A couple of weeks ago, I climbed Mt. Harvard, the third highest peak in Colorado at 14,420 feet. A couple of buddies from Kansas, Randy and Logan, joined me for this three-day and two-night adventure. Randy and I went to high school together in Wichita and Logan is Randy’s nephew, who is in college studying to be a photojournalist.
After a big lunch at the Evergreen Cafe in Buena Vista, we took a the 4-wheel drive road to the trail head into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. It took us about 3 hours to hike up to where we set up camp just below timberline, with a stream running near by and plenty of firewood. When the full moon began to rise, the temperatures dropped, so we stayed close to the fire while we planned our climb up Mt. Harvard the next day.
In the morning we had bacon and eggs for breakfast before starting our three-hour climb to the summit. Harvard is considered a moderate climb because the last 100 feet are hand and foot climbing in boulders. This was the fourth time I’ve climbed the mountain and the first time Randy and Logan have ever climbed a 14-er! The feeling of accomplishment and the spectacular 360 degree view was a great reward.
On the way down, we stopped at Bear Lake so I could try to catch a trout for dinner, but a thunder storm rolled up the valley and we decided to cut the fishing off after 15 minutes and head for camp.
It rained on and off all night so when the storm broke about 9AM we packed up and headed down the trial in about half the time it took to hike up.
Cheers, Kent
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