The trail begins to the left of Twin Lakes and is easily followed until you hit the scree field that goes up the rocky divide between the two mountains. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. When flagging the train in either direction, you must be on theeastside of the tracks. There are many added benefits to trekking poles. The summit provides quite a view of various 14ers, Elk Park basin, Sunlight, Windom, and a couple alpine lakes. Here, you will exit the dense cover of the forest and pass through a sparsely wooded meadow, continuing uphill alongside Needle Creek for another 2.6 km. Fog and trees seen from Chicago Basin. I summited Windom Peak in July of 2009 with a group from my high school. Summit 3 Peaks in the Chicago Basin, Durango, Colorado Weather remained beautiful, although the white fluffy clouds were building up, and Eventually slugged myself to Windom, catching the last 2 hikers of the day at 1pm. Chicago Basin Trekking - San Juan Mountain Guides Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. See also Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. The Needle Creek Trail #504 is a wildly popular trail that brings backpackers from either the Animas River Trail #675 or theNeedleton train stop into Chicago Basin. : The Pine River alternates between meadows and canyon, frequently flowing peacefully on the flat valley floor. Click here for more information on parking.SILVERTON:You are invited to park your vehicle at our Silverton Depot on 10th& Cement Streets at no charge. We camped at ~9300 ft. There are 31 trailheads providing several hundred miles of maintained trails, including sections of the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. I carried 2 liters but could've gotten away with 1 bottle. Sunlight Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost City of Ouray Ouray Ice Park Ouray Via Ferrata. It makes a stop (when requested) at Needleton, a location near the confluence of Needle Creek and the Animas. Manage Settings Hikers must ford the creek so prepare to get your feet wet. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Windom peak was my first 14er. A variety is always best. Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). The elevation is what makes this so hard. Great trail. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. Durango, CO 81301 Site developed by Agency Tourism Marketing. You need at minimum either a soft shell jacket or hard shell jacket for local Ouray based winter courses and programs. Supported by the Weminuche Wilderness Stewardship Fund, the. Be prepared to spend on average 5 days to complete the loop, and make the proper arrangements. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mountain Summit Hike. Roundtrip prices range from $143 - $186, and one-ways to Needles start as low as $76. Increasing numbers of visitors are disturbing wildlife, impacting trails, polluting creeks and streams, and leaving all kinds of waste behind. This is a very popular area for camping, fishing, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. There are plenty of flies and bugs along the trail, so dont forget the bug repellent. Our total distance was about 42 miles. Bugs were pretty bad this year. We like the Spatha knife for its size, weight, versatility, and ability to clip onto a harness. Authorized Concessionaire in Rocky Mountain National Park. Backpackers with plenty of time on their hands might hike the Divide Trail north to either Stony Pass or the Highland Mary Lakes area. Lip balm is important to bring on all trips. Big snow storm coming in tomorrow, winter conditions expected for rest of year. A small knife is an indispensable tool to carry with you in the mountains. Started from the Purgatory Trail to the Animas River Trail to Needle Creek Trail. The boundary of the Weminuche Wilderness is 2.7 miles up the trail, the fishing is fantastic. The airport is a 20 minute drive from our office. Know what fire restrictions are in effect for San Juan and/or the Rio Grande National Forest. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. The Radar Pocket cap is packable, durable, and looks great! Did this route from July 28 to August 3. Absolutely incredible! Strangely we didn't see any mountain goats but heard they are normally so persistent that you have to pee on rocks and pack out #2 & all TP in bags that they give for free at the register box. I started at 630am and made my first summit to Mt Eolus at 8am, which was all to myself! Some of these areas can be accessed via a narrow gauge train that runs between Durango and Silverton. We took the train on a Thursday to Needleton, backpacked up too Chicago Basin that night, and allowed for climbing peaks on Friday and Saturday. The top of Columbine Pass is the end of Needle Creek Trail and beginning of Johnson Creek Trail #821, which descends over 3,500 feet in 7 milesto Vallecito Creek. 7/19 Bonus Hiking Trail: Chicago Basin/Twin Lakes Trail Camp Elevation: 11,000 ft. Junction Elevation: 11,204 ft. Elevation Total: 204 ft. Mileage Total: 1.9 miles TRIP REPORT: Durango-Silverton Train to Needleton (7/19) Start Time: 9:15am End time . Purgatory Flats trail heads straight down a series of switchbacks through a forest filled with aspen and xxx with the occasional view of the surrounding peaks (Twilights and Spud Mountain). . North Eolus was an easy transition across. Was back at twin lakes by 930am and decided to just summit Sunlight and Windom as long as the clouds held up. , this is the most popular backpacking loop in the Weminuche. Pets must be under voice control or physical restraint. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. #thelocalexperts #backcountryelevated #milliondollartraverse #ouraycolorado, 2022 San Juan Mountain Guides All Rights Reserved | Website by, Peru: Chopicalqui and Yanapaccha Expedition, Nepal: Ama Dablam and Kyajo Ri Expedition. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. 1 2 3 4 5 6 I have done this one twice!! With an average elevation of 10,000 feet above sea level, the Weminuche is known for its challenging, rugged terrain from the deep Animas River Gorge to the wildflower-filled basins to towering peaks. This took us 2 hours (7:45am - 9:40am), stopping for pictures and water. Super exciting squeezing through the rocks like a spider goat and once again had the summit all to myself by 11am! At the higher elevations, winter snow can last until early or even mid-July. This is a unique experience and adds an interesting start and finish to our trekking trips unlike any other in the US. Setting out from the trailhead at the Needleton Flagstop, you will cross the bridge over the Animas River and follow the trail as it bends to the southwest. Needle Creek Trail to Chicago Basin | Hiking route in Colorado Originating at the former mining camp of Needleton, Needle Creek Trail climbs along an old stage road that follows its namesake seven miles into Chicago Basin. @liam_doran_outdoors Last section of Sunlight Peak. This part of the trip follows Needle Creek the whole way, albeit reaching the creek is not easy (or advisable) since the trail is often much higher than the creek and there is foliage and steep drop-offs if straying off-trail. For information regarding trail conditions, to acquire a trail map, or to purchase back country insurance (highly recommended), contact the U.S. Forest Service at 970-247-4874. Needle Creek seen near campsite. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. Im assuming forest service will clear this soon. DURANGO DEPARTURES: Gear must be loaded in the boxcar 45 minutes prior to departure to allow you to be in your seatsbefore the final boarding call. Elevations range from 8,000 feet at trailheads to over 14,000 at the peaks. Most of the avalanche debris on Elk Creek/CT has now been cleared, and what is left is fairly easy to navigate. It took us about 5 hours to get to Chicago Basin, arriving around 3:30pm or so. As more and more Americans head to the backcountry, the fragile high-alpine environments of the Weminuche face numerous threats. For more information on accessing Chicago Basin, the San Juan Mountains and the Weminuche Wilderness area visit our Wilderness Access page here. A trip to Chicago Basin provides the opportunity to climb three of Colorados 14ers Mt. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. Made it down and across the rocky gully - this was certainly my least favorite part as there were little cairns and you got to pick your own adventure over slabs of various sized rocks at pretty quick gains. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The 6 miles to the basin alternates between shade and sun and is a steady incline, although not unbearable, even while carrying a 30 lb pack. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. We almost made the summit of Mt Eolus but due to more snow along the last 500' we opted not to chance it. The most popular hike is to the Chicago Basin. Looking good is important too. Mt. Founded in 1988, the San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA), promotes the exploration and protection of public lands in Southwest Colorado through stewardship and conservation education for people of all ages. Today well have the opportunity to explore Chicago Basin and potentially hike a 14er, Windom Peak (14,083 ft.) if weather allows. Durango Silverton Train - Best Way To Get To The Chicago Basin Due to the popularity of the Weminuche Wilderness, it is important to choose your camp wisely. All rights reserved. Needle Creek Trail #504 to Chicago Basin, CO Hike Private Messages X Notifications X Replies X Home Home FAQ Contribute Shop Find TrailDEX Filter Areas A to Z Easy Hikes in Season Dog Hikes in Season Plan MapRoute Editor Route CloudRoute Scout Foliage DEX Wildflower DEX Add Publish a Guide for areas you plan to visit (Chicago Basin, Emerald Lake, Vestal Basin, etc). I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. At approximately 1.5 miles, the trail reaches Purgatory Flats, a wide open area along Cascade Creek. Our guides always carry a comprehensive medical kit but it's nice to have your own as well. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. The under-the-helmet hood and full-length zipper let you regulate temperature on the go, so you dont find yourself overheating a half hour into the day. Click here for more information on parking. People may be added to a reservation but will need to supply the reservation number and let reservations know that they are adding to an existing reservation.From Flag stops:Unless you purchased your round trip tickets in advance, flagstop tickets originating from either Needleton or Elk Park must be purchased from the conductor (exact fare) at the point of origin on a space-available basis. Bezoekers van Chicago Basin meestal een rit op de trein van Durango of Silverton, uitstappen bij Needleton, en wandel ongeveer 6 mijl op Needle Creek naar het bassin zelf. If the aircraft then becomes a medical transport due to a medical emergency, the medical portion of the transport is not covered. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. All great except the rain!!! Explore this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. The combination of convenient access via the narrow gauge train to Needleton and the access to iconic 14ers attracts visitors from around the world making Chicago Basin a heavy use area . We recommend wide mouth Nalgene (or similar) water bottles for the majority of our programs. Mulaz outsole with a technical edging platform and aggressive rear lugs for superior traction. on official, secure websites. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); gform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 13, 'https://mtnguide.net/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_13').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_13');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_13').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! Soft Shell fabric deflects biting gusts, and a tricot lining retains valuable heat. An ultra-compressible piece youll never leave behind, its so light and packs down so small youll forget its clipped to your harness until you throw it on to ward off a sudden mid-route downpour. In my opinion its gonna be months before the snow melts and trails are accessible and even then there are a ton of trees that will still need to be cut and moved off the trail. From here, it's a 6 mile hike to reach Chicago Basin. Needle Creek to Chicago Basin: Accessed from the Needleton Train Stop or the Animas River Trail, this well-maintained trail climbs steadily up Needle Creek for approximately 5 miles to Chicago Basin. A slim cut helps the CoEfficient Hoody fit comfortably under your shell, and with a redsigned, trim fit, this layer takes up little space in your pack. Waterproof Gore-Tex abrasion resistant polyester uppers with a patented TPU Thermo Tech Application. In 2020, SJMA wilderness volunteers rose to the challenge of skyrocketing visitation by patrolling busy trails to promote Leave No Trace principles, distribute REStop bags to prevent human waste from polluting the backcountry, clean graffiti from rocks, and to remove trash from our trails. Needle Creek Trail #504 to Chicago Basin, CO Hike Marmots and mountain goats will explore your camp so be sure to hang your food, trash, and toiletries between two trees at least 10 feet from the ground or so. This is great, loved it! Met amazing people and followed the creek for photography shots. The access to these peaks and the proximity to the train stop make Elk Creek one of the most heavily used trails in the entire Weminuche Wilderness. Flying drones is not permitted over congressionally designated wilderness areas or primitive areas as many people seek these places for the opportunities for solitude and quiet that they provide. So beautiful with many waterfalls and accessible water along the way. Summer brings the certainty of afternoon thunderstorms with increased rain and storms during the monsoon season. Durango Silverton Train. Come learn with the best Visitors to Chicago Basin typically ride the train from Durango or Silverton, get off at Needleton, and hike about 6 miles . The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. The card is not insurance. NOTE that on an average summer day, 50 people will disembark from the train to head to Chicago Basina beautiful, but crowded, backpacking destination. As always, being in excellent physical shape is an important component of our our programs. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. and found Eric and Whitney resting quietly just off the path leading to the bridge. Buy a ticket for the train that stops at Needleton and ride the train 2.5 hours (~30 miles) to the Needleton stop. The downed trees that had once covered the trail in early June have since been cleared for the most part. Altitude Elevations in the Weminuche range from 7,000 to 14,000 feet. Chicago Basin - Wikipedia Bring what you like to eat and consider the length, relative difficulty, weight, and other factors when deciding what to bring in the mountains with you. connected to the .gov website. Super fun peaks! Needleton trail from train drop to chicago basin is in pretty good shape except for 2-3 avalanche patches towards the top. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. At its core is a moisture-managing microfiber fabric that is wind resistant and able to control odor. Eolus, Sunlight Peak and Windom Peak. The Outdoor Research Echo Hoody also offers good sun protection. Disposal of human waste and wash water is prohibited within 100 feet (35 adult steps) of any water source. Check trailhead signs or Forest Service Offices for site-specific camping, campfire, and livestock regulations.

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