Animas Mountain Route?

[Floyd]

So I will tell you my itinerary...
June 24th: Start Weminuche Backpacking trip - Take train from Silverton to Elk Park and Pack to Vestal Lake
June 25th: Climb Arrow
June 26th: Climb Vestal Peak - Pack up to Unnamed Lake below Trinities
June 27th: Pack up to the Vestal-Trinity Creeks Pass - Climb East Trinity and Main Trinity, descend and pass by Lake Silex and camp at lake below Peaks 8 and 9
June 28th: Climb Silex and the Guardian and traverse to Leviathan Pass, Climb Levithan Peak camp just to the south
June 29th: Jagged Mountain, over Jagged Pass, climb Peak 6 and camp below Jagged Pass at 10,800 feet
June 30th: Over No-Name/Ruby Pass and to 11,600 in Ruby Basin climb Monitor, and Animas Mountains and camp at 11,600
July 1st: Climb Pigeon and Turret, retrace steps over No-Name/Ruby pass and head over Twin Thumbs Pass - Camp in Chicago Basin
July 2st: Climb Eolus, North Eolus and Windom, return to same camp spot in Chicago Basin
July 3nd: Climb Sunlight early, descend to trail and climb Jupiter, camp along trail somewhere near Needleton
July 4rd: Continue down the trail to Needleton and hit the train back to Silverton

Like others have said, this is very ambitious, but my partners can attest to the fact that I respect that sort of planning.

I do have some questions though...

Do you plan on packing over Silex/Guardian? I don't see how you're getting from Lake Silex to the Leviathan drainage. As CT mentioned, we have similar plans but "coming in the back door" for those similar to Sarah/Dominic did. Also, here is a trip report I've used in the past that may be of assistance. It also puts a new twist on combining Windom/Jagged. http://windom.cybox.com/ilana/hike/jagged/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A little tip for your Ruby Basin trip. You may want to do it all from a base camp at the lake at 11,750 to the north of Twin Thumbs pass to Chicago Basin. I have pictures of it if you want, it looks like an excellent spot to hole up for a night. Although I'd be prepared for a bivy, Pigeon would be hell and gone (no understatement) from a camp there. It would save some vert with the heavy on and the Animas Group would be pretty straight forward from there though and allow easy access to CB.

[Matt Lemke]

No we are not packing over silex and guardian. We are going to pack around the west side of Lake Silex and climb up the slope to the saddle between Storm King and Peak 9; climb Storm Kings SW ridge then descend west, then climb shortly to the saddle between Peaks 7 and 8 then descend to Unnamed lake 12,490 just south of Peaks 8 and 9 and camp. We will traverse east to Guardian and Silex the next morning.

That lake to the north of Twin Thumbs Pass actually looks like a good idea. We would plan for a bivy though the night after doing Pigeon and Turret lower in Ruby Creek to make the ascent of the Animas group a little shorter then return back to the tent and head into CB

Thanks for the link BTW...

[Floyd]

No we are not packing over silex and guardian. We are going to pack around the west side of Lake Silex and climb up the slope to the saddle between Storm King and Peak 9; climb Storm Kings SW ridge then descend west, then climb shortly to the saddle between Peaks 7 and 8 then descend to Unnamed lake 12,490 just south of Peaks 8 and 9 and camp. We will traverse east to Guardian and Silex the next morning.

Just for the sake of conversation, that slope will most likely be a snow climb with your heavies. We looked at that option too, but your way has you packing over 2 saddles/passes (Trinity-Peak 3 and SK-Peak 9), whereas you only would have to negotiate 1 pass (Vestal-Trinity) if you went the Balsam Lake side. Just sayin'... but by all means get out there and get after it if you like the northern side for those mountains - that meadow beneath Lake Silex looks like an excellent place to camp.

[Chicago Transplant]

So I will tell you my itinerary...
June 24th: Start Weminuche Backpacking trip - Take train from Silverton to Elk Park and Pack to Vestal Lake
June 25th: Climb Arrow
June 26th: Climb Vestal Peak - Pack up to Unnamed Lake below Trinities
June 27th: Pack up to the Vestal-Trinity Creeks Pass - Climb East Trinity and Main Trinity, descend and pass by Lake Silex and camp at lake below Peaks 8 and 9
June 28th: Climb Silex and the Guardian and traverse to Leviathan Pass, Climb Levithan Peak camp just to the south
June 29th: Jagged Mountain, over Jagged Pass, climb Peak 6 and camp below Jagged Pass at 10,800 feet
June 30th: Over No-Name/Ruby Pass and to 11,600 in Ruby Basin climb Monitor, and Animas Mountains and camp at 11,600
July 1st: Climb Pigeon and Turret, retrace steps over No-Name/Ruby pass and head over Twin Thumbs Pass - Camp in Chicago Basin
July 2st: Climb Eolus, North Eolus and Windom, return to same camp spot in Chicago Basin
July 3nd: Climb Sunlight early, descend to trail and climb Jupiter, camp along trail somewhere near Needleton
July 4rd: Continue down the trail to Needleton and hit the train back to Silverton

I take thunderstorms very seriously. I am very good at reading the clouds and know when the clouds are building into thunderstorms. I have a decent amount of meteorological knowledge. Since I have the entire summer off I have days to work with if it takes a little longer than planned but ideally we would be on our way to the Beartooths in Montana by the 5th of July so I can start my Montana 12ers project
We will also have ice axes and crampons/spikes to aid with snow.

After I knock these peaks off, I will then focus more on specific areas in the Weminuche like Sarah and Dominic did on my subsequent return treks.

I don't think your plans are too ambitious, its a lot of heavy packs to carry, but I think you can do it. Then again, I am known to cram a lot of peaks into trips myself... Here is a sample from a few years ago that yielded 10 ranked in essentially 4 days plus a morning pack out.

Night before trip: Drive to Red Mtn Pass after work, sleep in car.
Day 1: Climb T10 and Three Needles from Black Bear Pass, drive to Molas Pass, hike to Vestal Basin set up camp.
Day 2: Trinity Traverse
Day 3: Wham Ridge on Vestal, then Arrow
Day 4: Electric, Garfield, Graystone, pack out to river at Elk Park train station and camp there
Day 5: Hike back to car at Molas Pass, eat lunch in Montrose, drive home

The most difficult part for your trip is all the drainage hopping. Our Vestal "clean out" was all in one drainage, so it was pretty smooth. Packing up and moving camps is going to be a lot of extra work, but is do-able. I would avoid the pack to unnamed lake below Trinities on June 26, you can do the Trinities from the same camp as Vestal. Also, I second climbing Arrow and Vestal in the same day if you have the weather. I say your June 25th climb should be Wham with Arrow, then the 26th you can do the Trinities - all from the same camp. The 27th is then freed up, you can bump the whole schedule up a day from there, or just take it as a "rest day" and only move camp that day with no peaks. Also towards the end, Sunlight and Jupiter sounds like a weird combo. I would say split your days Eolus/North Eolus one day, Sunlight/Windom the next, then wake up early and climb Jupiter on the 4th before heading to the train. I climbed Jupiter the morning of train day, and was at the train station 3 hours before the train. That was with a 6.30am summit, so you can be a little later and still have plenty of time for the train.

Okay, enough armchair hike planning for me, but its just too much fun to plan long trips in the Weminuche, just ask Floyd about our emails

[Brian Thomas]

So I will tell you my itinerary...
July 1st: Climb Pigeon and Turret, retrace steps over No-Name/Ruby pass and head over Twin Thumbs Pass - Camp in Chicago Basin
July 2st: Climb Eolus, North Eolus and Windom, return to same camp spot in Chicago Basin
July 3nd: Climb Sunlight early, descend to trail and climb Jupiter, camp along trail somewhere near Needleton
July 4rd: Continue down the trail to Needleton and hit the train back to Silverton

Matt- I am planning on taking the train in to Needleton on Saturday 6/30 to go for the Chicago Basin 14ers and Jupiter then take the train out on either 7/3 or 7/4, looking for partner(s) for these if your group is there then too.

Day 10: Jupiter and out. There aren't too many camping areas between Chi Basin and Needleton

Still in the preliminary planning stages of my trip, but what's the elevation gain, elevation descent, and distance of going from camp in Chicago Basin to Jupiter then hiking back out to Needleton? Assuming favorable weather and a moderately fast hiking speed, how much time would be needed to make it up and down in time to catch the train out? Thanks.

[Chicago Transplant]

According to the stats I had in my TR from 2008, Jupiter was 5 1/2 and 2850' round trip from our camp. Then it was 5 2/3 miles back to the trail, all down hill.

Jupiter took me 4 hours round trip, but I am known to be on the fast side. Allow yourself 5 at a minimum, maybe even 6 just to play it safe - you don't want to miss the train! I would say its quicker to hike back to the train than to hike from the train to camp, so when you hike in pay attention to how long it took you. Allow yourself the same amount of time, and you will be early for the train. It took us 3 hours to get to camp, and 2 to get from camp to the train. Also you will need time to break down camp. I think you can make the train comfortably with a 5am start time on Jupiter. That puts you back at camp at 11am with a 6 hour hike, and still gives you an hour to break camp and another 3 to get to the train. But the bottom line is, you don't want to miss the train! Adjust any of these numbers as you see fit to make sure you don't miss the train.

[Matt Lemke]

Brian...We would be happy for you to join us. Looks like we will be in CB those exact days. As I have mentioned before we are not 100% set on these exact days or these peaks each day since I HAVE THE WHOLE SUMMER OFF.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I'd be glad to have more ideas but we will be prepared for snow, technical rock and lots of wet terrain/bushwhacking.

We can afford to be delayed a few days if needed.

Brian...BTW
I think it would be awesome if you could join us for these peaks. We will likely have base camp around 12,500 at Twin Lakes upon crossing over Twin Thumbs Pass. We'll do the 14ers first then Jupiter on the way out.

[Brian Thomas]

Brian...We would be happy for you to join us. Looks like we will be in CB those exact days. As I have mentioned before we are not 100% set on these exact days or these peaks each day since I HAVE THE WHOLE SUMMER OFF.

If we are in Chicago Basin at the same time that would be great. I have limited vacation time from work scheduled from 6/30 to 7/15, buying the train tickets to go for Sunlight/Windom/Eolus/Jupiter will be the only fixed part of my itinerary. After that tentatively visiting Ice Lakes Basin going for Vermilion/Golden Horn/US Grant, then the Wilson Group/Gladstone/Sneffels, and possibly Hagerman via Lead King. I will be traveling solo and letting the weather dictate my goals for the trip, but we can coordinate plans for the Chicago Basin peaks as the time approaches.

[Matt Lemke]

Sweet...we may not buy train tickets and have two cars...one at Molas Pass and one at Purgatory (or just one at Purgatory and we'd hitch a ride up to Molas to start our trek in which case you may only need to buy one train ticket to get to Needleton. If we hike out to Purgatory as a group we could take you back to Silverton.)

But yes...we can corrdinate later as the time approaches and I'll keep you updated on what we decide to do with cars.

[gdthomas]

...We will likely have base camp around 12,500 at Twin Lakes upon crossing over Twin Thumbs Pass. We'll do the 14ers first then Jupiter on the way out.

Camping around Twin Lakes has been prohibited for some years now. If the area has re-opened for camping, then forgive this post. Otherwise, you'll have to go lower to find camping areas.

[Floyd]

...We will likely have base camp around 12,500 at Twin Lakes upon crossing over Twin Thumbs Pass. We'll do the 14ers first then Jupiter on the way out.

Camping around Twin Lakes has been prohibited for some years now. If the area has re-opened for camping, then forgive this post. Otherwise, you'll have to go lower to find camping areas.

That's accurate. When I came over Twin Thumbs a few years ago, I nabbed the highest legal camp site I could find. I ended up around 11,600. It's a pretty easy one to spot, especially from above, and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Also, on the train. I believe 1-way $ is the same as round trip.

[Matt Lemke]

...We will likely have base camp around 12,500 at Twin Lakes upon crossing over Twin Thumbs Pass. We'll do the 14ers first then Jupiter on the way out.

Camping around Twin Lakes has been prohibited for some years now. If the area has re-opened for camping, then forgive this post. Otherwise, you'll have to go lower to find camping areas.

That's accurate. When I came over Twin Thumbs a few years ago, I nabbed the highest legal camp site I could find. I ended up around 11,600. It's a pretty easy one to spot, especially from above, and I HIGHLY recommend it.

Yes but does anyone actually enforce that?