Climbed Mount Yale 5/6/00 with Jake. We started driving from Aurora at around 05:30, and took 285 to Buena Vista. Found Denny Creek trailhead and started up - it was a very nice day, about 70-80 degrees, and I started in shorts. There were some patches of snow along Denny Creek, but nothing bad. On the register someone had decried their lack of snowshoes just the day before, so I was expecting trouble later on. Oh, I forgot my sunscreen on this hike - big mistake.

The trail followed Denny Creek, and was to pass the mouth of Delaney Creek,then cut over and cross Delaney Creek and head up that drainage. Somewhere around Delaney Creek the trail became vague and the snow became deep, so I put gaiters on and followed the footprints, still mostly staying on the top of the snow. A trail switchbacked up a steep hill, then seemed to go into a valley, while footprints in the snow continued straight up. Not sure which way to go, we headed straight up and crossed treeline at the bottom of a long valley half full of snowfields. At the head of the valley was a couloir, and on the right edge of the couloir it looked like we could get out and onto the ridge heading to the summit. The going across the snowfields was good, only breaking through in a few places. Hitting a hard crust of snow across the shins is not pleasant...

The snow became steep and I was glad I had my ice axe. We scrambled out of the couloir onto the ridge, and headed up. It seemed to take longer than the 3.5 miles in Roach's book to reach the summit - I think we missed the real trail. This happens to me a lot lately...

The ridge to the summit was rougher than I expected. It was fun, but Jake needed help in about four places. On the way down, he did it himself expect for two spots. The wind was really high in a saddle near the top but then calmed down quite a bit at the summit. I got Jake to howl on the top, and thought that would be his tradition from now on, to yodel on the summit. We headed back down, and this time turned southwest to follow a trail instead of descending the way we came up. I was hoping this trail would not lead us into Denny Gulch, which used to be the standard route but is no longer in favor. After easy trail along the shoulder, the trail disappeared into the valley to the west, which was the Delaney Creek drainage. It appeared to go straight down a very steep clearcut hill - I was really looking forward to that. Oh well, it was going to be quick, anyway. Did I mention that I was really sunburned by now? I couldn't wait to get back into the shelter of the trees below.

On the way down, I stopped to sit on a log and rest. I looked down below me, and there was a leather football, badly weathered, stuck under the log. I pulled it out and showed it to Jake, who immediately became excited. I tossed it down the hill and he retrieved it a couple times, and I decided it was coming with us, and strapped it onto the pack.

Foto ©2000 by John C. Maki