Mt. Harvard Ascent 2023

Registration for Class of 1978 & Bracketing Classes

Registration for this event is Closed as of July 1, 2023

CELEBRATE HR CLASS ’78 & BRACKETING CLASSES REUNION BY ASCENDING MT. HARVARD AUGUST 19TH, 2023
(Collegiate Peaks, Sawatch Range, near Buena Vista, CO)

In 1869, Harvard sponsored a group to explore and survey peak elevations in Colorado Territory. The members of this party traveled on the newly opened First/Great Transcontinental (Pacific) Railroad to Cheyenne, Wyoming, then went overland by stagecoach to Denver. The Harvard Geographic Expedition of 1869 to the Colorado Territory found peaks in excess of 14,000 ft, and named the two highest summits they encountered and ascended Mt. Harvard (for their sponsor) and Mt. Yale (the alma mater of the two leaders of this expedition). The group called these two the ‘College Peaks’. After subsequent naming of neighboring peaks Mounts Princeton (1873), Columbia (1916), and Oxford (1931), they became known collectively as the Collegiate Peaks.  

Inspiring? Is this for you and are you willing to train ahead of time? Don’t forget the acclimatization challenges. Though not technical, this is an ascent not to be taken lightly.

If the answer is ‘yes,’ we hope you’ll join us! Our intent is to summit but, if an individual decides tree-line is far enough, no problem.

Our goal is to  summit Mt. Harvard safely and return in a day, while having fun and camaraderie with our fellow classmates. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.

DESCRIPTION: A full-day hike beginning at 5:00am to the summit and back of Mt. Harvard on the Mt. Harvard Trail (~ 14 miles round-trip, 4,540 feet of vertical climb), near Buena Vista, CO. Bracketing classes welcome.

Summit to be reached about midday, with ample photo opportunities along the way.

Lodging at elevation a day or more BEFORE and after is HIGHLY recommended. The latter to be arranged by participants in vicinity of mountain. There will also be a mandatory safety and logistics meeting the evening of Friday, August 18th for all attendees along with a carbo load meal.

Hiking Participants: Adults in good physical condition (those under 16 after consultation and approval). Others welcome to join without hiking.

Cost: $50

To help promote a safe and enjoyable experience, the number of participant for the the trek willbe limited to 25.

Note: all participants must sign a consent / liability waiver form, prior to the trek.

Information from Zoom session on:

May 18, 2023 at 6:00pm MT

Click for:   Slides for Information Session May 18, 2023:

Click for: Video: of Information Session May 18, 2023

Note: all trekking participants must sign a consent / liability waiver form, prior to participating in the trek.

Waiver: Required from Participants

Waiver