Graduated Mt. Yale University yesterday!  I had planned to hike Mt. Sherman this week but changed plans at the last minute when my wife said she'd go with if I postponed it to next week – Hooray!  So, I bumped up my plans to summit Yale to this past Wednesday (fewer crowds midweek).

I started at 4:30 AM which meant I had to cross streams in the dark (1st timer).  The stream crossings are very doable and weren't a problem (see pic).  They sounded more intimidating in the dark than they actually are.  I'm a hiking pole user which helped give me some confidence when crossing the loose logs.

I was not prepared for the first .3 miles out of the gate even though I had read in many places it is a steep start.  The next 2.25 miles are a beautiful walk through the forest which I got to admire on my way back in full light.  The wildflowers are out in force right now.  I included a pic of one (anyone know the name?) that was growing right next to a small waterfall…couldn't pass it by.

It seemed to take forever to break out of the treeline which I think is higher in this area than further north.  For me, the real hiking started at about 2.5 miles in.  The never ending switchbacks up to the saddle kicked my butt mentally and physically!  I was literally counting steps between breaks to keep going.  Made it to the saddle and prepped for the scramble along the ridge to the summit.  Wow!  This was the most exhilarating part of the hike for me.  I stayed to the right and followed the cairns as close as possible.

Once you break from the treeline, the views are nonstop and unbelievable but the view from the summit, for me, is always the most beautiful.  It encompasses the surrounding majesty but it also represents a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie and celebration that is not found anywhere else.