Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

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Jim Davies
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by Jim Davies »

We did this loop with a group of scouts about 20 years ago. First night we camped by the beaver ponds. Second day was the hardest, over Hunchback Pass (two climbs to 12K+) and down to a large campsite along Vallecito Creek, about 13 miles, I think. Third night camped past Johnson Creek turnoff well before Columbine Lake, fourth night Chicago Basin. Creek crossing were no problem in early August - as somebody mentioned above, there was a bridge over Vallecito, although I think we had to ford Johnson Creek soon after that, but it was pretty shallow at the time and not a problem.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by rdp32 »

Thanks all. turbocat mentioned the blow downs and deadfall on the Elk Creek Trail. Does anyone know how much deadfall there typically is on the other trails (Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail, Vallecito Trail) in early July? Based on all the beetle kill down there, along with it being early in the season (less time for crews to clear downed trees), I'm starting to think the deadfall may actually be the biggest challenge in early summer for this particular route (since, as mentioned above, I shouldn't need to ford the Vallecito).
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by DaveLanders »

The trees blocking the Elk Creek trail were the result of an avalanche in 2019. There have been trail crews working on that for the last 3 summers. My understanding is that the trail is now passable for both people and stock. I wouldn't worry too much about downed trees on your loop unless we have a repeat of the 2019 avalanche cycle this spring.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by Skimo95 »

DaveLanders wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:33 pm The trees blocking the Elk Creek trail were the result of an avalanche in 2019. There have been trail crews working on that for the last 3 summers. My understanding is that the trail is now passable for both people and stock. I wouldn't worry too much about downed trees on your loop unless we have a repeat of the 2019 avalanche cycle this spring.
I was the first one up Jagged Pass last year via Ruby, descending NoName. It was a type 2 adventure for the first week of June. I agree in late July it should be a lot better. Indeed EC has gotten much more maintenance than surround Wem.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by DaveLanders »

Skimo95 wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:30 pm
DaveLanders wrote: Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:33 pm The trees blocking the Elk Creek trail were the result of an avalanche in 2019. There have been trail crews working on that for the last 3 summers. My understanding is that the trail is now passable for both people and stock. I wouldn't worry too much about downed trees on your loop unless we have a repeat of the 2019 avalanche cycle this spring.
I was the first one up Jagged Pass last year via Ruby, descending NoName. It was a type 2 adventure for the first week of June. I agree in late July it should be a lot better. Indeed EC has gotten much more maintenance than surround Wem.
The OP's proposed trip is all on official Forest Service trails, so they get some amount of official maintenance. Elk Creek is part of the Colorado Trail, so it gets maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation as well as the Forest Service. However, Ruby and Noname are not official trails, so they get no organized maintenance at all. I have heard that Outward Bound groups have worked on Ruby and Noname in the past, but I don't know if they have done anything recently.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by turbocat »

My experience is EC is definitely well traveled being the CT. The earlier in the season you go, the remnants of the previous winter will still linger (high winds, avalanches). They get taken care of by subtle re-routing and trail crews as the summer progresses. NoName and Ruby have always been "pick your own adventure" and unmaintained...that is the beauty of the Weminuche. RDP32: after the Vestal Basin cutoff to the right (Beaver Ponds), there will be options from 10,000 to 11,000 with access to water, protection (trees) and flat. These will not be obvious like what you will see up Chicago Basin, but can be found if you wander off trail. I have always been coming and going on that segment, and never stopped to linger. Above 11,000 the basin gets tight and rocky. 'm sure you can find something up near the mine, but it is exposed. I have never been up to Eldorado Lake, but the approach always looked unappealing, especially given the miles I had in at the point I saw it.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by turbocat »

I should also mention, the pine beetle kill is extensive in the Weminuche. Hence the amount of fallen trees and blow downs. So pay attention to where you pitch your tent below treeline. Most everything is dead and subject to fall. This may be a reason to stick closer to treeline or just above.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by rdp32 »

turbocat wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:39 am I should also mention, the pine beetle kill is extensive in the Weminuche. Hence the amount of fallen trees and blow downs. So pay attention to where you pitch your tent below treeline. Most everything is dead and subject to fall. This may be a reason to stick closer to treeline or just above.
Yeah, it's crazy how quickly all those trees have died; I've seen trip reports from not that many years ago where the forests were all healthy and green. It's tough, because the general advice is to camp below treeline for protection from wind and lightning, but as you said with all the beetle kill maybe it's even worse to camp below treeline. I'm not sure which we'll do.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by Skimo95 »

rdp32 wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 3:37 pm
turbocat wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 7:39 am I should also mention, the pine beetle kill is extensive in the Weminuche. Hence the amount of fallen trees and blow downs. So pay attention to where you pitch your tent below treeline. Most everything is dead and subject to fall. This may be a reason to stick closer to treeline or just above.
Yeah, it's crazy how quickly all those trees have died; I've seen trip reports from not that many years ago where the forests were all healthy and green. It's tough, because the general advice is to camp below treeline for protection from wind and lightning, but as you said with all the beetle kill maybe it's even worse to camp below treeline. I'm not sure which we'll do.
If the weather forecast is favorable, my vote is near treeline. Best bet is to text someone (gps) day of, and get a detailed report from them. Garmin’s WX system is unreliable for the inreach in my experience. Then again, the weather out there can be unpredictable. Have a great trip!
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by rdp32 »

Skimo95 wrote: Fri Mar 11, 2022 5:11 pm If the weather forecast is favorable, my vote is near treeline. Best bet is to text someone (gps) day of, and get a detailed report from them. Garmin’s WX system is unreliable for the inreach in my experience. Then again, the weather out there can be unpredictable. Have a great trip!
Yeah, I don't have much experience with my Inreach mini yet, but I've already noticed that its weather forecasts differ significantly from weather.gov (which I mostly trust). So I have texted my wife for weather updates on previous trips. Glad to hear I'm not crazy in that regard!
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by rdp32 »

Does anyone have any recent beta on the conditions of these trails (Elk Creek Trail/Colorado Trail, Vallecito Trail, Johnson Creek Trail, Needle Creek Trail, Rock Creek Trail, CDT) from a deadfall perspective? I read a recent conditions report saying that there is a lot of deadfall to negotiate just to get to upper Chicago Basin, so now I'm worried that the other trails could be potentially much worse since they get less traffic.
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Re: Early July Weminuche (Elk Park - Needleton backpacking loop)

Post by supranihilest »

rdp32 wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 12:24 am Does anyone have any recent beta on the conditions of these trails (Elk Creek Trail/Colorado Trail, Vallecito Trail, Johnson Creek Trail, Needle Creek Trail, Rock Creek Trail, CDT) from a deadfall perspective? I read a recent conditions report saying that there is a lot of deadfall to negotiate just to get to upper Chicago Basin, so now I'm worried that the other trails could be potentially much worse since they get less traffic.
Tons of deadfall on Vallecito Creek trail from Beartown. A fair amount on the unmaintained trail up Leviathan Creek. CDT near Rio Grande Pyramid also has a ton. Been up all three recently - RGP area a few weeks ago, Vallecito and Leviathan Wednesday and Thursday of this week. It's almost certain that every trail in the Wemi has a lot of deadfall. Seems like crews clean things up in July, based on a few trips in early July that featured lots of deadfall and seeing reports that things were cleaned up shortly after we left.
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