Join your fellow Yalies to hike our namesake 14er on Saturday, August 8, 2026!

2026 is a special year - the 250th birthday of the United States, the 150th birthday of Colorado, and, most importantly, the 325th birthday of Yale College. 

The hike leader will be CYA President Dave Belin ‘92, 14er Finisher who has hiked Mount Yale 4 times. We will plan to meet at the Denny Creek trailhead at 5:15am on August 8th. 

Participants should be in reasonably good hiking shape, but Mount Yale is a friendly peak for first timer 14er hikers. The route is 9.5 miles round trip (out and back) and 4,200 feet of elevation gain. It is rated a class 2, which means, for the last 200 vertical feet of the hike, there is no longer a formal trail; you might need to put your hands down once or twice for balance. No specialized climbing gear is required and there is no major exposure for those intimidated by heights. 

Choices for lodging the night prior are to camp at the Collegiate Peaks campground, stay at a hotel in Buena Vista, or even drive up that morning from the Front Range. 

Post-hike, we will plan to meet in Buena Vista for a celebratory beverage and snack before heading home. 

If you are interested, please email Dave at davebelin@gmail.com. He can answer questions and help with training ideas.