Beartown TH and approach to jagged

[Boggy B]

Here's a map: https://caltopo.com/m/EAUL
Not my exact GPX but close enough. You leave the Vallecito trail at Nebo Creek. That's a minor bushwhack (moreso now with added deadfall) to meet the use trail coming up Trinity Creek, then follow that until the climb up to Lake Silex. The route from the lake to the Storm King saddle has some cairns. You pick up a trail at that saddle and follow it W briefly before contouring S around the corner where there is a use trail (maybe higher than where I put it) to the smaller lake between Peaks 7 and 8. From there it's all off-trail. I've also taken what I labeled "Kodiak Alt" but I liked the western route better. If you catch Leviathan Lake in the right light it is absolutely stunning as you hike above it.

Any idea what the vertical is on that section of the Kodiak High Route? I'd never heard it called that (nor had one of my partners, fwiw...) but while I was packing up camp a guy from Seattle came up the Sunlight trail and said he was doing a thru hike of some sort and said he was going to do that variation.

I don't know where "Kodiak High Route" comes from, and I did this route before I learned of it when it showed up on the MapBuilder topo. None of the "Kodiak" part of this route is a trail or even cairned; maybe someone else knows the story?

For raw stats from TH to the lake below the N face I have Kodiak via Hunchback at 8.7 mi / 4040' (3144' out), Sunlight via Hunchback at 13.2 mi / 4450' (3550' out, and possibly missing a shortcut from the N side), and Sunlight via Vallecito at 17.1 mi / 6250' (1430' out).

If the Sunlight trail has improved that would help it by comparison but I can't abide dropping below 10k feet in Vallecito. So hot.

[Chicago Transplant]

Interesting, thanks for the map! I've been from Vestal to Balsam and then Balsam to the SK group. We definitely found pieces of trail to the Vestal-Trinities saddle and the high trail is there too, though we were farther east of Vestal Lake. We then followed the trail for a bit before we went straight down to the west side of Balsam Lake to camp. Picked up pieces of trail on the NE side of the lake along the creek that eventually go back to the high trail on our way towards all the peaks. Didn't realize that trail had a name!

One note on the part that goes through the Eight-Seven saddle is to definitely stay high there, there is a really cool (but really deep) gash in the face above the larger lake on the south side of Eight where the small dashed creek is shown. If you are too low you'll be forced back up to get over it.

[TomPierce]

If the Sunlight trail has improved that would help it by comparison but I can't abide dropping below 10k feet in Vallecito. So hot.

So hot?!? I spend most of my time every year doing high desert stuff, hot = over 90 degrees, miserable to hump a pack and hike. A day temp of 80 is pleasant...too funny

Thanks for KHR info. Doubt I'd ever use it but it sounds like a pretty scenic route. The guy from Seattle did mention it was posted on a site, he showed me the GPS map he loaded from the site. He too was puzzled by the name, I've always associated "Kodiak" with Alaska (I used to live there), odd choice for a CO route.

[amyferryman]

Me and my hubby were just up there a few weeks ago... took ~2 hours from Silverton to Beartown on a Saturday afternoon, ~1.5 hours back to Silverton late Wednesday afternoon. Our first camp was at the Vallecito creek crossing at 9600’, a few nice camp spots there. Our high camp was by Sunlight creek at ~11,500’. Beautiful camp site, after a series of switchbacks on a good portion of trail. 4 mountain goats at high camp and ran into a young bull moose on the trail on our return to camp 1 the 3rd night. Beautiful area full of solitude. Have fun!

[BKS]

Thanks boggy. Let’s like a solid option, especially given that some of our group wants to add vestal to trip.

[dillonsarnelli]

If you catch Leviathan Lake in the right light it is absolutely stunning as you hike above it.

This.

[Stratosfearsome]

Thanks for KHR info. Doubt I'd ever use it but it sounds like a pretty scenic route. The guy from Seattle did mention it was posted on a site, he showed me the GPS map he loaded from the site. He too was puzzled by the name, I've always associated "Kodiak" with Alaska (I used to live there), odd choice for a CO route.

That guy from Seattle mentioned that he found the KHR on GAIA. Here's a link: https://www.gaiagps.com/hike/trail/unit ... igh-route/

[TomPierce]

Thanks boggy. Let’s like a solid option, especially given that some of our group wants to add vestal to trip.

BKS: If you guys end up doing the Kodiak option please post a review. Given Boggy's data it might be a much better option than Vallecito/Sunlight Creek. Curious if there's much of a trail up there off the Vallecito trail, I didn't see a cut off the two times I was in the area. Good luck on your trip, be safe!

-Tom

[SnowAlien]

It's mostly off trail, and the section from Leviathan lake towards Jagged was the hardest

[BKS]

So, Natalie, you’ve been up sunlight as well which would you say is quicker given our group is on limited time schedule. Vallecito - sunlight vs hunchback- Kodiak?

[Boggy B]

It's mostly off trail, and the section from Leviathan lake towards Jagged was the hardest

My least favorite parts are the (short) bushwhack between Nebo and Trinity creeks and the mile of talus (it's really only .5 mi but feels longer) from Silex Lake to the Storm King saddle.

From the SK saddle around to the Seven/Eight lake is easy hiking on tundra and use trails, and from the Seven/Eight lake all the way to the tarn below "Leviathan Pass" is mostly a tundra cruise with a few talus fields. The climb from the tarn up to "Leviathan Pass" is 600', and the upper half tends to have a hikeable snowfield. Hugging the (climber's) left side of the rock outcrops works pretty well and has been packed down by traffic. I've not made the arc to the west the KHR shows in that section.

Most recently we went Hunchback to KHR to Upper Noname in around 6.5 hours with a monster rack and some breaks. I would guess minimum of 6 hours from Vallecito with a standard Jagged kit and camping gear. The people who run Jagged take Sunlight Creek to maximize mileage on the Vallecito trail.

[SnowAlien]

It's mostly off trail, and the section from Leviathan lake towards Jagged was the hardest

My least favorite parts are the (short) bushwhack between Nebo and Trinity creeks and the mile of talus (it's really only .5 mi but feels longer) from Silex Lake to the Storm King saddle.

I think we pretty much dialed in those 2 sections after couple trips. After missing it first time, last year we nailed the entry into Stormy Gulch, but got off route further up, but eventually found our way to the "dream" campsite. The mile of talus from Silex lake is definitely tedious, but I think we've done that section 4x (3 down and 1 up to 8/9 saddle). The rest I've done only once as a downhill with an overnight backpack coming from Jagged, and it was doable, but I would be hesitant to haul my pack up that way esp if any rack/rope are involved. I also didn't make the ark to the west on KHR route, went sorta in the middle (probably to avoid snow) and it was uber tedious and my least favorite section of the whole trip, probably just that section took me 2 hours with several spills. But you could also drop off your overnight pack at Leviathan lake and hoof it up from there.