I'm planning a trip to Durango in early September and want some confirmation that I have my timing estimated correctly for our Chi Basin/Eolus hike.
We plan on taking the train from Durango into Needleton, hiking into Chi Basin and setting up camp for the night. Then the following morning we will tackle Mt Eolus. We are a group of 4 20-somethings in very good physical shape, but this will be our first 14er (feel very comfortable with the hike itself, I've put in plenty of hours researching this hike, and we all have experience hiking in the North East)
This is the tentative schedule I've put together, allotting ample time based on others on the forum.
Begin Eolus hike: 5:00 AM
Summit Eolus: 7:30 AM
Get back to camp: 10:00 AM
Leave camp: 10:30 AM
Reach Needleton train: 2:30 PM (train est pick up at 3pm)
I think 5hrs RT for camp to Eolus and back is plenty, and the 4hr hike out to the tracks is a very big cushion for us. Weather permitting, do others believe I'm giving us enough time for each segment of this hike? (We have an extra day we can use if we happen to take too long to summit/make the train and need to catch it the following day)
Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
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alaughlin
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Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
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Re: Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
I think in general this looks good, but I would recommend leaving before 5am. The millage on the route isn't that long, but the last face (after you cross the narrow walkway near North Eolus) took us a surprising amount of time even though my group were really solid scramblers. I don't know how fast your party usually is, but I say get an earlier start and that way you can savor the sunrise views more from the upper basin. I think my party left the camp for the train at 10:30 and we had plenty of time to spare
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CaptainSuburbia
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Re: Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
Looks good! Maybe start a little earlier on Eolus hike for some buffer. Any extra time could be used to add North Eolus.
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brousseau
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Re: Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
For reference, I am in my early 50's and hiked N. Eolus and Eolus last Saturday.
I left at 3:30 in the morning from not very far into the Basin (it started raining as I was entering the Basin and just decided to set up camp).
I summited both North and Eolus and made it back to camp at 11:45. I packed up my campsite and was on the trail to catch the train at 12:15, and made it down to the stop with about 20 minutes to spare.
I think you got it, but it could be tight depending on how you all handle the altitude, and how many stops you take.
I left at 3:30 in the morning from not very far into the Basin (it started raining as I was entering the Basin and just decided to set up camp).
I summited both North and Eolus and made it back to camp at 11:45. I packed up my campsite and was on the trail to catch the train at 12:15, and made it down to the stop with about 20 minutes to spare.
I think you got it, but it could be tight depending on how you all handle the altitude, and how many stops you take.
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Re: Eolus/Chicago Basin to Needleton Timing
I'll echo the recommendation to maybe move the start time up just to be safe.
I'm probably slow-moderate going up but faster going down and here were my times from a few years back:
3:50am start from Chicago Basin camp
~8am North Eolus summit
9:14am Eolus summit
11:18am back at tent
12:07pm start hike back
1:56pm at Needleton stop
If your self evaluation is right you'll likely beat my summit times (unless the altitude gives you trouble). For the return to Needleton I was hauling pretty good so leaving some buffer like you did is wise since there's no guarantee that there will be room on the train if you miss your scheduled stop.
I'm probably slow-moderate going up but faster going down and here were my times from a few years back:
3:50am start from Chicago Basin camp
~8am North Eolus summit
9:14am Eolus summit
11:18am back at tent
12:07pm start hike back
1:56pm at Needleton stop
If your self evaluation is right you'll likely beat my summit times (unless the altitude gives you trouble). For the return to Needleton I was hauling pretty good so leaving some buffer like you did is wise since there's no guarantee that there will be room on the train if you miss your scheduled stop.
