Mount Yale seen through an aspen grove
(Mount Yale)

Summary

Mount Yale Elevation 14,204ft. (June 29, 2003) "Southwest Slopes" trail from Denny Creek Trailhead. The Denny Creek trail up Mount Yale is a class 2 trail that runs (7.0 miles rt. with 4,300ft. gain). Thoroughly ignoring the no camping sign in the parking lot at Denny creek, I crawled into the back of my truck Saturday night. In the morning I woke up to see one other person heading up the trail before I did. Once I got up and was one my way I passed this earlier raiser in a matter of minutes. The trial up Yale is steep but nothing like the steep climb up South Maroon or the "Southwest Slopes" of Mount Massive. The trail headed Northwest before turning back to the  East, I did not expect the trail to go so far Northwest. To tell you the truth I could not believe that the peak I has climbing was Yale until I read the summit log on top. 

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Trip Schedule break down

Friday 2:45PM -see Mount Princeton climb
Saturday 5:30AM -see Harvard Group climb
Sunday 5:25AM -leave the TH to climb the Mount Yale.
  8:20AM -summit Mount Yale via Southwest Slopes.
  10:35AM -back at the TH.
  1:30PM -back at Home.

While climbing up Yale I mistook Mascot Mountain for Yale. When on the top of Yale you can clearly see that it is the highest peak around though. After a short stay on top, I headed back down the trail. I managed to trail run most of the way back to the TH. While going down Yale I ran into more people climbing then I have ever run into on a Sunday Morning. The TH parking was packed when I arrived.

Thoughts on the trail: not to bad, however watch out for horse apples, which are very plentiful on this trial.