Vallecito to Johnson Creek for Chicago Basin

[turbocat]

I have been in/out Chicago Basin multiple times by the standard approach always delivered and picked up by train. I need to tick off North Eolus and repeat Eolus and have a few days off soon and want to bypass the train and not be beholden to its price or schedule. I could just leave from Purgatory TH, but I am toying with mixing it up and approaching from Vallecito side then over Columbine just for something different and different scenery. I have been on Columbine Pass when I did Jupiter in 2008 from Chicago Basin, but just to get up the slope to Jupiter, so I am familiar with that segment. Distance seems to be comparable, albeit a bit more, but not by much (2 or 3 miles per my Garmin). Obviously, the miles look tougher on the east side due to the climb up to Columbine (@ 6 miles from Vallecito cut-off). Any BETA on camping high on the Johnson side? Trail conditions? Very experienced overland (no trail) in the San Juans and have traversed the entire Weminuche east-to-west in the past and been up most of the basins, but somehow, I have never had an opportunity to walk the lower section of Vallecito or do the Johnson Creek approach to Chicago Basin. Is it worth it? I was also thinking about scoping Sunlight Creek approach to Jagged (failed to summit in 2006 from the west, made it to Jagged Pass). Not much BETA on here regarding Johnson Creek. Any info would be much appreciated.

[9patrickmurphy]

I hiked out this way a couple years ago (I have a trip report on it). The trail is excellent and well-maintained the entire way, including a wood and steel bridge over Vallecito Creek. There is (to my knowledge) still one bridge out on the Vallecito trail which requires a ford of the creek, but it shouldn't be too bad (it was thigh deep in the fall of 2023). Trail is great up and over Columbine Pass, and I recall plenty of camping options along the way up the trail. Consider hitting Grizzly and McCauley on the way, which take you by Hazel Lake, one of my favorite spots in the Weminuche.

[supranihilest]

I have some beta here and here that may be useful, plus GPX tracks. The trail is good and has some unique features which make it worthwhile. The solitude is significantly higher than via the west side of the Needle Creek trail (note that the trail in Johnson Creek is still the Needle Creek trail, not the Johnson Creek trail). You can camp at Columbine Lake, Hazel Lake is spectacular, and at the toe of Thunder Mountain's southeast ridge. I'm sure there are ample other opportunities elsewhere, but I wasn't paying attention and time has caused some gaps in my memory.

Sunlight Basin also has a trail up it. The plants are very thick back there and the trail is sometimes hard to follow. You're going to get soaked if the plants are wet. I have GPX tracks on my trip reports for the nearby peaks as well. Camping is harder to find but not impossible. We camped around here: 37.63158, -107.56209.

[Mtnman200]

I've backpacked to Chicago Basin twice from the Vallecito trailhead. There are good campsites just before treeline below Columbine Pass.

[colingoodman]

Alternatively, there appears to be a shorter option via Kennedy Pass and Lime Mesa TH.

viewtopic.php?p=786723#p786723

[turbocat]

Interesting BETA all. Thanks. That Lime Creek approach looks interesting.

[Marmot72]

I like the Lime Mesa approach. You do not go all the way to the Lime Mesa trailhead; there is parking on the east side of a creek crossing that has room for several vehicles to park. You hike not far up the road until you see a prominent hairpin in the road and there is a flattish grassy area with one of those grayish brown rectangular trail markers that stands almost waist high. The trail starts strong soon after that, leading along the west side of Lime Mesa toward Ruby Lake. I've not been down the trail that is marked on the USGS that descends by Ruby Lake into CB. An account from 12 years ago or so described it as a heinous bushwhack, but I think I saw a more recent account that made it not sound too bad. From the edge of mesa where you look down to the lake, there is not really any trail evident- I was just there a few weeks ago. If your pack is not too heavy, it would not be a bad trip over Kennedy and Aztec to then hit the Columbine pass trail. It's mostly class 2 with a few spots of easy class 3 and, contrary to what I had read about the east ridge of Aztec, I didn't find it unpleasant.

[turbocat]

Thx Marmot. I totally see that faint trail on my Garmin topo from that switchback on the right fork road above Henderson Lake. What is the CR682 (Missionary Ridge Rd) road like these days? I have a stock 4Runner with mediocre skills.

[taboose395]

Thx Marmot. I totally see that faint trail on my Garmin topo from that switchback on the right fork road above Henderson Lake. What is the CR682 (Missionary Ridge Rd) road like these days? I have a stock 4Runner with mediocre skills.

Missionary Ridge Road is sedan-able all the way to Henderson Lake. From there it is easy 4WD to the parking area outlined. After that parking area... it sucks. There is no reason to go past the parking area, as it is a short walk up the road to the trail.