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  1. #41
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    You still going in September?
    I decided another trip to the Weminuche was in order instead of going somewhere new, and should be headed that way on Sept. 20th.
    7 days again, and will probably be doing the loop from Needleton this time, taking Rock Creek and going up by Rock, Twin and Ute lakes, out to the Window and Rio Grande Pyramid, then back toward Hunchback Pass on the CDT by Middle and West Ute Lakes.
    Owen,
    What can you tell me about the hike up Rock Creek? I know you mentioned going toward Rock Lake on your previous trip but the weather messed you up. Curious about that area.
    Thanks.
    Wayne


    Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
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  2. #42

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    That was the easiest climb of my trip. Kind of meanders uphill for 3.5-4 miles, while the terrain rises more sharply on either side of you. Meadows with big rocks and stands of trees. Good hiking except for a flat area near the top that was already crisscrossed with waterways and boggy even before the heavy rains(trail was knee deep through there on the way out due to the flooding on my trip).
    I made it to just below Rock Lake, but am unsure of the exact spot on the map, and was near the base of a short cliffline on my right when I got hammered by the storm I described in the TR.

    btw, it's not on the National Geographic map, but I have Donna Ikenberry's book on the area, and have since discovered that it has a map showing that there is a trail that cuts over to Rock Lake, by Half Moon Lake, then connects to the Emerald Lake trail(where the Nat Geo map shows it deadending at moon lake). Less than 2 miles, that section, and an obvious off-trail route if there wasn't a trail, but I guess it answers any questions as to whether there are any terrain features keeping you from being able to make it from Rock Lake to Moon Lake if you want.

  3. #43
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Thanks Owen. The glimpse of a plan is taking shape.
    Apparently you can hike in a continuous arc from the Vallecito CG to Rock Lake, Flint Lakes, Emerald Lake and down to Pine River CG.
    Have a great hike.
    Wayne


    Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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  4. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    Haha! It's a small world, and I love little coincidences
    My friends, who I also invited to go to CO with me, live in Sugar Mountain, NC and just dayhiked Grandfather Mountain on Saturday-AND tomorrow morning, unless I switch to something more local(debating), I'm heading up to TN to overnight the same loop at Savage Gulf that I was hiking when I first met them a few years ago.
    Funny, I thought of this today.
    Unfortunately, his wife can't come, but now the male half of that couple will be joining me for a return trip to the Weminuche(had to cancel in 2016).
    We will probably do the basic loop, except for sticking with the CDT at Nebo Creek then coming back down to the Vallecito via the Rock Creek Trail, plus climbing Eolus on our last day.
    I've turned mountain biker, and am in good shape, but need to toughen up my feet between now and then.
    It's been 4 years, and I've been to the Sierras and back to Utah since, but hardly a day goes by that I don't think of Colorado.

    Should probably post a warning, since I'm now up to 7 of 7 for my trips out West featuring what weather.com calls a "significant weather event"
    Part of me was thinking my luck might change with him along, but then I remembered that they tried to do the Maroon Bells the first week of October last year and got snowed out on day 1.
    Uhhh...y'all look out, things might get ugly in the San Juans come late September.
    Sorry

  5. #45
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OwenM View Post
    Funny, I thought of this today.
    Unfortunately, his wife can't come, but now the male half of that couple will be joining me for a return trip to the Weminuche(had to cancel in 2016).
    We will probably do the basic loop, except for sticking with the CDT at Nebo Creek then coming back down to the Vallecito via the Rock Creek Trail, plus climbing Eolus on our last day.
    I've turned mountain biker, and am in good shape, but need to toughen up my feet between now and then.
    It's been 4 years, and I've been to the Sierras and back to Utah since, but hardly a day goes by that I don't think of Colorado.

    Should probably post a warning, since I'm now up to 7 of 7 for my trips out West featuring what weather.com calls a "significant weather event"
    Part of me was thinking my luck might change with him along, but then I remembered that they tried to do the Maroon Bells the first week of October last year and got snowed out on day 1.
    Uhhh...y'all look out, things might get ugly in the San Juans come late September.
    Sorry
    Welcome back to your thread!
    I am minutes away from making a reservation on the train out of Silverton for my granddaughter and I. We have very low expectations. It's her first real backpacking trip and first trip to the Rockies. If we get to the beaver ponds I'll be excited.
    I'm glad you popped up. Speaking of camping at the beaver ponds. I know they can be buggy. Is there a better place to camp further up Elk Creek? What about access to water? Are there lateral creeks coming down to Elk Creek?
    Thanks for all of your help. Oh, I'll be back at Grandfather Mountain in late October.
    Wayne
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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  6. #46
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Bummer!
    The Durango-Silverton train is not accepting backpackers until August 10, 2018.
    The reason? They need space on the train for fire related equipment.
    So. We’re going somewhere else in the Weminuche Wilderness.
    There are worse things that could happen.
    Wayne

  7. #47

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    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post
    Welcome back to your thread!
    Thanks!

    Sucks your plans didn't work out.
    If y'all try again...bugs weren't an issue when I was there before, but there is a place to camp not far past the beaver ponds. My memory is fuzzy on how far(think I went past it, then decided to go back) maybe a mile.
    Elk Creek parallels the trail on the right for a bit, but I saw a stream off to the left and camped near that. Lower than the trail, but close, though out of sight of it. There is a stream on the map coming in perpendicular to the trail right in that area, but I can't say if that was it or not.

  8. #48
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    I decided to go back to the Beginning. I booked us into the Vallecito Campground. We’ll go up Vallecito Creek as far as my granddaughter is willing to go. That’s a good place for a first trip. I will enjoy going back to my roots.
    There are no bad trails in the Weminuche!
    Wayne

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