If you are looking to scale a 14er in winter, set your sights on the Sawatch Range and Mt. Yale. The trailhead is easily accessible all season, yet few climb it once the snow starts to fly. Brave the elements and you’ll find an alpine world frosted with fresh snow and blemished only by tracks that map the comings and goings of wild critters.
1. Get a Move On: Denny Creek Trailhead
(38.815071769059, -106.33444176055) From the Denny Creek Trailhead at 9,900 feet, head north and follow the wide path that meanders through the tranquil pine forest. After a mile and 500 feet of climbing, bear right and cross Denny Creek using the small log bridge.
2. The Fork in the Road: Delaney Creek
(38.829660890624, -106.34235050529) Continue climbing for .25 mile until you reach a signed trail junction at roughly 10,750 feet. Turn right at the fork, away from Brown’s Pass/Hartenstein Lake and toward the slopes of Mt Yale. From here, the trail winds through beautiful stands of pines and aspens and parallels Delaney Creek for about .5 mile. If you’re breaking trail, be prepared for some deep snow here. At 11,200 feet, cross Delaney Gulch on another log bridge (which may be buried depending on snowfall amounts), amble through a meadow and then begin climbing steadily up the hillside.
3. Break on Through: Southwest Shoulder
(38.83715040876751, -106.32652044296265) At 12,100 feet, you’ll finally bust through the trees onto a vast stretch of alpine tundra. A well built trail winds across this open expanse and through some rocky outcrops to reach Yale’s broad southwest shoulder (12,200 feet). You’ll be glad for the ViewRanger app here because route-finding is challenging from here in winter. From the shoulder, you can see the remainder of the route as it works its way northeast toward Yale’s upper west slopes. Revel in the mellow grade of this leg because it won’t last. Once you reach 13,200 feet, make a sharp right and breathe deep as you embark on the steep climb to the saddle (13,950 feet).
4. Start Scramblin’: Northwest Ridge
(38.846879079938, -106.31587492302) Rest a moment at the saddle. Toss on a jacket and grab some food because the last .3 mile to the summit can take longer than you think. From here on out, this hike morphs into a fun rock scramble. The exposure is minimal, but with high winds, it can feel a little sketchy. Head southeast (right) from the saddle. Cairns help you skirt the right side of the ridge or if you’re brave, ignore these and climb the highest part of the crest for a more thrilling ridge walk.
5. Eagles View: The Top
(38.844013726339, -106.31315289997) You’ve made it! Pat yourself on the back for pushing through this potentially grueling 4-mile, 4,300-foot climb to reach the 14,196-foot summit. Spend some time enjoying the views. You can see thirty 14ers from here including Columbia and Harvard to the north and Princeton to the south.
