The warmth was short-lived, however, as cold and wind above 13,000 feet forced me to wear every layer I carried to stay warm. I topped out at 9:30 and had the 14,420 foot summit to myself. My plan was to traverse the 2.75 mile ridge that connects Harvard and Columbia but  my hooded wool base layer, wind shirt, insulated jacket, hooded rain jacket, fleece hat, fleece gloves, and rain mitts were no match for the cold so after a brief stay on the summit I started my descent back to camp.


After eating lunch and breaking camp Ranger and I headed back to the truck. There are lots of downed trees across this stretch of trail; sometimes a tree was easy for me to get past but impossible for Ranger (I could climb over) and other times it was impossible for me but easy for him (he could crawl under). I stopped at the Green Parrot in Buena Vista for a $1.50 PBR and was on my way home 24 hours after I started my hike the day before.

Mount Harvard summit from 12,900