Overnight hike near Silverton

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
My-Therapy
Posts: 233
Joined: 12/17/2007
14ers: 57  2 
13ers: 31 2
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Overnight hike near Silverton

Post by My-Therapy »

So I'm heading to Ice Lake Basin in July for a hiking/camping trip and I was looking for an additional short overnight trip nearby Silverton. We are looking for wildflowers, water(alpine lake or streams/rivers) and a place that will make us want to take lots of pictures. I will be with my parents and I'm trying to keep the one way distance to a camp spot of no more than around a 4 mile hike or so. Thanks for any advice/suggestions! -J. Hart
User avatar
Hobopoet
Posts: 372
Joined: 6/10/2006
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Overnight hike near Silverton

Post by Hobopoet »

The San Juan Mountain Association has an information office in Silverton on Blair Street just north of the train stop. They can get you detailed information. All the patrol people - federal, state and local - use this office as their base so they will have up to date info on trail conditions, etc.
User avatar
kaiman
Posts: 1367
Joined: 5/3/2006
Trip Reports (10)
 

Re: Overnight hike near Silverton

Post by kaiman »

Oh man the choices in that area are endless... :wink:

As far as flowers/scenery goes Ice Lakes Basin steals the show so plan to spend some time enjoying it. Plus you can climb Centennial 13er Vermillion Peak (13,894 feet) if you want. From the same South Mineral Creek drainage you also have several other hiking/camping options including Clear Lake/South Lookout Peak (very nice) and Hope Lake (great views from the pass).

Some of my other favorites that can be turned into overnight trips include Highland Mary/Verde Lakes from Cunningham Gulch (meets many of your criteria for flowers, waterfalls, alpine lakes/streams, etc.). The other one I would mention is Columbine Pass and Lake (not the Chicago Basin one) from Highway 550 between Silverton and the top of Red Mountain Pass. This is another good option (and the views of Mt Sneffels from here are stunning)...

FYI, you will probably need a 4x4 or high clearance 2wd vehicle to reach most of these trailheads (except for Ice Lakes and Columbine Pass/Lake)...

Happy Trails!

kaiman
"I want to keep the mountains clean of racism, religion and politics. In the mountains this should play no role."

- Joe Stettner

"I haven't climbed Everest, skied to the poles, or sailed single-handed around the world. The goals I set out to accomplish aren't easily measured or quantified by world records or "firsts." The reasons I climb, and the climbs I do, are about more than distance or altitude, they are about breaking barriers within myself."

- Andy Kirkpatrick
Post Reply