Difference Between Stroopwafel And Pizzelle, Charlie Gibson Family, Bishop, Ca Shooting, Panda Spin Dryer Troubleshooting, Commercial Tanning Beds, Articles E

2/21/22 12:55pm. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. We also packed an MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove to boil water for all our freeze-dried meals, our hand-pump espresso machine, and a lightweight hatchet multitool to help with campfires. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? Its most notable feature is a wye, built in 1884 to allow northbound trains to turn back when the canyons between Elk Park and Silverton, CO were blocked by winter avalanches. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. Your email address will not be published. I did see a lot of goat hair stuck in the trees and bushes now, which we had not seen anywhere else yet along our hike. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. There were no beavers. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Lisa really wanted a fire, and although I knew we could get one going, but I didnt want to go through the effort of gathering wood only to have it rain again . Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. Your email address will not be published. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. These odor proof bags have never let me down, and with all the rodents around, it was going to be a real test tonight. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. Obviously I skipped this route on our way up here, opting to go the traditional way up the switchbacks to the CDT, but I was curious if it was doable. There was another group who did this, and the train staff didn't seem to have any problem with it (we had paid for a RT ticket anyway). There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. Today we slept in to 6am. Go figure, good weather on the last day. It was filed under Backpacking Trip Reports and was tagged with backpacking trip report, cdt, chicago basin, colorado backpacking, colorado hikes, colorado photography, colorado summer hikes, colorado trail, continental divide, durango train, eldorado lake, elk park needleton, hiking 2013, loop hike, mountain photography, multi day hikes, san juan, san juan mountains, san juan national forest, weeklong loop hike, weminuche wilderness, windom peak. Thank you so much for your detailed description! But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. There were no other campsites nearby and extremely close to the trail leading up to the three 14ers in Chicago Basin: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, and Mt. After all, it was Saturday evening. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. Basin and Range Trail (2020) Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. The free version of caltopo only allows 5 pages max in your pdf, so just break it up into blocks of 5 pages or less and print out the entire map that way. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Where did you get the map? This hike primary route. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. Esta ruta es popular para mochilear, disfrutar de la observacin de aves y ir de camping, sin embargo, podrs disfrutar de algo de paz durante los momentos ms tranquilos del da. The mountain goats I saw on the rocks earlier were in the same general spot on my way back. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. All of our gear was dry and life was good. Some of the rocks were covered in ice making them extremely slippery too, so I had to be very careful once I neared the top. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. After realizing that, I looked around and could see where the trail picked up again, and started hiking directly towards the trail in the distance. Any feedback appreciated. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. For shelter, we carried a backpacking tent, as well as a double sleeping pad, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, and a compressible backpacking quilt. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. He discourses on his own mortality, about getting too old to have such adventures, and striking your own path in life while you still can." Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. Go to the print button at the top and choose print to pdf. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. I'll never forget it. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. There was a new amazing view after every turn. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Caltopo is pretty awesome if you havent used it already. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. There were 2 large pines growing 3 feet apart, creating a dry spot large enough for our tent, all out gear, places to sit, and more. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Soul Rider. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. But we opted to take the train! Very well done! Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate (39) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (318) Directions Print/PDF Map Share Experience this 57.9-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. To exit we kept walking all the way to Purgatory. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. We did not have gloves (other than one pair of fingerless gloves I use when gathering/breaking firewood and climbing), so our hands were getting a little numb. A group of seven hikers (2 men, 5 women) also loaded their packs, giving a total of 12 of us to be dropped at Elk Park. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. The rock is slippery and there is nothing to help you balance yourself on this very narrow section of trail, which happens to have a BIG drop on your left. Thats how I do it these days. For example, early access to youtube videos, stickers, t-shirt, behind the scenes info on my new thru hiking route creations, special thank you card and more! We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. There were only one or two campsites occupied here, and it would have been a nice place to stay the night if we didnt already have our trip planned out. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. I got injured jumping off the bridge there, so we couldn't complete the hike north over hunchback pass, and down Elk creekwe were kinda bummed. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. Your email address will not be published.