People really are friendly in Colorado! The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Note that these satellite device options typically require that you have an active subscription to use the features. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. I like having dry gear! Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. Bugs were pretty bad this year. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. By the time Lisa made it to the top, we had to continue down the other side immediately. 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. Our stop is Elk Park, a 3 hour ride from Durango. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. My backpack did get burned by an ember though, so I was a little bummed about that, but it should be something I can patch up. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. However, after she mentioned it a few times I could tell she really wanted one, so we gathered the driest firewood we could find and used our garbage to start the fire. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. Very well done! I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. We changed clothes in the car and tried to mask our stench with deodorant and cologne/perfume before setting off into the city in search of food. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. This was true for much of the trip. Miles Hiked 7.4 Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! Breathtaking! The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Thanks for sharing. Arriving via a coal-powered train on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this excursion into the dramatic Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado gets off to a unique start. Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. 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. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. Share Followers 0. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. We didn't. Windward_Coug. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). If we werent wet and hungry, I might have stopped to check it out further, but again, we were on a mission to find camp. Continental Divide Trail (2018), "His breathing is measured as he narrates his journey, describing the personal allure of the great outdoors, the difference between mere hobby and real passion. Looking back, I wish I had checked it out. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. Absolutely stunning! We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. Getting down to the water and going through the process of purifying the water was a bit of a pain here, but I wanted to get it out of the way in case it started raining again. 5h 16m. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Back Packing Train There were a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Finally, some views! Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. 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." Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. 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Avalanche debris was cleared. Weminuche Wilderness, CO - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. 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. Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. However, if you can afford it, the train ride is fun, and it sure is nice once you reach Elk Park and realize you don't have to make that 1,700' climb back up to Molas Pass. Heres my caltopo map of the Elk Park/Needleton hike: There are no fees or permits needed to hike or camp in the Weminuche Wilderness. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. There were no beavers. . This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! The hiker who told me about the mice up here had camped here last night. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. At the bridge over New York Creek, there was a waterfall right there along the trail.. Animas River, from the bridge at the Needleton train stop. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. Since there are no fires allowed in Chicago Basin or the rest of the Needle Creek drainage, and the fact that I was planning on climbing in morning, we called it an early night and went to bed shortly after sundown. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. One night while we slept inside our River Country trekking pole tent, something chewed the cork handle off one of the poles (presumably because of salt residue from sweat). If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. At mile 4.25 or so, there were some nice camping spots in the meadow. All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Before reaching the trails down to Kite/Eldorado Lakes, we had to hike over a 100ft rocky ridge, just as the clouds looked their worst. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. 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 . There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. I'll never forget it. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. What a place for a cabin! It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. So, they suggested to take train from Needleton to Silverton, wait for 1.5h and then return back to Elk Park for the price of full ticket Durango-Silverton . Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. 2023 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Silverton | AllTrails From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. Venchka. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. Making reservations to ride the train to the wilderness is easy. Miles Hiked 10.4 Most of the avalanche debris on Elk Creek/CT has now been cleared, and what is left is fairly easy to navigate. We camped at ~9300 ft. Sad to see all the beetle damage. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. 2/21/22 12:49pm. 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. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. I was following a GPX track on my GPS of another person who had hiked this loop, and his track led me off trail a little bit. Any feedback appreciated. Recommended Posts. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Great backpacking experience!! Route Elk Park train stop to camp along Elk Creek at ~10,300ft. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. The stars were barely visible now that the morning light was fast approaching, but this was the most Id seen of stars the entire trip. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! 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. Down to Eldorado. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. Once on board, you'll be able to ride back to Durango or Silverton to finish your adventure. This was a class 3 in my opinion. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. Weminuche Wilderness Trails - Durango Trails I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. The third day we hiked ~11 miles, starting with 2 miles downhill and then 7 miles to the top of columbine pass and then 2 miles down to camp at Chicago basin. I took advantage of the weather and took a ton of pictures up here. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. But, thats another story for another trip report. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. They were just ahead of me on the trail, but again, I was able to scare them off by simply throwing my arms in the air. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. These odor proof bags have never let me down, and with all the rodents around, it was going to be a real test tonight. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. In good weather it should not be a problem. 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. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. TR: Elk Park/Needleton Loop with extras - WhiteBlaze Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Hiking The Elk Park/Needleton Loop Weminuche Wilderness Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. This was our third trek on this trail. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Cachanilla83. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. The Durango-Silverton train offers a backpacker service from May to October, where they drop you off and pick you up at train stops which more or less correspond to the trailheads. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Also, bring a way to filter water. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. Thats how I do it these days. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Prepare to not have a cell signal. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association Enjoy the hike, its a good one! We were able to cross the creek by hopping rocks and logs, just as we were able to with every other stream crossing on this trip. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. Im assuming forest service will clear this soon. Happy trails! This route includes 3 trails. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. The water was deep and fast flowing here. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. 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. This was already painting a picture of what Chicago Basin might be like tomorrow, as it is supposed to be the most heavily used area in the Weminuche Wilderness. 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. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Needleton, Colorado - Activities and Events | San Juan County 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 Going down always looks much harder! Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. Ill send this to your email as well. Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. While it did have some beautiful parts, Particularly at the top of the Continental Divide and Columbine Pass, I was disappointed by the avalanche debris in the first 6 miles and the lack of trail maintenance on the section below hunchback pass to the Vallecito Bridge. He sure did look delicious, haha. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. There havent been any bugs out the last 2 nights though, and I was really wishing we had a fire like this on night one. The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. Finally, the weather is cooperating! You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train.
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