Route Climbed: standard South Slopes Date Climbed: 1996
I liked Harvard. Good Views of the Pine Creek Drainage. I also thought Horn Fork Basin was a cool place to camp. I enjoyed Harvard and Columbia more than Elbert or Massive, Yale,La Plata, Belford, Oxford,Shavano.
Route Climbed: S Ridge Date Climbed: 25 September, 1999
Having wanted to summit Harvard after Columbia 2 weeks earlier, I wussed out after deciding that I didn't have enough time. The next time I made sure to do Harvard first, and then took Rabbit Ridge over to Columbia. Ascent from N Cottonwood Creek TH took 3:14, another 2:26 to get to Columbia, and finally 3:43 going down Columbia's SE Ridge to the CO/Main Range & Harvard Lakes TH. Quite a full day, but fun!
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: July 29, 2002
We went with a 2:30 AM start on this one in anticipation of a very long day. Perfect weather and fantastic views from the top. We stayed two hours up there and then headed towards Columbia.
Route Climbed: dropped down to eastern basin just above treeline from columbia Date Climbed: august 23, 2002
Summated harvard around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. under cloudy skies during the '02 nolan's '14 endurance event.
http://mattmahoney.net/nolans14/index.html
Climbing with mahoney, we climbed the eastern slopes to the summit ridge and had come upon 3 people from nolan's who couldn't locate the summit and were having some trouble negotiating the summit ridge in the dark. They continued on with us and all 5 of us summated in a group.
Route Climbed: standard rout Date Climbed: october 5 2002
the valley fills up with snow making this a tough
peak to climb in the winter/fall. there are a lot of good camp sights along the way. I think the trip would be easyier if you summited columbia then harvard but I am not sure. The veiw from the summit is amazing but the last 50 feet or so gets icy so be carful
Route Climbed: North Cottonwood Trailhead - South Slopes (+Columbia) Date Climbed: June 13, 2002
A difficult climb to Harvard. The traverse to Columbia was terribly difficult. I never did find the route described by Roach in his book. I dropped to nearly 11,500 ft. and climbed Columbia via a scree filled draw. A terrible route. Additionally, the descent from Columbia back to the NC trailhead was a 2,500 ft. scree slope. Made it back to my car much later than I intended to. I would have been in deep trouble had a storm rolled in.
If you do this route, do some careful research. Roach calls it "arduous," and it certainly is. If I could go back I would do the peaks separately, and probably do Columbia via it's East slope. Remember that once you make the decision to do Columbia, you can't back out. It's between you and your car!
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: July 13, 2002
Great weather and clear skies were nice to see after being surrounded by haze in the San Juans the week before. Made the summit before noon and had a nice relaxing lunch at 14,420 :) What a kind elevation. Harvard on it's own probably isn't that long of a day but when you add Columbia (which we did) it becomes a pretty tough day.
Route Climbed: North Cottonwood Creek Trailhead Date Climbed: July 22, 1998
I backpacked to timberline along a fine trail. Camped in the trees along a stream. It was great. Started for the summit at daybreak. Summited just before noon. This was my 28th fourteener.
Route Climbed: Pine Creek Date Climbed: JUne 17, 2000
My husband and I and our 2 dogs backpacked in on a Friday and had the place to oursleves. I did
a solo ascent of Harvard the next morning and (my husband does not like to climb) was back at base camp in time to enjoy the dogs playing in the creek. Never found trail on way up - just beelined where I thought I had to go.
8th summit of Nolan's 14. I had never explored this little used route from Bedrock Falls, but it was pretty straighforward up tundra slopes once you had bushwacked your way above treeline. Summitted about 10 PM, no moon but the stars were beautiful. I can see why they build observatories on mountains. An hour later a giant fireball lit the sky to the south, and a couple minutes later I heard a faint sonic boom. I don't think they ever found the meteorite that fell 80 miles to the south, and I doubt anyone else saw it from 14,000 ft. On to Columbia.
Great day, went w/a buddy andhad a good time. Weathered off so ive gotta run back for Columbia. Very nice trail and straight forward. Just prepare for a long day and try for Columbia if your up to it. Turned my damn ankle on that trip. Saw all these funky crickets, fat as prunes!
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: September 19, 2000
In two consecutive days my friend Duane and I summitted the two peaks we needed to have climbed the 5 highest mountains in the 48 states. We had climbed Mt. Whitney together in 1992 and Mt. Elbert in 1994. The day before we climbed Harvard, we climbed Mt. Massive. Mt. Harvard is the 4th highest. Number 5 is Mt. Rainier which we had both climbed, but not together. There was much jubilation on the summit that day, but it was tempered by our disappoinment at not giving ourselves enough time to traverse over to Mt. Columbia and getting the two peaks in the same day.
Kane - May 27, 2003 7:34 pm
Route Climbed: standard South Slopes Date Climbed: 1996I liked Harvard. Good Views of the Pine Creek Drainage. I also thought Horn Fork Basin was a cool place to camp. I enjoyed Harvard and Columbia more than Elbert or Massive, Yale,La Plata, Belford, Oxford,Shavano.
Diggler - Apr 17, 2003 6:20 pm
Route Climbed: S Ridge Date Climbed: 25 September, 1999Having wanted to summit Harvard after Columbia 2 weeks earlier, I wussed out after deciding that I didn't have enough time. The next time I made sure to do Harvard first, and then took Rabbit Ridge over to Columbia. Ascent from N Cottonwood Creek TH took 3:14, another 2:26 to get to Columbia, and finally 3:43 going down Columbia's SE Ridge to the CO/Main Range & Harvard Lakes TH. Quite a full day, but fun!
Colonelpyat - Feb 28, 2003 2:59 am
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: July 29, 2002We went with a 2:30 AM start on this one in anticipation of a very long day. Perfect weather and fantastic views from the top. We stayed two hours up there and then headed towards Columbia.
steve simmons - Dec 10, 2002 4:16 pm
Route Climbed: dropped down to eastern basin just above treeline from columbia Date Climbed: august 23, 2002Summated harvard around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. under cloudy skies during the '02 nolan's '14 endurance event.
http://mattmahoney.net/nolans14/index.html
Climbing with mahoney, we climbed the eastern slopes to the summit ridge and had come upon 3 people from nolan's who couldn't locate the summit and were having some trouble negotiating the summit ridge in the dark. They continued on with us and all 5 of us summated in a group.
GOD bless! Praise JESUS!!!!
chef007 - Oct 21, 2002 11:03 pm
Route Climbed: standard rout Date Climbed: october 5 2002the valley fills up with snow making this a tough
peak to climb in the winter/fall. there are a lot of good camp sights along the way. I think the trip would be easyier if you summited columbia then harvard but I am not sure. The veiw from the summit is amazing but the last 50 feet or so gets icy so be carful
rmjwinters - Oct 6, 2002 1:47 pm
Route Climbed: North Slopes Date Climbed: May 26 2001Long day. Post holed the entire route except for the first mile. Weather held for late May.
Ed F - Sep 14, 2002 11:31 am
Route Climbed: North Cottonwood Trailhead - South Slopes (+Columbia) Date Climbed: June 13, 2002A difficult climb to Harvard. The traverse to Columbia was terribly difficult. I never did find the route described by Roach in his book. I dropped to nearly 11,500 ft. and climbed Columbia via a scree filled draw. A terrible route. Additionally, the descent from Columbia back to the NC trailhead was a 2,500 ft. scree slope. Made it back to my car much later than I intended to. I would have been in deep trouble had a storm rolled in.
If you do this route, do some careful research. Roach calls it "arduous," and it certainly is. If I could go back I would do the peaks separately, and probably do Columbia via it's East slope. Remember that once you make the decision to do Columbia, you can't back out. It's between you and your car!
xskier77 - Jul 15, 2002 3:01 am
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: July 13, 2002Great weather and clear skies were nice to see after being surrounded by haze in the San Juans the week before. Made the summit before noon and had a nice relaxing lunch at 14,420 :) What a kind elevation. Harvard on it's own probably isn't that long of a day but when you add Columbia (which we did) it becomes a pretty tough day.
wayneaflick - Jun 28, 2002 2:18 am
Route Climbed: North Cottonwood Creek Trailhead Date Climbed: July 22, 1998I backpacked to timberline along a fine trail. Camped in the trees along a stream. It was great. Started for the summit at daybreak. Summited just before noon. This was my 28th fourteener.
mr_g - Jun 24, 2002 5:10 am
Route Climbed: Frenchman's Creek Date Climbed: June 21, 2002Started from 4WD parking, which is at 10,600 - not 10,800 as the Roach guide says. Made summit under 4 hours under a hazy sky due to wildfires.
Did not find a summit log, although there was a string of prayer flags attached on top. Saw lots of goats and marmots too. Nice day on a nice route.
ctruscot - Jun 17, 2002 2:36 pm
Route Climbed: Pine Creek Date Climbed: JUne 17, 2000My husband and I and our 2 dogs backpacked in on a Friday and had the place to oursleves. I did
a solo ascent of Harvard the next morning and (my husband does not like to climb) was back at base camp in time to enjoy the dogs playing in the creek. Never found trail on way up - just beelined where I thought I had to go.
coloradoclimber - May 28, 2002 4:50 pm
Route Climbed: 14.1 South Slopes Date Climbed: 7-31-99Harvard being at 14,420 i had to celebrate the summit with one good spliff.
Matt Mahoney - May 17, 2002 5:23 pm
Route Climbed: NW ridge Date Climbed: Aug 17 20018th summit of Nolan's 14. I had never explored this little used route from Bedrock Falls, but it was pretty straighforward up tundra slopes once you had bushwacked your way above treeline. Summitted about 10 PM, no moon but the stars were beautiful. I can see why they build observatories on mountains. An hour later a giant fireball lit the sky to the south, and a couple minutes later I heard a faint sonic boom. I don't think they ever found the meteorite that fell 80 miles to the south, and I doubt anyone else saw it from 14,000 ft. On to Columbia.
nader - Dec 26, 2001 4:31 pm
Route Climbed: Pine Creek Trailhead Date Climbed: June 1995Too much snow, too little gear...turned back 1 mile past Little Johns Cabin
Zeke - Nov 28, 2001 11:58 am
Route Climbed: Cottonwood Date Climbed: Aug 2001Great day, went w/a buddy andhad a good time. Weathered off so ive gotta run back for Columbia. Very nice trail and straight forward. Just prepare for a long day and try for Columbia if your up to it. Turned my damn ankle on that trip. Saw all these funky crickets, fat as prunes!
Peter Eliassen - Aug 16, 2001 11:24 am
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: 7/19/99Beautiful hike up into the Basin below Harvard...
climbcolorado - Jul 17, 2001 7:49 pm
Route Climbed: South SlopesAnother easy hike but a long day check weather and time before trying Harvard to Columbia combination.
Josh - Jun 18, 2001 10:43 am
Route Climbed: Cottonwood Creek Date Climbed: June 16thThe trail is still a little wet, but the snow is cleared. You will not need snowshoes or crampons. Excellent climb!
jratk - Jun 5, 2001 11:36 pm
Route Climbed: Cottonwood creek trail Date Climbed: July 1999Took my friend up Harvard, my 6th, his first. We were going to cross the ridge over to Columbia but had to abandon because of weather. Nice hike in.
Bob Bolton - Apr 27, 2001 7:51 pm
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: September 19, 2000In two consecutive days my friend Duane and I summitted the two peaks we needed to have climbed the 5 highest mountains in the 48 states. We had climbed Mt. Whitney together in 1992 and Mt. Elbert in 1994. The day before we climbed Harvard, we climbed Mt. Massive. Mt. Harvard is the 4th highest. Number 5 is Mt. Rainier which we had both climbed, but not together. There was much jubilation on the summit that day, but it was tempered by our disappoinment at not giving ourselves enough time to traverse over to Mt. Columbia and getting the two peaks in the same day.