Chicago Basin: Hiking in vs. Taking the train

[zsapinsley]

Anyone done both? Or have advice on whether they'd suggest hiking in versus taking the train?

~3h train ride plus 6 mile backpack or ~15 mile backpack in ... both seem like a full day that would get us to camp for dinner. Wouldn't be our first 15 mile day - not to underestimate the difficulty, especially before a few summit days. Anyone who's done the hike say definitely don't do it?

Train ride seems like kind of a cool/unique opportunity, but is also a bit costly. Worth it? People feel like "that train ride was F-ing awesome" or "man I'm glad I had the train ride out after 2 summit days"?

Thanks in advance!

[daway8]

Generally speaking those who have done the hike tend to say "do the hike" while those who have only done the train tend to say "do the train." I'm one of the latter.

I wouldn't say the train was absolutely awesome but it's certainly more than worthwhile to do it at least once - especially if you're not fond of long hauls with a full camping pack on.

[ltlFish99]

i have only accessed Chicago basin via the train.
i enjoyed the train, and since we went there quite a while ago, it was not very expensive.
Back when we went, ut was a very simple process, just showed up in Durango and purchased our tickets for the next day.

[bigredmachine]

I’ve only done the hike. Yes it’s long, but most of it is flat and you cover a lot of ground quickly. The hike in to the basin from needleton was quite exhausting at that point, but I also had a 12 pack of beer in my pack. I think it took me around 7 or 8 hours total.

[wombat]

At a manageable pace, it is about four hours from Purgatory to Needleton (a little longer on the ascending return). If you start early in the morning, you will beat the train and save money. If instead you get a later start, there is nice camping when you first encounter the Animas (two hours in). Additionally, you will have the flexibility to set whatever hiking schedule you want!

But alas, I am also in the 'only tried one' camp.

[CliminDave]

Both the Silverton train and backpacking in from 550 are great ways to tour the San Juans. I’ve done both to include several roundtrips on the coal fired, now oil fired, locomotives. Traveled from both Silverton and Durango; either is a fantastic opportunity! Up until the 416 Fire a few years back, the locomotives were coal fired and cinders would drop on the open air cars. Really cool feel, just like I’d imagine the old west to have been.

The backpack in from Purgatory is beautiful! This is a pretty smooth trip in and follows a few creeks and the Animas River. The return trip will bring some work at the end as there is a pretty good climb back to 550. One advantage of backpacking from 550 is the time schedule is yours to make. No need to be at Needleton at a specific time. One advantage of the train is ice cold beer on your way out! Best of luck on your adventure and don’t urinate near your tent!

[HikesInGeologicTime]

I’ve done both (well, sorta...the hike was from Purgatory Flats to a failed-for-me attempt at Pigeon and Turret. The train bookended a partially successful trip to Chicago Basin, though). As you can probably imagine, each has its downsides and upsides.

For the train, the downsides are that it’s crowded, noisy (you thought that horn was obnoxious from a safe distance away from the tracks, just wait until you’re two cars back from it as it’s inching out of town and blasting merrily away at every. single. road. crossing), and you’d better have remembered whatever you might have wanted/needed out of your pack before you got on, because you’re gonna be separated from it for 2.5-3 hours. Upsides are that you can sit the whole entire time, you aren’t carrying your 35 (or whatever)-lb. pack, you have access to a bathroom, and (as long as you didn’t leave your wallet in your pack) you have the option of purchasing the aforementioned ice-cold beer as well as what I consider to be the finest sketchy overpriced train hot dog in SW Colorado!

For the hike, downsides are that the added mileage is really annoying if you’ve got a pre-existing injury and/or condition or just tire out more easily than the endurance superathletes who tend to populate this forum That last uphill push back to the trailhead is really, really annoying regardless of what shape you were in before you started going back up. Upsides are, of course, being able to set your own schedule and not having to deal with the hassle of rearranging or canceling reservations if, say, the weather’s bad or something else comes up that gets in the way of your plans. You also don’t have to feel bad about eating the cost of the tickets if the aforementioned something else decides to wait until you’re already in the Basin before rearing its ugly head.

Personal preference: I’ve got pre-existing damage that isn’t going away (at least, not any time soon) and wasn’t a huge fan of schlepping an overnight pack even before I incurred that damage, so while you’ll never find me enthusiastically volunteering to take the train just for something touristy to do in Durango, I’m glad that it’s already a sealed deal in my September plans to hopefully make Chicago Basin a total success.

[Bigfoot]

TL/DR: I would say that it all depends on what your goal is. If it's get in, climb some peaks, and get out, then train is probably the best. I've ridden the train, but not for the purpose of climbing (honeymoon). If you want to see some wilderness, camp in the back-country, and maybe climb a few peaks while you're there, then hiking in/out is what I would recommend.

I did a lot of research on different ways to access Chicago Basin. I'm sure there are more than these:

• The "standard" whistle-stop at Needleton. From there it's six miles and 2,800' of climb to Chicago Basin.
• The Purgatory trailhead is another nine miles farther back if the train isn't running (COVID, fire, weather, sold out) or you don't want to be tied to the train schedule (15 miles).
• Vallecito Reservoir to the southeast. This trail follows the river upstream nine miles before crossing over at Johnson Creek. After crossing, you are still faced with a 3,580' climb up Johnson Creek and over Columbine Pass at 12,680' before dropping into Chicago Basin after 17.5 miles. This includes fording the river.
• Endlich Mesa trailhead west of Vallecito Reservoir. It starts high on Endlich Mesa (at 11,300'), drops down to Durango City Reservoir, then up and across Silver Mesa before crossing Trimble Pass (12,874') and joining the trail up Johnson Creek to cross Columbine Pass (12,680') before dropping into Chicago Basin after 14.75 miles. See Matt Payne's trip report at https://www.100summits.com/trip-reports ... dlich-mesa
• Thirty Mile trailhead at the Rio Grand Reservoir to the northeast that is partially along the Continental Divide trail (41 miles)
• Highland Mary Lake trailhead outside Silverton to the northwest (30 miles).

I threw out all these options and decided to make my own trail. From the Lime Mesa trailhead (at 11,500') I took the trail toward Ruby Lake, then bushwhacked (can you bushwhack above timberline?) to a saddle by point 12877 and took the goat trail down to timberline and made my way down to the Needle Creek trail just a mile below the basin (8 miles). I had no intention of hiking out the same way. For my exit I went via Columbine Pass, Trimble Pass, Silver Mesa (even more gorgeous than Lime Mesa), camped at City Reservoir, and then back to the trailhead. See viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42530&p=766896#p766896 You could also reverse my hike out as a variation of the Endlich Mesa approach (16.5 miles)

[Scott P]

Train ride seems like kind of a cool/unique opportunity, but is also a bit costly. Worth it?

It depends on who you ask and what you want. If you want to take the train, then do it. If you don't, then walk. It's as simple as that.

The only real problem with taking the train is that as of this year it isn't allowed to run when the forest fire danger is too high so you can get stuck walking out if the train can't run to pick you up. That is a valid concern.

One advantage of taking the train is that it allows you to see some impressive scenery (especially the river gorge) that you aren't going to see if you walk in and drive 550.

[Mark Curtis]

I've done both. Train 100%!

[desertdog]

I’ve done both. The train once, and hiking in to Chicago Basin, plus other areas around there, five times. Obviously I’d go with the hike. The train is expensive, crowded and a hassle. Plus it doesn’t save you any time. Maybe worth doing once for the experience. Disclaimer, hiking out after big climbing trip out is a butt kicker and more than once I thought, “damm I wish I was on that train”.

[climbingcue]

The train is expensive, crowded and a hassle.

I have only hiked in from Purgatory, and that is the plan for the next two or three trips I need to make in to that area. The weather is always an issue, so getting a train spot when you have no idea of the weather going to be on the day you have is useless to me. I like to be able to decide the day before, where I am going to hike based on the weather. I would like an alpaca to carry my pack in and out of that area.