The boundary of the Weminuche Wilderness is 2.7 miles up the trail, the fishing is fantastic. We werent sure about the weather because it had been 80% chance of thunderstorms on NOAA; we got very lucky with lots of sunshine though. Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mountain Summit, Sunlight Peak, Windom Peak, Mount Eolus via Animas River Trail, Sunlight Peak via Animas River Trail and Needle Creek Trail, Jura Knob via Pass and Engineer Mountain Trail. Planned on doing South Peak as well but conditions were too snowy/icy for me. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. Be prepared to spend on average 5 days to complete the loop, and make the proper arrangements. From either vantage point, a commanding panorama of the Needle Creek drainage is possible. The only southbound option for wilderness access will be Elk Park. From here, it's a 6 mile hike to reach Chicago Basin. Hiked to base camp - lots of sites but it can be crowded for a reason. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. There are 3 bridges at around 3 miles, 5.5 miles and 7 miles. We camped at ~9300 ft. Was back at twin lakes by 930am and decided to just summit Sunlight and Windom as long as the clouds held up. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. An excellent investment for all of our programs. This area has excellent views and photographic possibilities. Due to the popularity of the Weminuche Wilderness, it is important to choose your camp wisely. Amazing views that are worth the effort. 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. , this is the most popular backpacking loop in the Weminuche. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The Continental Divide Trail traverses more than 3,000 miles from New Mexico to Canada, with more than 80 miles within the Weminuche Wilderness. Near 11,200', turn left . Will definitely be back to try again and spend more time here - amazingly beautiful hiking area. connected to the .gov website. By following this drainage downstream for 8.5 miles, it is possible to hike up Johnson Creek for a little over five miles to Columbine Pass. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The only southbound option for wilderness access will be Elk Park. Chicago Basin to Silverton : Trip Reports : SummitPost A required item on the majority of our programs, a baseball cap helps to keep harmful sun off your face. Chicago Basin - Chicago Basin - abcdef.wiki Regardless of which mountain you're hiking (Sunlight, Windom, Eolus, or North Eolus), you'll first have to hike to Twin Lakes by taking the trail to the end of Chicago Basin and then up one of its sides. Several hundred miles of hiking trails provide endless options for multi-day backpacking trips that promise high mountain passes, beautiful, flower-filled basins and views as far as the eye can see. You will need to pay for each day your vehicle will be in the lot. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Camping Day 1 Chicago Basin, Day 2 Vallecito Creek bridge, Day 3 Rock Creek trail junction, Day 4 Eldorado Lake where I'm meeting some Colorado Trail thru hiking friends to hike with, Day 5 Elk Park and hiking out to Molas Pass on day 6. This is an optional item on our programs. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. The trail is easy to follow but quite steep, ascending 3,000 feet before reaching the basin. Pack out and properly dispose of all trash. Insulating water bottle parkas are recommended in the winter months, for ice climbing or cold weather alpine trips. https://youtu.be/2iDmEsqbobA. Needle Creek Trail #504 to Chicago Basin, CO Hike We took the Durango train to the Needleton train stop ($116 round trip, must purchase over the phone). Stuff sacks are a great way to organize your gear in your pack and help to keep things tidy in a variety of ways. #climbing #mixedclimbing #sanjuans #mountains #ice #icefestival #iceclimb #winter #eureka #climbing_photos_of_instagram #climbice #ice #rockymountains #alpinist #colorado #whorehouse #steepice #climbing_is_my_passion #alpine #optoutside #mountains, Shredding in the San Juans with Guide Jason Denley The catwalk is obvious trailwise, a little intimidating but shouldn't be something you stop you in your tracks, just take your time. Supported by the Weminuche Wilderness Stewardship Fund, the. Camping restrictions around Twin Lakes (accessed from Chicago Basin). Throw in access via an old steam-engine, narrow-gauge train and it becomes clear why this area grows in popularity every year. Don't be afraid of Mr. T. A good pair of wrap around sunglasses are an essential item for all of our trips. Beautiful but a tough hike 2 spots over 13k so many wildflowers and mountain goats! There aren't any roads to the trailhead so you have two options. From here, we hiked the 6 miles to get to Chicago Basin and our camping spot. This is great, loved it! We woke up at 4:30 AM the next morning and began our hike to the summit. 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). Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. and found Eric and Whitney resting quietly just off the path leading to the bridge. Vallecito Creek is challenging to ford, and is especially dangerous during the spring runoff (mid May through Mid June) but also prepare for afternoon thunderstorms throughout the summer. The 8:15am Silverton Diesel excursion will service all short stops for wilderness access through August 13. Super fun peaks! Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. Our guides always carry a comprehensive medical kit but it's nice to have your own as well. We did this trip in September. The card is not insurance. Do not be drawn up the climbers trail to the twin lakes between Eolus, Sunlight and Windom. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mountain Summit Hike. NOTE that on an average summer day, 50 people will disembark from the train to head to Chicago Basina beautiful, but crowded, backpacking destination. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. The Chicago Basin Hike | A Stunning Hike Into the Mountains - 10Adventures Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. The turnoff to Emerald Lake is at mile 6.3 (Trail #528). Passengers are not permitted to carry firearms on the train. I'll be doing this loop this September 2023 except in reverse. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. Chicago Basin 1: Sunlight & Windom Peaks - Greg Willis be aware of your place, take what you need! Feel free to text me at 616-443-9183. To prevent altitude sickness, pace yourself, drink water, and eat snacks. Wilderness is a place where the imprint of humans is substantially unnoticeable, where natural processes are the primary influencers and human activity is limited to primitive recreation and minimum tools. Spruce beetle infestations and avalanche falls have led to thousands of downed trees that block trail access and affect local ecosystems. Bring your water filter along with 1.5-2 liters of water with you. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. We reached the summit around 11 AM and headed back shortly after-about 12 hours round trip. Water can be found off the trail in most of the tributaries, but due to Giardia it should be filtered. Essential for all of our programs. Pack it for those days where you need just a touch of down insulation, or on those cold days on the chairlift when an extra layer might be crucial. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Located in the heart of the Needle Mountainsdeep in the Weminuche Wildernesslies. 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. If I were to do it again, I wouldve done a few more miles the first day - theres a nice campsite before the first peak. Increasing numbers of visitors are disturbing wildlife, impacting trails, polluting creeks and streams, and leaving all kinds of waste behind. There was a new amazing view after every turn. Overall was an exciting trip and really pushed myself to catch all the peaks with my 10lb backpack for weight training. The third bridge is gone due to an avalanche in the winter of 2004-2005 and there are no plans at this time to replace the bridge. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Guiding and instruction with an AMGA Certified/Trained Guide, Group camping and cooking equipment (tents, stoves, etc. Additionally, the trailhead is only accessible via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, so make sure to arrive early and leave yourself plenty of time for the return journey. There are a few small stream crossings and some muddy areas but overall good conditions. Either way, we offer plenty of fixed date trip options to get you out into Colorado's finest wilderness area! Train to Needleton stop. AVY Course and a Solid crew This hike covers 34 miles and involves more than 8,000 feet of climbing. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. We recommend wide mouth Nalgene (or similar) water bottles for the majority of our programs. You may want to drop off the rest of your party and gear closer to the train and then park the car. That and all the rocks you have to rock climb so put away those hiking sticks when you get past Twin Lakes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById('copyright').appendChild(document.createTextNode(new Date().getFullYear())) Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Wilderness Access - Official Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on official, secure websites. This was our third trek on this trail. As with all high-altitude areas, storms can move in rapidly, bringing severe wind, lightning, rain, snow, or hail at any time of the year. The scenery on this tough hike is definitely worth the effort. 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. Excellent 3-day trip!! 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. Heading to a 14er soon? Dont forget to use a wag bag. All great except the rain!!! Buy a ticket for the train that stops at Needleton and ride the train 2.5 hours (~30 miles) to the Needleton stop. 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. Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk: Drive to Durango and follow signs to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. This hike covers 34 miles and involves more than 8,000 feet of climbing. Windom peak was my first 14er. We just finished this trail. As you visit, you will join thousands of others who travel in the Weminuche each year. Follow the fork east along Needle Creek for approximately 0.75 miles. A really incredible trip with unbeatable views! Chicago Basin - Wikipedia Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. Great trail, unreal views! Elevations range from 8,000 feet at trailheads to over 14,000 at the peaks. Although the Weminuche is known for its rugged terrain, its ecosystems are fragile.