Nellie Creek

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
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Jaymi
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Nellie Creek

Post by Jaymi »

Does anyone have any recent beta on the upper Nellie Creek TH? If the weather is stable would like to to do Uncompahgre next weekend. Thanks!
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cnlevan
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by cnlevan »

I don't know if this is recent enough, but I climbed it in August and you definitely need a 4WD to get to the top. There are two large stream crossings also. Sorry if this doesn't help. Good luck!
Put yourself in the way of beauty. - Cheryl Strayed
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jdorje
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by jdorje »

You need way more than a 4wd to get to the top. Legit clearance for that first hurdle. Unless there's a way around it?
"I don't think about the past, and the future is a mystery. Only the present matters."
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Jaymi
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by Jaymi »

Thanks for the feedback! I went for it and my 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk handled it just fine, though slowly. Worst of it was the first 0.1 mile. Beautiful hike. Successful summit. Spotty snow starting around 12,700 but no traction needed for the entire trip. :)
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jschmidt
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by jschmidt »

Has it gotten worse since 2013? My last time there was in a stock Wrangler and I don't remember any major clearance hurdles that a stock 4WD couldn't handle.

The thing that sticks out in my mind the most was the cooperative maneuvering I had to do to get around a 3/4 ton truck that was on his way down when I was headed up. I don't know if anyone else feels this way but I often perceive oversized vehicles on 4WD roads with the same disdain as a vehicle without adequate clearance or capability. Makes it way more difficult and dangerous for everyone else to get around the extra 20" of width and 100" of length. (Ford super duty long bed crew cab vs 4 door Jeep)
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Jaymi
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by Jaymi »

Not sure how it compares to 2013, but I think a stock 4WD is fine. My Grand Cherokee is stock and did fine. Streams were shallow too. Just a larger rock bump in the beginning as compared to the rest of the trail. I agree on the cooperative maneuvering. I was happy I didn't have to share the road in spots.
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youngk2844
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by youngk2844 »

Made it to the top with my Subaru Outback two summers ago. The water crossings were not too bad at the time.
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lkk8815
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by lkk8815 »

Could anyone tell me if Nellie Creek is ever physically closed for the winter (as in the road is blocked/gated/etc), or is it more of a no one plows it situation? Thinking about doing Uncompahgre sometime towards the end of the month.
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BillMiddlebrook
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

lkk8815 wrote:Could anyone tell me if Nellie Creek is ever physically closed for the winter (as in the road is blocked/gated/etc), or is it more of a no one plows it situation? Thinking about doing Uncompahgre sometime towards the end of the month.
It is always "closed" in winter due to snow but you can legally skin/walk/snowshoe/snowmobile up the road. Just watch out for avalanche areas once we get some real snow. The Nellie Creek TH page provides winter information and reports on when it opens in the Spring:
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/trailhead ... hparm=sj01
"When I go out, I become more alive. I just love skiing. The gravitational pull. When you ski steep terrain... you can almost get a feeling of flying." -Doug Coombs
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lkk8815
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by lkk8815 »

Thanks. Just didn't want to drive down there to find an unexpected locked gate closing the road off like Evans.
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JB99
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by JB99 »

figured I’d just reply to an old thread instead of starting a new one… does anyone have their drive time and vehicle for the upper section of nellie creek road? trying to figure out when to leave to catch the sunrise.
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not."
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Paul M
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Re: Nellie Creek

Post by Paul M »

Rented a Jeep Wrangler back in August 2020. With its high clearance and the 4LO setting, it was fine to drive up the road and across the stream crossings with no scrapes. As others have said, the most serious spot is early on, immediately past the first stream crossing. If you get through it, you're fine. But I would NOT try it in a vehicle with less clearance than the one I had, even if it has 4WD.
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