Mt Columbia by Brian Schultz Thursday July 30, 1998
With clear skies in the early AM I drove from Buena Vista to the North Cottonwood trailhead. The road had deteriorated in a year's time since I hiked Harvard. I drove my car then but wouldn't now- I was glad to have four wheel drive. I started at 6:00 and soon met up with a married couple- fellow Minnesotans from Mankato. It's a long haul up to the Horn Fork Basin and we hiked together for a ways before they went on to Harvard. I was paying close attention to the turnoff for Columbia, having marked the scene in my mind from last year. I found it easily enough and bid them goodbye while I headed through the woods. I came across a guy tenting alone who wasn't climbing, he only wanted to get away from the city. He looked like he'd been away for some time.
I managed to find my way through the woods without getting lost and reached the awful scree filled slopes of the south ridge. I don't like scree- it was miserable but it got better near the top. The ridge itself was fairly easy with a few false summits and at 10:25 I stepped on the true summit, nobody on top except me and a marmot. The friendly marmot was looking for a handout while I ate lunch. He got a rock instead. I threw it opposite handed to scare it away, not intending to hit it and I felt guilty when it clunked him. He came back and posed for a photo but his ploy didn't work- he got no food from me.
The weather was warm and sunny, making for terrific views of the high peaks and I kicked back until 11:00. On my way down I met a hiker on the scree and chatted with her until her friend caught up. I spotted a better path through the scree that I hadn't seen in the morning. I found my way through the woods again and regained the main trail, only stopping once for water and got back to the truck at 2:05.
I stopped in Leadville to visit friends before driving to Halfmoon trailhead for Mt of the Holy Cross. Today's hike was long but enjoyable and my body was holding up well. One more fourteener before heading home.
Total hiking time- 8 hours 5 minutes ( including 35 minutes on summit)