Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Standard route · Southwest Slopes
Overview
Mount Yale is a big, steep Collegiate peak west of Buena Vista. The standard route is short for its height gain: about 4.75 miles each way with 4,300 feet of climbing. A trail climbs through forest along Denny Creek and then Delaney Gulch, breaks out of the trees onto a rocky shoulder, and grinds up a steep slope to a saddle on the northwest ridge. The last part is a short boulder hop along the ridge to the top.
It suits hikers who have climbed an easier fourteener and are ready for something steeper. The trail is good almost all the way, and the ridge is only Class 2 if you stay on the cairned line. Plan on 7 to 10 hours round trip. The steep slope from 13,200 feet to the saddle is the part that wears people out.
The main risks are storms, since you are above tree line for the upper third of the route, and a stumble in the boulders on the ridge. The slope below the saddle is loose, so stay on the trail.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5 a.m. You leave the trees near 12,100 feet and spend 3 or more hours in the open on the upper slope and ridge.
Turnaround
If you are not at the 13,950-foot saddle by 11 a.m., or thunderheads are building, turn around. The ridge beyond is the most exposed spot on the route.
Crux
The steep 750-foot pull from about 13,200 feet to the saddle, followed by the boulder hopping on the summit ridge.
Route-finding
Easy to follow. Turn right at the Hartenstein Lake junction around 1.3 miles. On the summit ridge, follow cairns on the right (west) side of the crest; the crest itself is harder.
Water
Denny Creek and the stream in Delaney Gulch run beside the trail up to about 11,200 feet. Filter or treat it. There is no reliable water above tree line.
Paved asphalt pull-out lot located right off Cottonwood Pass Road with clean restroom facilities.
Terrain
Wide logging roads transitioning into a steep alpine trail and finishing on a sharp, blocky rock ridge.
You follow a wide, gently graded dirt road alongside a roaring mountain stream under a cool pine canopy. After turning onto the Mount Yale trail, the grade steepens significantly, climbing tightly through the trees until you pop out into a gorgeous alpine bowl. The smooth dirt path remains easy to navigate until you hit the final summit ridge. Here, the trail completely disappears, forcing an exciting Class 2 scramble across big, steep granite blocks where you must use your hands for balance as the wind whips across the ridge.
From US 24 in the middle of Buena Vista, turn west on the road to Cottonwood Pass, County Road 306. Drive about 12 miles. The Denny Creek Trailhead is a paved lot on the right side of the road.
The road is paved the whole way, so any car can make it. The lot fills on summer weekends, so get there early. The route enters the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, so wilderness rules on group size, camping and dogs apply.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Denny Creek trailhead 9,900' · 0 mi
The broad trail leaves the lot heading north into pine forest. It climbs steadily on a rocky tread.
2
Denny Creek log bridge 10,300' · 1 mi
Cross Denny Creek on a log bridge. The trail keeps climbing through the trees.
Watch for: The log can be slick when wet.
3
Hartenstein Lake junction 10,500' · 1.3 mi
A signed junction. Turn right onto the Mount Yale trail. Going straight leads to Hartenstein Lake.
Watch for: Turn right here.
4
Delaney Gulch 10,900' · 1.9 mi
The trail winds through the forest and then runs alongside the stream in Delaney Gulch.
5
Delaney Gulch bridge 11,200' · 2.3 mi
Cross the stream on another log bridge. This is the last easy water.
Watch for: Fill up here if you need to.
6
Small meadows 11,400' · 2.5 mi
The trail passes a few small, open meadows. Then it starts to climb hard, first north and then east up a wooded hillside.
7
Tree line 12,100' · 3 mi
The trees end and the trail climbs through rocky ground and tundra. You can see the upper west slopes of Yale ahead.
8
Shoulder 12,600' · 3.4 mi
Reach the top of a broad shoulder. The trail turns northeast and heads toward the upper slopes of the peak.
9
Steep slope begins 13,200' · 3.9 mi
The grade gets much steeper. The trail climbs in tight switchbacks over rock and gravel.
Watch for: Loose footing. Stay on the trail.
10
Northwest ridge saddle 13,950' · 4.4 mi
After about 750 feet of hard climbing, reach a saddle on Yale's northwest ridge. Turn right and walk toward the base of the rocky summit ridge.
Watch for: Wind and lightning exposure from here on.
11
Summit ridge 14,050' · 4.55 mi
Hop across large boulders on the right (west) side of the crest, following cairns. It stays Class 2 if you follow them. Climbing on the crest itself is harder, easy Class 3.
Watch for: Test boulders before trusting them.
12
Summit 14,200' · 4.75 mi
A roomy summit with views of Mount Princeton to the south, Harvard and Columbia to the north, and the Arkansas River valley below.
The summit from the false summit · Photo: gregor_y
Here North Fork Denny Creek goes off to the left. Turn right to follow Mount Yale Trail.
Coming down: Turn left to stay on Browns Pass Trail. Don’t take North Fork Denny Creek.
Landmarks to know
Paved Denny Creek lot on the north side of Cottonwood Pass Road.
Log bridge over Denny Creek at about 1 mile.
Hartenstein Lake junction at about 1.3 miles: turn right.
Log bridge over the Delaney Gulch stream near 11,200 feet.
Tree line near 12,100 feet, then a broad, rocky shoulder.
Steep switchbacks up to the saddle on the northwest ridge.
Cairned boulder route on the west side of the ridge to the summit.
Getting down
Go back the way you came. On the ridge, stay on the cairned line; it is easy to drift down the south face instead of returning to the saddle. From the saddle, find the trail before heading down the steep slope. The gravel on the switchbacks is slippery, so use poles and take small steps.
Once back in the trees, the trail is clear. At the Hartenstein Lake junction, turn left to head back down to the Denny Creek lot.
If things go wrong
The only good way off is the trail you came up. If weather turns, leave the ridge right away, go back to the saddle, and head down the switchbacks as fast as is safe. You are back in the trees near 12,100 feet, which is the nearest real shelter from lightning. If someone is hurt, get them off the boulders and out of the wind, keep them warm, and send someone down for help. The trailhead is on a paved road, so help can reach the lot quickly. Call 911 when you have a signal.
3D flyover
Press play to fly the Southwest Slopes. The graph shows elevation along the way and how much you gain each mile. Open full screen.
For planning only. The line is traced from open map data, not walked in the field, and off-trail parts are drawn straight. Load it in your GPS app to see the route, but navigate with your eyes, a map and the route description.
See the trail on video
A climb of this route filmed by Stacey Hollen. The video belongs to them and only plays when you press play.
Jump to
Other routes
All 2 routes up Mount Yale, with the class and round-trip distance for each.
Expect talus, scree and stretches where the trail disappears. Ankles and weather cause most of the trouble here. Start early, keep an eye on the sky, and set a turnaround time before you leave the car.
