Chi basin from Missionary ridge road

[GeorgiaTyler]

I completely forgot I asked this question, thanks for responding. From most of my time spent at overlook point and mountain view crest it seems like a pretty strait forward down hike and intersect needle creek. Yes, the hike back up would be pretty exhausting. I think I will catch a ride to OP and hike down and fish/summit and catch the train back out. This trip should happen this summer (as I've been thinking about it for years now..) and I will report my findings. I realize all the other ways to access CB I just want to do it another way. Thanks again.

[shearmodulus]

North-facing aspects of Chicago Basin will probably have good bit of snow on them even into late Spring.

But then again, with the dry year the San Juans are having, maybe not...

[GeorgiaTyler]

Hmmm, that would be a pretty sweet ski decent into needle creek in the spring... If conditions were prime. Something else to think about. Prob. wouldn't skin back up to MVCrest but who knows, this could be a lot of fun.

[drotar447]

I've been somewhat obsessed with this idea. The attractiveness of combining the beauty of the Lime Mesa/Mountain View Crest area into a Chicago Basin trip (and bonus without cost/schedule of train) sounds so damn appealing, except for hiking up out of Chicago Basin which is probably why I will end up hiking in from the Purgatory TH. Everyone seems to focus on going down past Ruby Lake, I guess because a trail is marked on maps, but there appear to be old mining and/or game trails that lead to a gully just to the east of Point 12,877 (due northeast from the Ruby Lake Trail crest). Looks like a delightful ridge trek. A "trail" even appears to begin down the gully on Google Maps/Earth. I've plotted this crazy idea in detail on Caltopo, but not sure how to share. Attached is a screenshot.

EDITED: words/spelling/topo map

lime_mesa_chicago_basin_topo.jpg

Hi HikerGuy, did you ever try this? It sounds quite compelling to be honest. From an elk's perspective this seems to be the logical way to get into Chicago Basin.

[HikerGuy]

Nope. I think that descent into Chicago Basin is too steep with a pack and no trail. Nice elk trails until that point, but that descent would probably be a no go unless you are an elk.

[MichelleLW]

Nope. I think that descent into Chicago Basin is too steep with a pack and no trail. Nice elk trails until that point, but that descent would probably be a no go unless you are an elk.

I actually have some friends who went from Lime Mesa to Chicago Basin last summer, partially based on discussion in this thread. They did descend one of the gullies off of the Mesa, I think the one you reference between pt 12,877 and Mt. Kennedy (they also hit Kennedy on the way in). They said it wasn't too bad, and found some evidence that it had been used in the past. I believe they hiked out via Columbine Pass, Endlich Mesa, and City Reservoir, with an overnight at City Reservoir before returning to their cars. I'll see if I can grab any more details from them.

[HikerGuy]

Interesting! I did create a GPS track after my initial post, https://caltopo.com/m/E0M18, but never followed through. Purgatory just seems easier if your goal is only Chicago Basin, which at the time was my focus.

[supranihilest]

Interesting! I did create a GPS track after my initial post, https://caltopo.com/m/0MDB8, but never followed through. Purgatory just seems easier if your goal is only Chicago Basin, which at the time was my focus.

Agreed here. Having peered down many of those gullies from Lime and Endlich Mesas into CB last year I can't imagine any of them would be very pleasant, especially going up them on a return trip. It would be a lot longer but probably easier to just go over Trimble and Columbine Passes if there was insistence on starting from the Mesas.

[Bigfoot]

Nope. I think that descent into Chicago Basin is too steep with a pack and no trail. Nice elk trails until that point, but that descent would probably be a no go unless you are an elk.

I hiked into Chicago Basin using this route a couple weeks ago. Hiking Lime Mesa was very nice. Just before the trail went over the saddle to drop down to Ruby Lake I took the social trail northeast towards Mount Kennedy. About half way there the trail petered out, but it was easy navigation to the notch by point 12877. The was a good goat trail down to treeline. Once in the trees the footing wasn't as good. It started getting difficult about halfway down through the trees when deadfall became prominent. After I was out of the trees I hiked in the creekbed through the willows until it narrowed. Then it was a 30-foot willow bash to make it back to the meadow and crossed the creek at a campsite to rejoin the trail. I think it may have been a little easier if I went a little further east at treeline before turning down again, but didn't want to go exploring with a full pack. I had no intention of hiking out this way. For my exit I went via Columbine Pass, Trimble Pass, Silver Mesa (even more gorgeous than Lime Mesa), City Reservoir, and back to the trailhead.

Lime Mesa Trailhead to Chicago Basin campsite: 8.07 miles, 1906' climb
Chicago Basin campsite to City Reservoir campsite: 7.84 miles, 2226' climb
City Reservoir campsite to Lime Mesa Trailhead: 9.25 miles, 1880' climb (my map didn't have the connecting trail so I bushwacked around cliffs. The trail would be 8.63 miles)



(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

(1), (2) Crossing Lime Mesa
(3) Just before the snowfield the trail goes left to Ruby Lake and the social trail toward the right
(4) Route goes down to saddle then toward talus knob hiding the notch (below Windom)
(5) Approaching notch
(6) Looking down the gully from the notch
(7) Looking back up the gully
(8) Gully track detail

Michael

[Marmot72]

This is great beta, Michael! Thank you for posting. The Missionary Ridge is long, but it's 2wd (even low clearance) until you get to the creek crossing where you need a jeep/"real SUV." I ventured there in 2019 at the end of June and that had been a great spring snow season in the SJs, so all I could manage was Overlook Point. But not so bad now that my "consolation 12er" is a 13er! I knew from a site I found by some anglers that the descent from by Overlook Point past Ruby Lake was not inviting, as the trail has petered out and they described some miserable bushwhacking to get down to Emerald Lake, so this is a nice route to know of.

[Jorts]

I hiked into Chicago Basin using this route a couple weeks ago. Hiking Lime Mesa was very nice. Just before the trail went over the saddle to drop down to Ruby Lake I took the social trail northeast towards Mount Kennedy. About half way there the trail petered out, but it was easy navigation to the notch by point 12877. The was a good goat trail down to treeline. Once in the trees the footing wasn't as good. It started getting difficult about halfway down through the trees when deadfall became prominent. After I was out of the trees I hiked in the creekbed through the willows until it narrowed. Then it was a 30-foot willow bash to make it back to the meadow and crossed the creek at a campsite to rejoin the trail. I think it may have been a little easier if I went a little further east at treeline before turning down again, but didn't want to go exploring with a full pack. I had no intention of hiking out this way. For my exit I went via Columbine Pass, Trimble Pass, Silver Mesa (even more gorgeous than Lime Mesa), City Reservoir, and back to the trailhead.

Lime Mesa Trailhead to Chicago Basin campsite: 8.07 miles, 1906' climb
Chicago Basin campsite to City Reservoir campsite: 7.84 miles, 2226' climb
City Reservoir campsite to Lime Mesa Trailhead: 9.25 miles, 1880' climb (my map didn't have the connecting trail so I bushwacked around cliffs. The trail would be 8.63 miles)

Have to revive this... any sign of the old switchbacks on your descent or once you hit the basin floor? If so, what state were they in?

Has anyone else given this a go? Has some appeal.

[climbingcue]

We are going to Chicago Basin from Lime Mesa this Thursday or Friday. We also had a friend that did it a couple of weeks ago.