Mount Yale 
Distance: 9.5 miles (round trip)
Collegiate Peaks, San Isabel National Forest, near Buena Vista in Central Colorado
View to the north
Get an early start on this very steep climb to the summit of Mount Yale (14,196-ft.). Atop the mountain enjoy great views of nearby 14ers in the Sawatch Range, the Elk Mountains and the Arkansas River Valley.
See Trail Detail/Full Description
- Distance: 9.5 miles (round trip) to Mount Yale
- Elevation: 9,910-ft. at Trailhead
14,196-ft. at Mount Yale - Elevation Gain: 4,286-ft. to Mount Yale
- Difficulty: strenuous-difficult
- More Hikes in:
Buena Vista / Central Colorado
Why Hike Mount Yale
The very popular trail climbing to the summit of Mount Yale (14,196-ft.) is typically done as a day hike. The hike follows a good trail all the way to the shoulder just below the summit. The upper portion of the climb previously involved an ascent up an unpleasant scree slope. Thankfully this section of trail was replaced with a series of good switchbacks. Rock cairns mark the final scramble (class 2) to the summit where views encompass an impressive array of 14ers including Mount Harvard, Mount Princeton, Mount Columbia, Huron Peak, Missouri Mountain, Mount Bedford, Mount Oxford and La Plata Peak.
Elevation Profile
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Trail Resources
Trail Detail/Full Description / Trail Photo Gallery / Trail Map
Basecamp(s) Information:
Buena Vista
Region Information:
Central Colorado
Other Hiking Regions in:
Colorado