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The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. 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. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Thank you for taking the time to write it! Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. It was slippery and a little scary in the rain. Excellent trip, lots of varied terrain, meadows, forests, small mountain ponds and lakes, avalanche tree slides, large and small rock slides, multiple high passes with great views. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. Really helpful report! Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. This hike primary route. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! Here's an overview! It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? One of the things that makes this loop so special is that the trailheads can both be reached via the Silverton-Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad, a tourist train pulled by a steam locomotive that has been used in dozens of . People really are friendly in Colorado! Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. . One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creek trail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. 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. I'll never forget it. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. Down to Eldorado. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. A hiking boot is preferable. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). Required fields are marked *. 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 definitely underestimated the length and altitude. 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. Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? After climbing about a third of the way up to the CDT, I hit a switchback, which I gladly used the rest of the way up. 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. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. It rained a little very briefly when I got back, then was party sunny the rest of the day with only a few intermittent showers. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. These odor proof bags have never let me down, and with all the rodents around, it was going to be a real test tonight. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. 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. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. We camped at ~9300 ft. 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. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. Past that meadow, the trail begins to climb past the treeline. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. 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. 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. Actually, mid May. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. Its too bad that we had already eaten dinner before starting this fire, because we still had hot dogs that we could have cooked tonight. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. 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 . The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. Miles Hiked 5.4 It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. Your email address will not be published. We didn't. Windward_Coug. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. Bob Marshall. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. View Profile Caltopo is pretty awesome if you havent used it already. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. 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. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. This satellite powered device is able to track your location on a digital map, share your location with friends/family, send basic text messages, and (most importantly) it has an emergency SOS button to get help. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. Any and all kinds of weather! There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. Recommended Posts. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. I have done this one twice!! Alternatively, if you feel you have any information youd like to share with others regarding this hike, please feel free to leave that below in a comment as well. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. Eolus. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Nice! It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. If needed, when you reach the Vallecito and Johnson Creek trail junction, you could hike about 10 miles to the Vallecito Reservoir, a popular lake area. 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. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. As always, questions and comments are welcome! It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. First, dont forget your sunglasses! What a place for a cabin though! From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. First week of June, the only people out there will probably be CDT thru hikers, and theyll be up against a lot of snow still. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. Subscribe to receive an emial notification when new content is added, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho Landscape Photography Canvas Prints, Seeking Lost Logo Shirt - Unisex Softstyle T-Shirt, Basin and Range Trail Planning Kit: Guidebook, GPX, Maps, Waypoints, Water Chart, Vanadinite Mineral Specimen (North Geronimo Mine, AZ), Wulfenite on Fluorite Mineral Specimen (Red Cloud Mine, AZ). I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. Trail Name - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Location - Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO Park Type - National Forest, Wilderness Area Fees & Permits - None Length Of Time Hiked - 6 days, 5 nights Trail Type - Semi loop - Train drops you off and picks you up Miles Hiked - 48 Trail Difficulty - 8 I was rewarded with an amazing view of the Weminuche Wilderness, unobstructed by clouds for the first time all week. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Have a good hike! I used a Garmin InReach Mini 2 to track our location, and any time we came to an unmarked trail junction, we knew which way to go. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. Oh well. Completed this loop early July 2021. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. Lower elevations and farther south, definitely no snow and the spring melt off is going to be done by then. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). El mejor momento para visitar esta . Any way to access this trail without riding the train? The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. Great backpacking experience!! Thats how I do it these days. On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! 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. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. 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. Excellent views all around. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Trail Name - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Location - Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO Park Type - National Forest, Wilderness Area Fees & Permits - None Length Of Time Hiked - 6 days, 5 nights Trail Type - Semi loop - Train drops you off and picks you up Miles Hiked - 48 Trail Difficulty - 8