Our total distance was about 42 miles. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. Sometimes 2 to a flower. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). There were no beavers. At mile 4.25 or so, there were some nice camping spots in the meadow. I wanted to make it farther though, and we pushed on to about 5.5 miles where we made camp along Elk Creek, elevation ~10,300ft. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. At 36 miles in length, this trip would likely span four or five days for average hikers, and it offers the unique ability to ride the Durango-Silverton train to access the trail. Closing loop Needleton - Elk park - Durango Forum - Tripadvisor It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. 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. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin. Leave a Comment. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. I modified my workout regimen before this hike to try and strengthen certain parts of the leg muscles that support the knee function, some intense stair climb sessions (45lb pack), as well as doing a lot more stretching. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. Cell service is highly unlikely. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. 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. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. Next stop: Wilderness. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. Soon enough it was back to the rain. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. This was a class 3 in my opinion. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Lisa was still far below me, and the other hikers told her to hike directly to her right a ways until she hit the switchbacks, as they had a clear view from above us. Miles Hiked 7.4 By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. Back, finally! For some reason, the mileage the GPS reports to me in the field is always more than the mileage it gives me at home when I am reviewing the final data. Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. Elk Park is a wide spot in the Animas River canyon located at milepost 490.5 on the Silverton Branch of the San Juan Extension. All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. We passed 2 guys who had asked us how far Roell Creek was, but I wasnt familiar with that one. Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop - Champagne Tastes On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. John Werner: Backpacking Weminuche Wilderness not easy, but worth the Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. 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). Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. is to leave an itinerary with a responsible person back home, as well as a time and date when they should call for help if they dont hear from you. 2/21/22 12:55pm. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? By the time Lisa made it to the top, we had to continue down the other side immediately. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. Would that be too early in the season? I didnt rain much though. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. I had also been considering a climb up Sunlight Peak as well, but it was so nice up here on Windom Peak that I decided to relax, and just enjoy the beautiful view. San Juan National Forest. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. Absolutely stunning! I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. A few years ago, I was looking at hiking an alpine route (Pecos Wilderness in northern NM, and Rocky Mountain National Park) during the same time frame as you. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. My GPS said we did 16 miles today, including going up Hunchback Pass, but later when I reviewed the data for this trip it calculated the day at 14.5 miles. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. We did this trip in September. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. Your monthly pledge helps me bring you more quality hiking and outdoor adventure videos, trail guides and content. Going down always looks much harder! Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Needleton, Colorado - Activities and Events | San Juan County Back up on the CDT, it was evident that the weather was not going to cooperate today. Cachanilla83. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. Any and all kinds of weather! Never miss a new post! I followed the lake to its drainage, which for reference was directly south of the Miners Cabin. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. Actually, mid May. Weminuche Loop - The JimmyJam Hiking Club There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. 1. We were thrilled when a ranger who had just cleared out the trail told us the three 12,000-foot passes on our route were free of snow. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. We followed Bear Creek down to the Rio Grande by following the 4wd road and used our sat phone to arrange for transportation to Silverton. Everything was wet, including my feet. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. Very well done! Hiking The Elk Park/Needleton Loop Weminuche Wilderness Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. Our stop is Elk Park, a 3 hour ride from Durango. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) As always, questions and comments are welcome! Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. There was an insane amount of biting flies and mosquitoes by the river here though, and I was regretting my decision to leave the bug spray and mosquito head net behind. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. Maybe, MAYBE in a low snow year but from what I can tell the west is getting quite a bit of powder this year so my guess would be July before the route is fully snow free. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. The water in Elk Creek was super clear, so I didnt have to pre-filter any of it before using my Steri-Pen Opti UV water purifier. This hike primary route. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. Avalanche debris was cleared. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. It was slippery and a little scary in the rain. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. 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. Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map, Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop (Silverton, CO), Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents, Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) Most of the avalanche debris on Elk Creek/CT has now been cleared, and what is left is fairly easy to navigate. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Eric Poulin, long distance hiker and outdoor adventurer, Greenland Hike/Packraft Expedition (2022) *Coming Soon Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. 18-21 September 2017. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. I didnt want to push Lisa too much in the first few days so I think the plan for days 1 and 2 were pretty good. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Strider1. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. It was about 1/3 the size of his sleeping pad, and as far as I know, is the lightest one on the market at 9.1 ounces. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. Where the lake began to drain out down the mountainside, there were remnants of an old dam here. Awesome, thanks! We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. Now through this little plateau area, the trail starts heaving down pretty quick. Debris form 2020 avalanches on the elk park section have been cleared but theres quite a bit of fallen trees blocking the needle creek trail out of the Chicago Basin. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. I asked one of the train workers if we could sit in the covered carts even though we had tickets for the open cart, and he said sure, if theres a seat available. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. I've begun planning my adventures for this summer, and while there will be a handful of overnighters and long weekends, I've settled on the Elk Park-Needleton Loop for my main trip. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. 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 proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. 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. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Go figure, good weather on the last day. So much for being packed. 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.
Mary Alice Yeskey 2021,
Upper Darby High School Flea Market,
Articles E