Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! 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. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. 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. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. The skies were cloudy all around us though. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. 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. We didn't. Windward_Coug. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. Your email address will not be published. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). DRGW.Net | Elk Park, CO 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. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Prepare to not have a cell signal. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. I knew the vegetation was still wet from last evenings rain, and didnt feel like being soaked to the bone if the trail happens to go through dense foliage. 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 The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Cachanilla83. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. It took us 7 days to complete it. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. 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 were many stream crossings and several large waterfalls that we passed, but due to the weather and number of miles we had to cover, we didnt spend any time checking most of them out. 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. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. For details on the hike itself, see my post about the various trail segments. Thanks for sharing. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. Miles Hiked 14.5 This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. Never miss a new post! I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. 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. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. Sultan Peak | Map, Guide - Silverton, CO | AllTrails San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. 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. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton - Colorado | AllTrails . 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). We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. - 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? Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). 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. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. 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 backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. Weminuche Wilderness Trails - Durango Trails Enjoy the hike, its a good one! Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Yes there is. Finally, the weather is cooperating! Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Eolus. 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. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. 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. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. Route Elk Park train stop to camp along Elk Creek at ~10,300ft. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. 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. Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. Top things to do in Durango, Colorado - Uncover Colorado Also, because I sunburn easily, I brought UV protective shirts (the BALEAF womens UPF50 quick-dry shirt). There was a new amazing view after every turn. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails Youre hiking at high elevation in a very sunny spot, so protecting your eyes is important. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Hikers can be seen on the Continental Divide Trail, above on the ridgeline, The path up to the CDT is a long, winding series of switchbacks. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. Success! To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Go figure, good weather on the last day. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Our total distance was about 42 miles. Ill send this to your email as well. This is when the fog really started growing. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. He sure did look delicious, haha. Vallecito Basin, which lies below Columbine pass, was pretty nice. 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. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Will b taking my 19 yr old son in early August this year for his first extended back country pack trip. Thanks for sharing this one. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. This was perfect! 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. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. 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. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Absolute Best 5-7 Day Backpacking Trip ID,MT, or WY They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. There are a lot of trees down throughout the Johnson Creek and Needle Creek drainages - another hiker counted 155 trees across the trail on the way down from Chicago Basin to Needleton, but it looks like the FS is working their way up, clearing from the bottom up. After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. You write quite well. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. A hiking boot is preferable. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. It worked perfectly. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? View Profile We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. 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. Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. PDF Trip to Weminuche Wilderness, San Juan National Forest, Colorado Closing loop Needleton - Elk park - Durango Forum - Tripadvisor The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. The nature back there is unbelievable. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) . I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. Looking back, I wish I had checked it out. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? Learn more about the wildlife in the area. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. 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. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate 4.6 (42) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (363) Directions Print/PDF map Length 37.5 miElevation gain 8,579 ftRoute type Point to point Head out on this 37.5-mile point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. Sometimes 2 to a flower. 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. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. For your monthly pledge, at various tier levels starting at $5, you receive perks and benefits in return. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. Vestal Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? Recommended Posts. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. There are a lot of down trees and we had rain and some route finding to cross streams. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. Miles Hiked 7.4 My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. All of our gear was dry and life was good. So far, so good. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. The trail follows the 44 road past the lake, and then winds towards the trail leading up to Hunchback Pass. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. 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. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Any feedback appreciated. 2/21/22 12:49pm. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! Mojave-Sonoran Trail (2021) Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. 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. 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). It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. Leave a Comment. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. Not this time though! Elk Park to Needleton Backpack Loop 5,560 views Aug 5, 2008 9 Dislike Share Save Elizabeth Black 394 subscribers From the steam engine train we backpack for 6 days on a 40 mile loop out in. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. I hope your backpacking trip is just as epic as ours was. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Your monthly pledge helps me bring you more quality hiking and outdoor adventure videos, trail guides and content. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. Finally, some views! Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. Required fields are marked *. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. Oh well. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. 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.

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