Climbing with Bob Banner Photo

Mount Harvard

June 20, 2001 - South Ridge

 

Our group successfully climbed Columbia in May and now as the only member no to have Harvard, I was off on a solo climb to complete the pair.  What difference in snow conditions just six weeks had made in the Horn Fork basin, clear trail to over 13k and then only a few snowy patches above that elevation.  Moreover, where a month ago only Gore-tex would tread, now the ranks of the “Cottoneers” were present.  I made good trail time to the turnoff point below the flank of Columbia and then on up into the upper reaches of the basin.  This is certainly a beautiful area anytime of the year but the flowers were out and the tundra was alive with . . . whistling marmots.

The route up Harvard is simple and one need only follow the monster cairns (I’ve heard they’ve been “dismantled” since) but once you near the top, surprisingly, there is a scramble to overcome before the summit is reached.  I am sure that the same is true for Columbia but we climbed that peak in the snow and would not have noticed more than a steep summit slope.  I topped out and then headed on down and by about the 13,000 contour, began passing ranks of cotton clad summer climbers, each of whom had a comfortable late start and pained look on their face.  “Did you make it to the top? Yes. What do you think about those dark clouds? I think there will be storm around 2 o’clock.”  I should have been a rocket scientist.