Also, A creek ran through the area and created an interesting looking gorge that I wish I had more time to check out, but we really wanted to get to camp right now.
Sunlight Peak via Needle Creek Trail | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. 1. 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. Would that be too early in the season? Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. We also brought along these touch-screen activewear gloves, Buffs to help protect us from sun (or keep our ears warm), silk thermals for a base layer, and a balaclava to keep warm at night. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today.
Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. 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. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. we get old because we stop hiking" on the back. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. - John Glionna, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Watch Pioneering Nevada's Basin and Range Trail on other Streaming Services: Tubi, Xumo, Telus and Filmocracy, Like what you see? They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! 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. Have a good hike! Miles Hiked 7.4 Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains.
Weminuche Wilderness Trails - Durango Trails Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. It took us 7 days to complete it. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! 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. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. View Profile 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. Everything was wet, including my feet. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. 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. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. We didn't. Windward_Coug. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Back up on the CDT, it was evident that the weather was not going to cooperate today. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. You would think that they would just find another place to hang out with no people nearby, but they kept trying to make their way down to our area. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? It seems that most people in Chicago Basin came from the Needleton stop, hiked here, and turned around and went back the way they came. The trail follows the 44 road past the lake, and then winds towards the trail leading up to Hunchback Pass. But we opted to take the train! The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. The amazing view from Hunchback Pass clouds. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. 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. This was perfect! The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Highly recommend. 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. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring.
You write quite well. This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) There are also sections with loose pebbles where youll want good traction.