Saw very few people. Great to be mostly off-trail! One of my favorite Sawatch hikes. Got weathered off an attempt the previous year.
shknbke - Jan 6, 2010 12:12 am Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2010
Winter ascent-s.w. slopes
Winter ascent of Columbia from our high camp near treeline in Horn Fork Basin at 11600 ft. We were pleasantly surprised to be able to follow the standard scree slog up the steep trail to the south ridge. 4 hrs RT from our camp. A rare bluebird day in Jan!
10/2/04-First ascent was up the standard sw slopes and down the east ridge. The east ridge is LONG!
SarahThompson - Jan 3, 2010 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2004
Summer & Winter
8/22/04 - Climbed Harvard and then Columbia via the standard loop from Horn Fork Basin. Took a bad line down from Columbia - very loose and steep. Long day.
1/3/10 - Backpacked 7 miles to Horn Fork Basin. Climbed Harvard the next day and then Columbia the following day before packing out. Took more or less the standard route; it was extremely windscoured. Just under 2.5 hours from camp to summit on a sunny, windless winter day!
Senad Rizvanovic - Nov 24, 2009 12:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2009
combo
This was my first time climbing Columbia. I climbed Harvard first, and then did the traverse.
Traversed from Harvard. Quickly descended west slopes route as the storms were rolling in. Nice views from the summit, nasty wet scree/dirt on the descent.
lanagordon - Aug 23, 2009 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2009
After the traverse from Harvard, I was pretty happy to see the downhill. Though I dreaded the scree and loose rocks, it went better than expected. Trekking poles a big help!
Traversed from Harvard. Trudged through a few snow-fields en route while trying to lose as little altitude as possible. Three marmots greeted me on top. Descended the West Slopes (aka scree from Hell)- not recommended.
A lot of loose scree, was not sure if followed the right trail. Took nice photos of marmots. My dog again very happy.
mattpayne11 - Jun 25, 2009 12:04 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2009
Successful Traverse
Long day!
DudeThatMustHurt - Jun 13, 2009 8:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2009
Beat the storm
Very high winds at the summit but a good day overall, went down the south slope back to the main trail which made the decent quite interesting to avoid the storm rolling in.
awillson - Mar 29, 2009 12:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2007
Columbia
Very steep and loose!
MattK - Oct 13, 2008 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2008
With Harvard
Wife, dog and I. Traversed from Harvard and threw in UN 13,374.
canichol - Sep 29, 2008 12:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 1994
Route Climbed: SE Ridge
Neared the top as a storm moved in, and three guys bounded off down the west slopes. Felt the hair on my head stand up and the rocks around me started buzzing, so I hit the ground. Seconds later a huge boom overhead, and I knew I had time to run to the top and without waiting I was headed down after those three guys. Never stopped to look back, and happy to be back alive. There's excitement well worth the price in pushing to the limits.
Renardo - Aug 31, 2008 11:16 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Combo with Harvard
Hope to never have to go through that descent again!
Matt Miller - Jul 7, 2008 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2008
Harvard & Columbia From Pine Creek
Camped up near Bedrock Falls. Found a place to cross Pine Creek without getting wet. Summited Columbia after tagging Harvard.
Gahugafuga - Jun 30, 2008 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Frenchman Creek Loop
Climbed from the NE then bagged UN 13374 on the way back. Aside from the horrific mosquitoes in the forests near the creek, this was quite a pleasant way to climb Columbia. My Sawatch 14er finisher!
peakrat76 - Apr 27, 2008 11:41 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 1984
Harvard - Columbia Traverse
Good climb - nasty descent.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 6, 2008 9:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2006
SE Ridge
This was my third time climbing Columbia. We did it via the SE ridge. The weather didn't look good enough to go for Harvard. We descended Three Elk Creek. We saw half of a baby deer. We figure a mountain lion was near by.
seano - Jun 7, 2010 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2010
Standard routeUniversity Pass-level scree. Yuck. Trip report
theREALCarpeDM - Apr 8, 2010 6:46 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2009
Three Elk CreekSaw very few people. Great to be mostly off-trail! One of my favorite Sawatch hikes. Got weathered off an attempt the previous year.
shknbke - Jan 6, 2010 12:12 am Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2010
Winter ascent-s.w. slopesWinter ascent of Columbia from our high camp near treeline in Horn Fork Basin at 11600 ft. We were pleasantly surprised to be able to follow the standard scree slog up the steep trail to the south ridge. 4 hrs RT from our camp. A rare bluebird day in Jan!
10/2/04-First ascent was up the standard sw slopes and down the east ridge. The east ridge is LONG!
SarahThompson - Jan 3, 2010 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2004
Summer & Winter8/22/04 - Climbed Harvard and then Columbia via the standard loop from Horn Fork Basin. Took a bad line down from Columbia - very loose and steep. Long day.
1/3/10 - Backpacked 7 miles to Horn Fork Basin. Climbed Harvard the next day and then Columbia the following day before packing out. Took more or less the standard route; it was extremely windscoured. Just under 2.5 hours from camp to summit on a sunny, windless winter day!
Senad Rizvanovic - Nov 24, 2009 12:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2009
comboThis was my first time climbing Columbia. I climbed Harvard first, and then did the traverse.
strudolyubov - Sep 21, 2009 12:54 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2009
Harvard-Columbia TraverseTraversed from Harvard. Quickly descended west slopes route as the storms were rolling in. Nice views from the summit, nasty wet scree/dirt on the descent.
lanagordon - Aug 23, 2009 10:18 pm Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2009
No. 22scree fielded it all the way down.
weeds19 - Jul 26, 2009 5:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2009
Happy to see the downhillAfter the traverse from Harvard, I was pretty happy to see the downhill. Though I dreaded the scree and loose rocks, it went better than expected. Trekking poles a big help!
Woodie Hopper - Jul 12, 2009 11:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2009
Traverse from HarvardTraversed from Harvard. Trudged through a few snow-fields en route while trying to lose as little altitude as possible. Three marmots greeted me on top. Descended the West Slopes (aka scree from Hell)- not recommended.
Liba Kopeckova - Jul 8, 2009 3:57 am
North Cottonwood CreekA lot of loose scree, was not sure if followed the right trail. Took nice photos of marmots. My dog again very happy.
mattpayne11 - Jun 25, 2009 12:04 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2009
Successful TraverseLong day!
DudeThatMustHurt - Jun 13, 2009 8:05 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2009
Beat the stormVery high winds at the summit but a good day overall, went down the south slope back to the main trail which made the decent quite interesting to avoid the storm rolling in.
awillson - Mar 29, 2009 12:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2007
ColumbiaVery steep and loose!
MattK - Oct 13, 2008 6:19 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2008
With HarvardWife, dog and I. Traversed from Harvard and threw in UN 13,374.
canichol - Sep 29, 2008 12:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 1994
Route Climbed: SE RidgeNeared the top as a storm moved in, and three guys bounded off down the west slopes. Felt the hair on my head stand up and the rocks around me started buzzing, so I hit the ground. Seconds later a huge boom overhead, and I knew I had time to run to the top and without waiting I was headed down after those three guys. Never stopped to look back, and happy to be back alive. There's excitement well worth the price in pushing to the limits.
Renardo - Aug 31, 2008 11:16 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2008
Combo with HarvardHope to never have to go through that descent again!
Matt Miller - Jul 7, 2008 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2008
Harvard & Columbia From Pine CreekCamped up near Bedrock Falls. Found a place to cross Pine Creek without getting wet. Summited Columbia after tagging Harvard.
Gahugafuga - Jun 30, 2008 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2008
Frenchman Creek LoopClimbed from the NE then bagged UN 13374 on the way back. Aside from the horrific mosquitoes in the forests near the creek, this was quite a pleasant way to climb Columbia. My Sawatch 14er finisher!
peakrat76 - Apr 27, 2008 11:41 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 1984
Harvard - Columbia TraverseGood climb - nasty descent.
MountainHikerCO - Feb 6, 2008 9:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2006
SE RidgeThis was my third time climbing Columbia. We did it via the SE ridge. The weather didn't look good enough to go for Harvard. We descended Three Elk Creek. We saw half of a baby deer. We figure a mountain lion was near by.